Family members perform the fire dance to pray for good luck and goodness. Each ethnic group has its own unique and distinctive customs and practices creating the richness and diversity of cultures of the ethnic groups in the area. The fire dancing custom of the Red Dao people at the beginning of the year is one of those characteristics … To reschedule up… The fire dancing custom of the Luc Yen Red Dao (Yen Bai) is usually only held on a small scale in the household. Households that practice fire dancing will be passed on from generation to generation. This activity is held every 3 years with the aim of banishing bad luck, praying for family members to have health, a good crop, good life, and a full life. To see firsthand the custom of fire dancing, we went to Khai Trung commune, Luc Yen district on the 4th day of the Tan Suu Lunar New Year. This is a locality where over 90% are the Red Dao people. Thuy Dieu slope winding along a misty mountain slope leads us to this upland commune. Passing the slope a large, flat green plain surrounded by limestone mountains appeared before your eyes. In that green plains is the life of nearly 1,500 Red Dao people. Mixed life of the people is the green color of the mountains, the white of the plum blossoms, the plum blossoms, the red color of cherry blossoms … All combined with the shimmering colors on the dresses of the Dao girls who are bustling in springtime create a poetic spring scene here. The fields, upland fields are also gradually “put on themselves” a lush green with spring sky and earth. “Over the past years, along with focusing on implementing economic development programs and improving the lives of people, the Party Committee and Khai Trung commune authorities have also paid special attention to propaganda and mobilization of people to preserve and upholding customs and practices with many traditional cultural values, prominent such as the restoration and maintenance of the seasonal festival, fire dancing customs of the Red Dao people ”- Mr. Hoang Van Cau, Chairman Khai Trung commune People’s Committee said. Rooster is an indispensable mascot in the fire dance ceremony. “Dance” in the coals for good luck Mr. Trieu Tai Quan’s family is one of the few families in the commune that still maintain the custom of jumping fire. This custom is like a “karma” that only in Mr. Quan’s family can carry out from generation to generation. Every three years, Mr. Quan’s family holds a fire jump on the occasion of the New Year. Before the fire dance festival, his family prepared a tray to worship and ask for permission from the ancestors, the gods about the organization of the fire jump. Mr. Phung Thua Hoc – The priest at the fire dance ceremony shared: To prepare for the fire dance ceremony, the host family must invite the priest and prepare the participants to dance about a week earlier, according to the previous regulations. The boys chosen to participate in the fire dance must keep their bodies clean, do not kill, and do not engage in boy and girl affairs for at least 3 days. However, today these regulations are no longer mandatory and strict, just before joining the fire jump the boys wash and wear clean clothes. When it was dusk, a large fire was prepared in the middle of the house, when the fire was almost gone, only bright red coals were the sound of gongs that started the ceremony. In the pounding sound of gongs, 2 priests began to pray for permission of ancestors and gods and read the names of those who participated in the fire. At this time, the participants of the fire dance sit on a bench next to the offering tray and wait to do the “spell” of mindfulness. Listening to the rush of gongs, participants enter the fire as if they are empowered, their bravery will vibrate, shout a sound and jump into the embers with bare feet. They even used their bare hands to throw hot coals into the air and began to “bathe” the fire. Participants will take turns jumping and charring until the fire is over. After participating in the festival, the firefighter’s costumes were only dust, dirty, not scorched, nor were their limbs burned. When the fire dance is over, the two shamans continue to do some rituals to finish. Mr. Phung Van Doanh, a fire-jumping participant, said: The first time joining the fire dance, looking at the red coal was also very apprehensive, only afraid of being burned, but when he was “allowed” by the priest, he was like receiving. More strength, somehow unable to sit still, just rushed into the fire. Having participated a lot, but I have never suffered burns even if I was small. The fire dance practice is practiced by many ethnic minorities, becoming a unique cultural ritual that has existed for a long time. In each community, there is a different way, scale and time to organize but all have the same origin from the worship of fire god, a symbol of life, prosperity, happiness and indispensable in life. human life. At the same time, it is an opportunity for people to give thanks to their ancestors and wish for a good crop and a full life.

Apricot flowers are still the choice of the majority of people in Ho Chi Minh City Popular items of flowers and ornamental plants are still traditional types such as yellow apricot, peach, chrysanthemum, ornamental kumquat, orchids of all kinds, chickens, sunflowers … Apricot flowers are still chosen by the majority for Tet. According to many garden owners, this year, due to the sudden climate change, the apricot blossom bloom sooner, the price of Tet apricot blossom is only equal to that of last year without much change. According to many garden owners, this year, due to the influence of weather, apricot blossom bloom early, the price does not change However, due to the mentality of not knowing how to take care of apricot blossom in the wrong time for Tet, the tendency to hire apricots to play a few days in Tet is more concerned and safer. Accordingly, mid-sized apricot trees will have a rent of 1-2 million VND / pot (depending on age), perennial apricot trees will have a rent of 2-3 million VND / pot. In general, the closer Tet, the more fluctuating apricot prices will be due to factors such as flower quality, market demand … Hometown in Ninh Binh province, Nguyen Van Chien has spent many years working with clean agriculture in Ninh Thuan. On the occasion of Tan Suu Tet 2021, Mr. Chien continued to bring to the Tet flower market in Ho Chi Minh City the pots of grapes with the wrong fruit. Mr. Chien added: Besides grapes, he also grows apples and this year he also brought to the flower market in Ho Chi Minh City the apple pots with the wrong fruit to introduce to customers. Launching the Tet flower market in the city from 2019, Mr. Chien in Ninh Thuan, the owner of the ornamental vineyard, said that this year, the purchasing power decreased compared to last year. Starting to sell grapes in the flower markets of Ho Chi Minh City from Tet 2019, the first address Mr. Chien sells is in Binh Thanh and District 12. Each vine can be displayed in the house for a month, growers only need to water. once early in the morning to moisten the soil. After playing Tet, you can bring it to the gate or on the terrace of the family. “The wrong bunches of grapes, red and green fruits represent the wishes of everyone for a prosperous and prosperous year in a family with many children and grandchildren. Therefore, many people like this plant every Tet to come back “. Mr. Chien shared. At Mr. Chien’s red vineyard, the pots of grapes range from 1.3 million VND to 4.5 million VND, depending on the tree. Mr. Chien said that depending on each person’s conception of playing trees, grapes will be chosen with different criteria. People who like trees must have large stumps. People love red ripe grapes, others like green grapes. Some couples choose a vine with 2 bunches of fruit because they have 2 small children. Young people choose grapes with 4, 5 bunches, wishing to have rich fortune like grapes. Grandparents choose grapes with more bunches to expect their children to come home to play, after Tet, each person picks one fruit to eat for the fortune … At the red vineyard, seeing incorrectly at Mr. Chien’s point of view, the pots of grapes cost from 1.3 million VND to 4.5 million VND, depending on the tree. “In the previous Tet holidays, I sold grapes, at the time of the 24th and 25th Tet, I had to go back to Ninh Thuan to get more shipments because people bought a lot of them. There are no more products to sell. This year, the economy is difficult due to the COVID-19 epidemic. In recent days, people consult and ask about the price is more, but the number of buyers is less, hopefully there will be more customers in the next few days. In Ho Chi Minh City, snow blossoms are very “hot” on the occasion of New Year’s Day 2021 In 2021, in addition to apricot and peach blossoms, many people have hobby of arranging fresh flowers domestically and imported. At shop 91 Ho Thi Ky Flower Market, in the area for apricot and Japanese peaches, many people come to ask prices and choose flowers. The salesman said, snow blossoms are very “hot” in this Tet, the price is from 250,000 VND per bunch or more. Mr. Pham Ha Phu, a fresh flower business on Tet holiday in Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City, said snow blossoms “hot” from last year’s Tet 2020 in Hanoi, but this year’s Tet, young people in Ho Chi Minh City. Minh is very passionate and everyone always shows off each other super cool apricot snow arrangements on his personal page. Domestic orchids with a variety of colors are popular with the people Besides, on the occasion of the New Year’s Day in 20221, the lines of domestic flowers with strange colors this year are very popular. The most expensive flowers this year are new varieties, double petals, new color lilies, peach blossoms brought from Nhat Tan, Hanoi, moth orchids, peony chrysanthemums, and colorful willows. ..

It is also strange, the origin of apricot tree is in the central mountainous forest, with its “primitive” shape, rough, sinuous, wild, but when down to the Southern Delta, it is immersed in the alluvial of the Me River. Kong, it becomes a splendid and noble flower plant, and as a spring flower, a symbol of wealth, wealth, and wealth … For the people of the South, three days of Tet, in each family, whether rich or poor, there is at least one apricot branch, as a hope, a wish for the new year to have many blessings and fortune. And the apricot blossom did not know when it became the most luxurious of all flowers. When the rains of the season have just ended, the weather is lucky at night to warm the apricot stalks, the sun is like a gentle claw to awaken the sprout of apricot buds .. And when the swarms of swallows make their nests to signal Spring. Tet comes. Tet in the South has two specialties that are unmatched: watermelon – yellow apricot. Without yellow apricot, it is no longer Tet. The flowers only bloom in 3 days of Tet, but the golden color is sunny throughout the year. In the early days of spring, apricot flowers from the orchards flock to the town center, to the market street, the apricot trees are full of round green buds, glistening with a few green young leaves, dotted with a few golden buds, creating air festival. The rich bring the apricot tree home. The poor, no matter how poor, try to find a small branch of apricot on the altar of their ancestors. Yellow Plum is not only a flower to decorate the Tet colors, but also a symbol of Phuc – Loc in the year. Mai is like a god that predicts the future in the new year. If the apricot blossom bloom in three days of Tet, its petals are steady, and the color is bright yellow, that year the owner will be happy and happy. If the flower buds wilt, fall, the petals are curled, the homeowner will have many difficulties. Mai is sad and happy for a new year… so for mai, not only is she feeling awkward, “inspiring flowers”, but also the tacit reverence like “flower spirit” of Xuan. Cheese blossoms are not as beautiful as other flowers, but discreetly show their hidden beauty, only eyes can see that beauty. From the tree shape following the symbolic positions: Long – Phung – Phong – Van – Son – Thuy …, branch shape Tam Tai: Thien – Dia – Nhan, Four directions: Thuong – Ha – Ta – Huu, to the buds on the tree: bud Round like beads are bunches of yellow flowers are hiding waiting for the right moment to bloom, chicken-hooves bud is the hiding place of young green leaves like pearls. When the flowers bloom, the bud leaves dotted them for a more attractive apricot yellow color. And the scent of flowers, not everyone knows the scent of yellow apricot. It is a kind of incense called “haunted incense”, only when night falls, the weather is a bit seizure, everything sleeps peacefully, then the human mind must also be calm and not moved to feel the pure fragrance full of mystery. lurking, the purer, the more the aroma radiates … This also creates the essence of apricot. The purchase of Tet apricots is usually done by the head of the family (a man), expressing his aesthetic conception to choose apricot. Depending on the interior space or the family situation, the homeowner chooses a tree or branch, big or small, with such poses as: straight shape, draining wind, waterfall, five blessings, dragon, father, mother or father. multi, three-talented, .vv … to put in pots, round, flat, oval, square, hexagonal. According to books and folklore, there are many types of apricot blossom, 14-15 basic types, but basically all kinds of apricot: Khanh khat mai, Ha hoa mai, sandalwood, Ban Mai mai, Crane sign mai … of course, according to normal practice, the player of apricot, buying apricot blossom only focuses on 2 types: quarter-quarter plum, four-season blooming with 5 wings, big flower, and a hybrid apricot with 10 or more wings up to 120 wings and redolent. “Play” tomorrow is also an elegant and sophisticated hobby that not everyone can know “play”. Plum is an aura flower, even its scent is very discreet and selective, it can only “capture” its scent deeply at night, cool and dewy air, human mind is also real. New stillness can receive the faint scent of apricot blossom. Right from the “Christmas season”, tomorrow has been cared for by the gardeners, under the hands of famous artisans in areas specializing in the decoration in the southwestern region such as Dong Thap, Ben Tre, Sa Dec, Kien Giang, Can Tho. … And some long-standing traditional apricot villages in the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City such as: Hiep Binh Chanh apricot village, Binh Trieu, Binh Chanh 1, Binh Chanh 2, Go Vap flower village, Hiep Binh Chanh flower village (Thu Duc) Mai to “play” is also very meticulous and stylish, not only choosing apricot varieties, but also having to choose “how” of apricot trees (including the stump and branches), so that if “playing” the whole tree or pruning a branch is beautiful. as the. According to the general conception of bonsai: best picture, second generation, tam chi, four messages. In order to get an apricot tree according to the “like” way, the apricot planter has to take many years of care and pruning for all floors and branches like the basic “position”: The yin and yang, the yin tree below must have 3 floor, 1 top; Poplar trees above must have 5 floors, 1 top … Usually the chosen apricot root has the basic characteristics: “old” root, big, rough skin, maybe even moss, with “like” forms: Father, brother, friend, mother death, woodcutter, Diep, volunteer, best when heaven, … Small but strong apricot branches, with shapes such as: kneeling feet, flying cranes, phoenix … In addition to the above features, apricot also focuses on the division of branches on a apricot root such as: Big branches, small branches, the arrangement of branches .. creating “internal air” of apricot branches: Branches dividing layers , evenly spread cotton, strong branches, flexible branches, plump buds, young leaves buds … The “playing” tomorrow of the artisan line also distinguishes many other things such as: stigma and yin and yang, four-quarter branches. The stigmata is directing husband and wife, branching from the fourth quarter of Spring, Summer and Fall … The apricot family is diverse and plentiful, but tomorrow is also seen as a symbol of nobility, purity, purity, gratitude and soulfulness. Moreover, apricot is said to bring luck to homeowners with apricot buds blossoming at the right time of New Year’s Eve. On the occasion of the Lunar New Year, in every house of the Southern people in general, the people of Saigon – Ho Chi Minh City in particular, the apricot tree or branch is placed in the most solemn position. And in the parks, even on the street, apricot is the most important element to decorate the Tet space. Without the golden apricot color, the Lunar New Year in the South will not be complete enough to be called Tet.

Banh chung and banh Tet have bright colors This is not only one of the auspicious signs of Tet but also explains why banh chung and banh Tet are two indispensable items on a Vietnamese Tet altar. Plum blossom bloom is a good omen for Tet Photo: Anh Tuan. Lush kumquat tree It is natural for trees to sprout and sprout in the spring, so if your home has a green tree with many leaves in your house, pay attention to their branches, if the tree has many green buds, that year will have many buds. If there are enough “four quarters”: Ripe fruit, green fruit, flower and bud will be lucky and successful for the whole year. Apricot flowers, peach blossom buds Our people think that after New Year’s Eve, if the apricot blossom (type 5 petals) blooms more and full, it is an omen. And luckier when there is one or more 6-petal flowers. The concept for apricot blossoms is the same: if the blossoming flower has many double petals (double flower) 3 layers (row) on the calyx and shaped like a rose, there will be many bliss. According to Hai Ngoc / Lao Dong

Try it once in your life, travel slowly and feel every single frame outside the train window to see how beautiful Vietnam really is … 1. Railways pass through Hai Van pass (Da Nang and Hue) Many people have experienced and confidently said that: The North – South railway line passing through Lang Co – Hai Van Pass is the most beautiful railway in Vietnam! Because this is the most unique route when one side leaned on the towering mountain, the other faced the deep blue sea, creating a very unique and rare scene. You can sit on the train and watch the sea scenery from Hai Van pass, along with the green patches of green forest. In the summer, the wild flower hills on either side of the train track are also in full bloom and paint a brilliant picture. The trains passing through the Lang Co – Hai Van pass railway often move at a very slow speed, about 15km / h, due to many bends and dangerous terrain. But also because of this, passengers on board can easily enjoy and watch the natural scenery around the legendary Hai Van pass. 2. Phung Hung train route In Asia, when it comes to “Chinatown”, people will immediately think of three very famous names that have appeared in the international newspaper. These are all places that give visitors a thrilling, but no less exciting, experience. The story of this Hanoi railway neighborhood once appeared in many foreign newspapers. In April 2014, the British newspaper Dailymail published an impressive series of photos of trains running across the crowded residential area in Hanoi. During the railway run through the city of Hanoi through many streets such as Phung Hung, Dien Bien Phu, Le Duan … visitors can visit and experience the food service, but only the section across Phung Hung Street is the most crowded. Railways over a hundred years old running through the old town of Hanoi have recently become an attractive tourist destination for tourists, especially foreigners. The dreamy images seem to be only in the movie There are still simple, intimate and rustic features of Hanoi people. 3. Tran Quy Cap train route in Da Lat Dalat city always has beautiful little corners and the train track on Tran Quy Cap Street is such a place. This place is especially beautiful and romantic when cherry blossoms bloom with sparkling pink colors in the season. In addition to cherry apricot, this place is also adorned by the bright yellow color of many wild flower bushes characteristic of the land of fog. Also because of the cherry blossom season, many corners of this train line make people think of the romantic atmosphere of the Japanese cherry blossom season. The train trips between these beautiful and peaceful natural scenery are unique sceneries that you have the opportunity to experience. Because of this beautiful scenery, many people have come here to take excellent check-in photos of Dalat. To get beautiful photos, the photographer needs to wait for the train schedule to reach Trai Mat station and the shooting time is only a few seconds. Therefore, to see these beautiful images sometimes you also need a little more luck.