On the morning of February 10, corresponding to the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month of the Year of the Snake, a series of activities reenacting royal court rituals under the theme “Tong cuu nghinh tan” took place at the Thang Long Imperial Citadel Heritage Site in Hanoi.

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The reenactment opened a traditional Lunar New Year cultural space in the thousand-year-old capital.
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Tet Nguyen Dan is the largest and most sacred festival of the Vietnamese people. It is also known as “Tet ca,” “Tet ta,” or the Lunar New Year. This is the moment that ushers in a new year. It marks the transition between the old and the new. It is a time to close what has passed and send forth hopes for a peaceful and auspicious year ahead.

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Numerous rituals unfold during this period in both the royal court and among the people. In Thang Long, the capital of Vietnam’s feudal dynasties, Tet culture carried a distinctive character. It was a convergence and interweaving of courtly traditions and folk customs.
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Under the monarchy, the king was regarded as the representative of the people. He embodied national prosperity and enduring stability. For that reason, the system of royal Tet rituals was formed with strict order and solemn scale. These ceremonies expressed the supreme authority of the court and the aspiration for national peace and well-being.
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Historical records show that during the Le Trung Hung period, royal Tet rituals were held continuously from the end of the twelfth lunar month through the seventh day of the first lunar month. They included the Kitchen Gods offering, the Tien lich ceremony, the Tien xuan nguu rite, the phat thuc rite, the cap huong ceremony, the thuong tieu ceremony, the tru tich rite, the Chinh dan ceremony, the king’s longevity celebration, the te giao ritual, the khai ha ceremony, and the khai an rite. Among these, the Tien lich ceremony, the Tien xuan nguu rite, the thuong tieu ceremony, and the Chinh dan ceremony were considered the most significant.
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Within the framework of the program, organizers recreated several representative rituals associated with the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month. Most prominent was the Tien lich ceremony. This rite symbolized the king conferring the calendar upon the people on behalf of Heaven. Under various dynasties, calendar compilation was entrusted to specialized agencies such as the Thai Su Cuc during the Tran dynasty or the Tu Thien Giam during the Le dynasty. After compilation, the calendar was submitted to the king for approval.
It was then printed for use within the court and distributed to localities. According to ancient custom, on the 24th day of the twelfth lunar month, the court held the solemn Tien lich ceremony in the dragon courtyard of Kinh Thien Palace.

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Alongside this, the thuong tieu ceremony, or the erection of the neu pole, was also introduced. This ritual helped recreate the atmosphere of Tet in the imperial palace. Historical accounts note that the neu pole was first erected in the royal palace, the lord’s residence, and officials’ mansions. Only afterward did it appear at common households.

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At the top of the pole were often hung streamers, earthen bells, or sacred symbols. These objects carried the meaning of warding off evil spirits. They expressed prayers for favorable weather, abundant harvests, and a peaceful new year.
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The program also reenacted the ritual of releasing carp to bid farewell to Ong Cong and Ong Tao as they returned to Heaven. This is a familiar custom of the Vietnamese on the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month.
In folk belief, the carp symbolizes perseverance, good fortune, and ascension. It embodies hopes for smoothness and prosperity in the coming year.

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Through the reenactment of royal court rituals, the program not only helps the public better understand the Lunar New Year of the imperial palace in the past. It also contributes to spreading heritage values.
It revives the traditional Tet space within the Thang Long Imperial Citadel heritage site in Hanoi.
Photos: Organizing Committee.

Tinh Le