Why is the 5/5 Lunar Calendar chosen as the Doan Ngo Tet Festival?

Doan Ngo Tet festival is considered the 2nd biggest Tet holiday of the year after the Lunar New Year. So why, Doan Ngo Tet was held on 5/5 Lunar Calendar?

Every year, on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month, people all over the country welcome Doan Ngo Tet Festival. People buy and prepare gifts, buy fruits to burn incense, but surely, many people still do not know the meaning of Doan Ngo Tet holiday.

Mr. Nguyen Van Hieu - Head of the Department of Cultural Studies (University of Social Sciences and Humanities in Ho Chi Minh City) said that since ancient times, Doan Ngo Tet is a traditional Tet holiday in some Asian countries like Vietnam. , Korea and China. Doan Ngo Tet festival has existed for a long time in Eastern folklore and has an impact on cultural activities.

People in many regions across the country still keep the custom of buying sticky wine, fruit, and offerings during the Doan Ngo Tet holiday.

According to Thay Hieu, Doan means the beginning, Ngo is May. Doan Ngo is a Tet holiday in early May. Many information materials, Ngo is noon (11h to 13h) is not true.

'According to the old days calculation, November is the first month of the year so according to 12 animals, Ngo is May, not Ngo is noon,' Mr. Hieu explained.

On May 5, lunar calendar, Mr. Hieu said: In the past, people called the May 1 called Sister Ngo, continuing the second day of Nhi Ngo, the third was Tam Ngo, the 4th was Tu Ngo and the 5th. is Ngu Ngo.

" Doan Ngo New Year is also known as Doan Ngu (ie the 5th day in May), so people take the 5/5 Lunar New Year to organize the Lunar New Year Festival ," Mr. Hieu said.

Professor Ngo Duc Thinh added that in Vietnam, Doan Ngo Tet is also called by the folk name rather than the killing of insects. May is the middle of the year, when the seasons change, the weather changes into the hot weather, the disease is easy to develop so it needs to prevent pests and diseases.

According to the old concept, in humans, especially in the digestive department, there are often insects. If this insect is not subtracted, it will reproduce more and more and cause harm to people.

All year round, they hide deep in the abdomen, only May 5 is they rise up. Therefore, people often choose Doan Ngo Tet holiday to eradicate them by eating dishes such as sticky rice rice and fruits with various tastes such as plum, peach, mango, litchi . In addition, Other dishes depend on the customs of each locality, such as the black tiger (Da Nang), duck meat (HCMC).

1. The origin and meaning of the Lunar New Year in Vietnam