People in Nghe An are bustling with pig slaughtering activities for Tet (Lunar New Year).

This year, the family of Mr. Ngo Tri Tinh in Dien Nguyen commune, Dien Chau district, sold their entire herd of pigs, but still kept one pig for the Tet feast. Mr. Tinh's family's pigs were well-cared for and their meat was delicious, so they were chosen by everyone to be the family that would participate in the Tet feast.

From early morning, the households participating in the pig slaughtering event gathered at Mr. Tinh's house. The strong men were in charge of transporting the pigs and butchering them, while the women took care of the cooking and logistics. The atmosphere of Tet (Vietnamese New Year) was filled with cheerful laughter and conversation.

After about an hour, the pig, weighing over 50 kg, was butchered and divided equally into portions. The offal was prepared on the spot to create a lunch feast for the local households to enjoy.

Mr. Dam Van Le from Dien Nguyen commune shared: "Pork is an indispensable food during Tet (Lunar New Year). Nowadays, it's very easy to buy it on the street. However, every year my family chooses to buy pork because our home-raised pigs are of better quality than those on the market. Because the pork is clean, we feel more at ease offering it to our ancestors, and everyone enjoys it more during Tet."

According to locals, the pigs selected for slaughter are carefully raised using traditional methods, feeding only vegetables and rice bran, and not industrial feed. When cooked, the meat is drier, firmer, and more flavorful. Pigs raised for Tet (Lunar New Year) slaughter are usually those with thick hair, long bodies, and preferably black. A pig chosen for slaughter shouldn't be too large, typically weighing between 50 and 70 kg.

In rural areas, the tradition of sharing a pig for Tet (Lunar New Year) usually involves 2-5 households, but it can also involve nearly a dozen households, depending on the size of the pig and the meat needs of the families in the group.

Mr. Nguyen Van Hoan from Dien Chau district said: "The day of slaughtering the pig is also a day when brothers, sisters, and neighbors gather together to prepare a warm and cozy reunion meal. My family has maintained this custom year after year, both to have meat to prepare dishes to offer to the ancestral altar, bidding farewell to the old year and welcoming the new year, and to strengthen the bonds of affection among family members and neighbors sitting together after a year of hard work."

Beyond simply preparing food for Tet (Lunar New Year), the tradition of slaughtering a pig for the feast is often chosen by many because it allows them to purchase pork at a lower price than buying it individually from the market. This is a beautiful cultural practice that has been maintained for many years, contributing to a warmer and more meaningful Tet atmosphere.