Every night on the 30th Lunar New Year (or 29th in some cases), the New Year's Eve ceremony has become a significant traditional ritual for Vietnamese families. Alongside the ceremonial offerings and rituals, some ponder whether it's appropriate to convert gold immediately after the ceremony. If you share this curiosity, read on for detailed insights.
1. Overview of the New Year's Eve ceremony
The New Year's Eve ceremony is typically divided into indoor and outdoor rituals, each with its own significance. The outdoor ceremony symbolizes bidding farewell to the deities of the old year and welcoming those of the new year to the family. The indoor ceremony involves paying respects to ancestors, hoping for a year filled with prosperity.
The New Year's Eve ceremony usually takes place from the Rat hour (11 p.m. to 1 a.m.). Families perform the outdoor ritual first, followed by the indoor ceremony.
Depending on the location of the family, the outdoor altar may be oriented towards the East or North. Traditionally, the East is considered the direction of the God of Heaven, while the North is associated with the Highest Deity.
2. Is it advisable to transform gold immediately after completing the New Year's Eve ritual?
Depending on the customs and traditions of each locality, the decision to turn gold into liquid after the New Year's Eve ceremony may vary.
In some regions, after completing the outdoor ritual of the New Year's Eve ceremony, families wait until the incense has burned out to turn gold into liquid, symbolizing bidding farewell to the governing deity of the old year and welcoming the new one. As for the gold used for the indoor ceremony, families typically wait until the designated day for gold transformation (usually from the 3rd to the 10th day of Tet). This is when they honor their ancestors and invite prosperity into their homes by transforming the gold.
These are insights into whether one should turn gold into liquid after completing the New Year's Eve ceremony. Save this information for reference and application. Don't forget to follow Mytour for timely updates on the most useful information.