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- Name
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Lantern festival
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- Type of festival
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Traditional festival
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- Time
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15thday of the first lunar month
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- Location
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Pagodas and Ngu Binh mountain
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-Activities
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Going to the pagoda
Admiring natural landscapes, singing and enjoying beautiful poems on Ngu Binh mount
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"Tet Nguyen tieu" (so-called Ram thang gieng or Tet Thuong Nguyen) takes place from the 14th day to the 15th day of the first lunar month. Although Tet Nguyen tieu originated from China, the festival today reflects national identity.
For Vietnamese, it is an important event. On this occasion, people practice tsethar (saving the lives of creatures by releasing them into the wild), do charity works and hold offerings to pray for favorable weather conditions.
In Thua Thien Hue, Tet Nguyen tieu is still maintained and traditionally organized. On Tet Nguyen tieu, houses and places of worship are beautifully decorated with lanterns, flags and flowers, etc. In addition to going to pagoda, people often gather together on Ngu Binh mountain or Thien An hill, famous and romantic destinations for sightseeing, admiring moonlight and reciting poems. Bright moonlight, breeze and sprouting plants inspire poets to compose poems.
Poets also visit poets' graves, which is a humanitarian activity can only be found in Hue. Families often prepare two separated offering ceremonies to show their respect and gratitude to the Buddha and ancestors.
Tet Nguyen tieu has become a traditional festival as well as a unique cultural activity. It is a special day to honor learning, cultural value of Vietnam in general and Hue ancient capital in particular.