The beauty of culture of going to pagoda at the beginning of the year

In the minds of Vietnamese people, temples are not only sacred and solemn places but also close and closely connected to the spiritual life of the community. Going to the temple at the beginning of the year is an opportunity for everyone to pray for peace and luck for the family, to express their goodwill, respect for the gods and to appreciate the good traditional values ​​of the nation. Moreover, in the midst of the hustle and bustle of life, a moment of tranquility at the temple helps everyone to temporarily put aside their worries, find a peaceful place to calm their hearts and start the new year full of hope.

 When going to pagodas at the beginning of the year, in addition to offering incense to pray for blessings and luck, visitors also have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the bustling atmosphere of traditional festivals, experience unique cultural, artistic and folk sports activities of ethnic minorities and participate in many meaningful customs such as picking spring buds and asking for the first words of the year. These customs not only have spiritual significance but are also beautiful features in the cultural life of Vietnamese people.

Picking the first buds of spring is a long-standing custom of the Vietnamese people. In folk beliefs, trees symbolize strong vitality and growth. When spring comes, new buds sprout, symbolizing a new beginning full of energy. Therefore, people who go to the temple often pick a small branch of buds to bring home with the hope of having good health and abundant wealth. Nowadays, instead of picking buds, visitors can buy small pots of plants, which both maintain the spiritual meaning and contribute to protecting the landscape and environment.

Asking for calligraphy at the beginning of the year is a beautiful custom, promoting the spirit of learning and honoring knowledge of the Vietnamese people. The image of a calligrapher with a brush and ink, carefully writing each stroke on red paper is associated with every occasion of Tet. Visitors often ask for words with good meanings such as: Phuc, Loc, Tho, Tam, Nhan to hang in the house, sending hope for a new year of peace, prosperity, children's success in studying...

Non Nuoc Cao Bang UNESCO Global Geopark is known as a land of unique cultural heritage values ​​and a place that preserves many traditional customs, including the cultural beauty of going to pagodas at the beginning of the year. Temple and pagoda festivals in Cao Bang usually take place from the 6th to the 30th of January, not only having spiritual significance but also demonstrating community cohesion, guiding people towards the values ​​of truth - goodness - beauty. This is an opportunity for people to express their gratitude and commemorate the contributions of their ancestors who sacrificed their lives for the cause of protecting and preserving the country. On holidays, solemn worship rituals are held, attracting a large number of local people and tourists from all over the country to participate. Among them, famous are traditional festivals such as King Le Temple Festival (Hoa An), Dong Lan Pagoda Festival, Da Quan Pagoda Festival, Ky Sam Temple Festival (Cao Bang City)... Traditional festivals not only contribute to preserving national cultural identity but also create a special mark, attract tourists, and contribute to promoting the natural beauty, people, and indigenous culture of Non Nuoc Cao Bang Geopark to domestic and international friends.