(Baonghean.vn) - There's an old saying: "The whole year is blessed with the full moon of the seventh month / The whole year is blessed with the full moon of the first month." After the Lunar New Year, people flock to the market to prepare for the Lantern Festival. Chrysanthemums, bananas, oranges, gold-plated items, betel nuts and leaves... are the main goods sold, these are indispensable items on the ancestral altar on the full moon day.
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| "The full moon of the seventh lunar month is celebrated throughout the year, and the full moon of the first lunar month is celebrated in all of them," therefore, this is a very important holiday for the Vietnamese people. The day before, rural markets such as Moc Market (Nghi Thai commune), Trai Market (Phuc Tho commune), Mai Trang Market (Nghi Xuan commune)... become much more bustling in preparation for the full moon day. |
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Items for the Lantern Festival (the 15th day of the first lunar month) are mainly sold along the main roads near the market or the roads leading to the market entrances to provide convenience for people's needs on this day. |
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| On the full moon day, chrysanthemums are an indispensable flower on the ancestral altar. |
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| These days, there's no such thing as bargaining; everything is done according to the agreement of the buyer and seller because people believe there shouldn't be any calculation on the day of ancestor worship. The fruits must be fresh, beautiful, and have their branches and leaves intact, carefully selected. |
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| Beautiful bunches of bananas are sold along the main roads. |
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| Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong (Thai Thinh hamlet, Nghi Thai commune) shared: "Every year, on the morning of the 14th of the lunar month, I have to rush to the market to buy bananas and chrysanthemums to place on the ancestral altar in the afternoon, while the offerings for the full moon day are saved for my daughter-in-law to bring along." |
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| Various kinds of fruits are sold in many places in the market. |
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| Betel nuts and leaves are indispensable offerings on the ancestral altar. |
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| Following the Lunar New Year, the Lantern Festival is a beautiful cultural tradition of the Vietnamese people, expressing filial piety towards ancestors and gratitude to those who came before them. Therefore, everyone wants to choose and buy the best offerings to present at the ancestral altar of their family and clan. |
Wang Yun
