The meaning of Cold Food Festival in Vietnamese culture

Cold Food Festival is considered a traditional holiday in Vietnam when people across the region make banh troi and banh chay to offer to their ancestors on the 3rd day of the 3rd lunar month every year.

According to cultural expert Nguyen Hong, the Cold Food Festival originated from Chinese culture, related to the people of this country remembering General Tu Thoi who carried his mother to death in the forest, so the custom of this country is to eat cold food cooked from the previous day and to prohibit fire on Cold Food Festival. However, in the process of cultural exchange, Vietnam's Cold Food Festival has big differences, bearing a clear national identity.

"On the Cold Food Festival, Vietnamese people do not have the custom of banning fire, nor do they make offerings to commemorate General Tu Thoi. The cakes are made and placed on the altar to worship and remember their ancestors, symbolizing the memory of their origins. In particular, the image of small, round banh troi and banh chay, filled on the plate, also implies the memory of Mother Au Co when she gave birth to a sac of one hundred eggs, showing that Vietnamese people clearly remember their origins as descendants of the dragon and fairy" - this cultural expert shared.

"The offering tray for the Cold Food Festival is similar to other important holidays, it needs incense, flowers, fresh fruit, betel and areca nuts. Avoid using thorny fruits to display the five fruits. If you want to be elaborate, buy fruits that represent the five elements. For simplicity, just a plate of fresh fruit is enough, just showing sincerity is enough. On the altar, there must also be a glass of clean water to show the pure heart of the homeowner when performing the ceremony."

In addition, the offering tray for the Cold Food Festival cannot lack banh troi and banh chay. There must always be 5 or 3 plates of banh troi and 3 bowls of banh chay offered on the altar. Because the ancients believed that odd numbers are spiritual numbers, even numbers should not be used.

In addition, although making banh troi and banh chay is simple, it also requires meticulousness, so the whole family needs to participate. This is easily seen in many families, when March 3rd comes, generations come together to make banh troi, worship ancestors and gather to enjoy the blessings, very warm./.