Tips

The Magic of Mai: Unveiling the Traditions Behind Tet’s Leafy Rituals

The Lunar New Year is a special time for Vietnamese families, and one unique tradition they observe is plucking apricot leaves. This long-standing custom holds a deeper significance and plays a pivotal role in welcoming the upcoming year. Unraveling the meaning behind this practice and its impact on the Tet holiday is certainly worth exploring.

Administrator

10 July, 2024

In Southern Vietnam, a unique tradition takes place during the Tet Holiday, where families come together to pluck the leaves off the mai tree. This practice has deep roots in the region’s culture, but why do they do it? Let’s explore this fascinating tradition and its significance.

1The Tradition of Plucking Mai Leaves During Tet

The Tradition of Plucking Mai Leaves During Tet

Tet, the Vietnamese New Year, is a special time in Vietnam, and one of the unique traditions you may witness is the plucking of mai leaves. Families and communities come together to joyfully remove the leaves from these trees in preparation for the upcoming festivities. This age-old tradition is still practiced today and holds great cultural significance.

The mai tree, with its vibrant yellow flowers, is synonymous with Tet in Southern Vietnam. To ensure the tree blooms in time for the New Year, it is essential to pluck its leaves. This act allows the tree to focus its energy on nurturing young buds, resulting in a magnificent display of flowers on the first day of Tet. It is believed that this practice brings good luck and fortune to the household.

2Why Pluck the Mai Leaves?

Plucking the leaves midway through the year ensures the flowers bloom as desired during Tet.

The climate in Southern Vietnam differs significantly from that of the North and Central regions. While the South experiences only two seasons, rainy and dry, the North and Central regions enjoy four distinct seasons. As a result, the care required for mai trees varies between these regions.

Plucking the leaves midway through the year is crucial for Southern Vietnam. It ensures that the flowers bloom as desired during Tet, creating a spectacular display to welcome in the New Year. This practice may be unfamiliar to those outside the region, as it is unique to Southern Vietnam.

3Things to Keep in Mind When Plucking Mai Leaves

Monitor the weather: If the forecast predicts warm or hot weather in the latter half of the year, the mai flowers will likely bloom early. In this case, it is advisable to pluck the leaves later than usual. Conversely, if there is heavy rain or a drop in temperature, the flowers will bloom later, requiring an earlier leaf-plucking session.

Monitoring weather conditions is essential for determining the ideal time to pluck the leaves.

Observe the buds: Pay close attention to the appearance of buds on the tree before plucking the leaves. This will help you determine the most suitable date for plucking to ensure the buds open precisely on Tet.

If the buds are small, pluck the leaves on the 13th day of the lunar month.

If the buds are small, it is best to pluck the leaves on the 13th day of the lunar month (known as the 13th of Chạp). For slightly larger buds, the 15th or 16th day (known as Rằm or 16 tháng Chạp) is ideal. If the buds have grown significantly, delay plucking until the 18th, 19th, or even 20th of the month.

Now you know why Southern Vietnamese families pluck the leaves of the mai tree during Tet. This tradition is not only fascinating but also plays a vital role in welcoming the New Year with beautiful blooms and good fortune.

Frequently asked questions

Tet is the most important and popular holiday in Vietnam, celebrating the Lunar New Year. It is a time for family reunions, feasting, and paying respect to ancestors and deities.

Banana trees and marigold flowers are believed to bring good luck and prosperity. Banana trees are often placed in front of houses during Tet as they symbolize strength, growth, and a fresh start. Marigold flowers, with their bright yellow and orange petals, represent happiness, vitality, and good fortune.

One popular ritual is the offering of ‘cay neu’, a tall bamboo pole decorated with colorful streamers and charms. It is believed to ward off evil spirits and invite good luck into the home. Families also prepare a feast with traditional dishes such as ‘banh chung’ (sticky rice cake) and ‘xoi gac’ (red sticky rice), and pay respect to their ancestors by visiting cemeteries and making offerings at home altars.

People often greet each other with ‘Chuc Mung Nam Moi’, which translates to ‘Happy New Year’. Exchanging lucky money (‘li xi’) in red envelopes is also a common tradition during Tet, wishing recipients a year of good luck and prosperity.

Cleaning and decorating the house is an important part of Tet preparations. It symbolizes a fresh start and a welcoming of good luck and prosperity into the home. People often sweep away any bad luck from the previous year and decorate their homes with bright and colorful ornaments, flowers, and lucky charms.