For the people of the coastal region, Tet Festival is not only about the golden chrysanthemum and marigold flowers adorning the doorsteps, the warm and fragrant kitchens, etc. but also about the customs and cultural beauty that have been preserved for generations, connecting people with the sea.

Sincere offerings of incense

Every year, on the 24th day of the 12th Lunar month, the Management Board of Long Thuy Canal (Long Thuy neighborhood, Binh Kien ward) holds a year-end ceremony at the Nam Hai Ancestral Temple - a recognized provincial-level historical and cultural relic. To prepare for the ceremony, the villagers come to the temple to clean and renovate. In the beliefs of the people of the coastal village, the Nam Hai Ancestor is the guardian deity, so the rituals related to him, even if not major ceremony, are still prepared meticulously with all sincerity.

Mr. Pham Van Thanh, Deputy Head of the Long Thuy Canal Management Board and also the caretaker of the Nam Hai Ancestral Temple, along with Mr. Nguyen Dieu, offering incense and praying

On the morning of the 1st day of Tet Festival, members of the Management Board of Long Thuy Canal and fishermen gather at the Nam Hai Ancestral Temple to offer prayers for the Lunar New Year. Mr. Nguyen Cho, Head of the Management Board, on behalf of the villagers, prays to Nam Hai God for calm seas, favorable weather, safe voyages, and bountiful catches, ensuring prosperity and well-being for all families in the village.

The Lunar New Year’s offering ceremony at the shrine of Nam Hai God is a beautiful cultural tradition deeply rooted in the beliefs of the people of the coastal village. They not only celebrate Tet Festival (Lunar New Year) with their families, offering incense to commemorate their ancestors, but also turn to Nam Hai God - their guardian deity on their journey of making a living amidst the turbulent waves.

Enjoying the Bai Chii festival at the beginning of the year

Tet festival in coastal villages often features the Bai Choi event, which is a unique cultural space where music, performing arts, folk improvisation, and community spirit blend together, strengthening the bonds of neighborly affection.
 

The Bai Choi folk game - not only a New Year's game but also a cultural space

Writer Tran Quoc Cuong (Phu Hiep 3 neighborhood, Hoa Hiep ward) still vividly remembers the Bai Choi festival from his childhood. On the open ground, charming bamboo huts are erected, arranged in an arc or U-shape, facing the central hut - where the caller or host controls the game. Each small hut serves as a seat for the players. The deck of cards is made of bamboo or thin wood, painted with familiar folk images and given whimsical names.

Each time a card is drawn, the caller doesn’t directly call out the name but instead recites songs, rhymes, folk songs, or improvised verses to prompt the players to listen, reflect, and make associations. Participants buy cards, sit in the huts, and attentively listen to each verse of the caller. When they recognize that the card called out matches their own card, they signal according to the established rules. Whoever has enough cards first “wins” and receives a small gift symbolizing good fortune for the spring.

After Tet (Lunar New Year) passes, fishermen once again endure the harsh sun and wind in their struggle for survival at sea. These beautiful customs, preserved through generations, provide a spiritual anchor for fishermen to continue their work at sea and return home.

Translated by TRINH THUY