In the Vietnamese language, there are two words I particularly like because they express overflowing emotions, profound affection, heartfelt sharing, and, more importantly, a noble virtue, a human sentiment that is both compassionate and deeply devoted: "longing and remembrance."
The word "love" (or "affection") carries a profound meaning of filial piety, gratitude, and unwavering loyalty. Vietnamese folk songs have beautifully expressed various facets of "love": "Oh gourd, love the pumpkin too"; and "People of the same country must love each other." "Remembering" (or "remembering") is a tender expression, encompassing both empathy and profound emotion. The Vu Lan festival on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month is "Vu Lan of love and remembrance." It signifies love for one's parents and remembrance for those who have passed away. The rose worn on the chest during the Vu Lan ceremony is "a rose of remembrance." The rose symbolizes love, affection, and longing. Those wearing a white rose mourn their deceased parents, while those wearing a red rose express the immense happiness of still having their parents.
In this world, the debt of gratitude we owe our parents is immense."A father's love is as vast as Mount Tai, a mother's love is like the water flowing from a spring."The father is the pillar who shoulders the responsibility of building the house, while the mother is the one who silently and patiently sacrifices her whole life to build a happy family, "the woman who builds the home." The bloodlines of both parents have given birth to and nurtured a whole new life: their children."In my mother's eyes, I'm still a little child / And she longs to hold me in her arms forever."(Pham Ngoc Canh). Holding a child in your arms isn't just about the moment of birth when they utter their first cries; it's not just about when they're three years old, but about holding them throughout their entire life. It's the lullaby that gives them wings, the watchful gaze of parents. It's all the noble virtues and qualities that have become ingrained in their genes and passed down to them…
The Vietnamese people have a beautiful tradition of respecting their origins and practicing harmonious conduct in accordance with the compassionate spirit of Buddhism. The Vu Lan Festival, a celebration of filial piety, not only expresses gratitude to parents but also serves as an occasion to express profound appreciation for the country, for fellow citizens, and for the noble sacrifices of our heroic ancestors and martyrs who selflessly dedicated themselves to the nation and to peace and happiness for the people. Filial piety is the foundation of morality, and the family is the foundation of society. Today, filial piety plays an even more crucial role and has immense significance in life. As negative societal influences increasingly infiltrate families, filial piety and affectionate remembrance act as a glue binding together the mother-child bond within families, clans, and communities, contributing to the illuminating of the nation's timeless moral principles. The Vu Lan Festival on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month is a truly sacred and practical activity.
There is only one Vu Lan Festival each year, but I wish that for filial children, every day could be Vu Lan Day, so they can love and care for their parents. The red and white colors of the rose pinned to the chest are not only a symbolic gesture, but also a wish for the white to diminish and the red to become more abundant. Red represents the vital blood of mother and father who dedicated their lives to their children; the love and remembrance that accompanies them throughout their lives is multiplied, spread, and shared from the Vu Lan Festival on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month…
Article by: Nguyen Ngoc Phu
Illustrative image: Archival material
