Lowering Neu Pole, Opening Seal to Celebrates New Year
In the past, the Neu pole (a tall bamboo pole with red garment strips used to ward off evil spirits during the lunar New Year) lowering ceremony at the royal palace of the Nguyen Dynasty was performed to mark the end of the New Year holiday and prepare to enter a new working year.
Marking the end of the Lunar New Year holiday, on the morning of the 7th day of Lunar New Year (January 28), Hue Monuments Conservation Center held a ceremony to lower the Neu pole and open the seal to greet the new year at The Mieu Temple and Trieu Mieu Temple - Imperial City.
 |
| According to Director of the Hue Relics Preservation Centre Hoang Viet Trung, under the Nguyen Dynasty, the rituals marked the end of the Lunar New Year holiday and the start of work and normal activities. Photo courtesy of the centre |
 |
| The Neu pole was erected on the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month, marking the beginning of Tet. It coincides with the day when the Kitchen Gods are believed to ride a carp to Heaven to report on events from the past year. Photo courtesy of the centre |
 |
| During 143 years of its reign (1802 – 1945), the Nguyen Dynasty held an annual ceremony to plant the Neu at the Imperial Citadel. Photo courtesy of the centre |
 |
| The pole carried ritual items on its top, like a royal seal, a paper scroll and pen, which implied that the royal court stopped working during Tet. After the royal ceremony, ordinary people would erect their own Neu and start celebrating Tet. Photo courtesy of the centre |
 |
| The Neu was intended to ward off ghosts and demons from entering the community during Tet, and guide the spirits of ancestors on the way home for the Lunar New Year festival. The custom is also practiced in some Asian countries besides Vietnam. Photo courtesy of the centre |
 |
| It was taken down on the seventh day of the first lunar month to mark the end of the Tet celebration. Photo courtesy of the centre |
 |
| The seal opening marked the start of a new working year of the ancient central administrative system with the hope that the whole year will be smooth and successful and the country will be peaceful and prosperous. Photo courtesy of the centre |
 |
| Kim an (the restored golden seal) was taken down from the top of the Neu pole with four words “Phu - Tho - Khang - Ninh”, which symbolized Prosperity, Longevity, Good health, and Peace. Photo courtesy of the centre |
 |
| Ancient people perceived that these words were wishes for the peace, auspicious start and longevity for the country, and luck and prosperity for the people. Photo courtesy of the centre |
 |
| At the seal opening ceremony, Hoang Viet Trung, director of Hue Monuments Conservation Center, used the seal to stamp on the sheets on which the calligraphic words were carved, such as Phuc (Happiness), Loc (Prosperity), Tho (Longevity), Cat tuong (Good fortune), Binh an (Peace). Photo courtesy of the centre |
 |
| These calligraphic letters were given to visitors as wishes for good things and luck in the new year. Photo courtesy of the centre |
 |
| The traditional rituals of the Nguyen Dynasty have been revived for many years at the Hue imperial relic site. Photo courtesy of the centre. Photo courtesy of the centre |
During the seven-day Tet holiday from January 20-26, the Hue imperial relic site welcomed over 66,000 visitors, including 12,848 foreigners, earning nearly VND 5 billion (USD 23,060).
 | Buy Some Luck at a Traditional, Vietnamese Spring Market In the early days of the spring season, many localities have the custom of opening unique markets, where tourists from everywhere in Vietnam flock here ... |
 | Annual Tree Planting Programme Launched for Green Vietnam The Prime Minister launches a tree planting festival in Ba Vi on New Year of Cat. |
 | Overseas Vietnamese Around the World Celebrate Lunar New Year No matter where they live or work, Vietnamese people around the world appreciate the homeland traditions of Tet. |
Related Stories
National
Vietnam News Today (May 6): Party Leader To Lam Meets Vietnamese Expatriates in Kazakhstan
Vietnam News Today (May 6): Vietnam records dramatic growth after 50 years of reunification; Party leader To Lam meets Vietnamese expatriates in KazakhstanVietnamese specialties introduced to Malaysian consumers; Hue breakfast noodle soup among Top 100 breakfasts in the world.
May 06, 2025 | 06:19
Multimedia
Hanoi Hosts Friendship Exchange Celebrating 2025 Traditional New Year of Asian Countries
On April 26, a program titled "Happy Lunar New Year for Some Asian Countries 2025" was held in Hanoi. The event, organized by the Hanoi Union of Friendship Organizations in collaboration with the embassies of Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, offered an opportunity for international friends to share the joy of the New Year and to strengthen solidarity and friendship among nations.
April 29, 2025 | 08:21
Viet's Home
Scholarships Gift to over 600 Disadvantaged Students in Hue City
The scholarships were awarded to underprivileged students for their efforts toward achieving their dreams.
April 14, 2025 | 09:49
National
Vietnam News Today (Mar. 26): Singaporean PM Arrives in Hanoi, Beginning Official Visit to Vietnam
Vietnam News Today (Mar. 26): Singaporean PM arrives in Hanoi, beginning official visit to Vietnam; Vietnam desires to increase cooperation with Germany’s Hessen state; Vietnam, UK sign MoU on consumer protection; National Tourism Year 2025 launched in Hue city.
March 26, 2025 | 08:12
Recommended
Viet's Home
Vietnam's Human Development Index Remains High
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) published a new report on May 7, which mentions an unprecedented slowdown in human development progress. Meanwhile, artificial intelligence (AI) could become a new driving force for growth.
May 09, 2025 | 10:04
Viet's Home
Vietnam’s Mark on UN Day of Vesak Celebrations
The United Nations (UN) Day of Vesak is a significant cultural and spiritual event for global peace, celebrated by the international Buddhist community. Vietnam has hosted Vesak four times, leaving a profound impression on its organization and content.
May 07, 2025 | 13:56
Viet's Home
Art Program Spreads Message of Peace Worldwide
On the evening of May 2, the art program “Song of Victory” took place at Ho Guom Theatre in Ha Noi, celebrating humanistic values and promoting a global message of peace, particularly emphasising the friendship between Vietnam and the Russian Federation.
May 03, 2025 | 12:25
Expats in Vietnam
Look Forward to New Developments in Vietnam - US Relations
For Charlie Win, April 30 is a meaningful occasion to reflect on Vietnam’s remarkable journey—its resilience, progress, and transformation—while embracing the promising new chapter in Vietnam-US relations.
May 02, 2025 | 15:08
Popular article
Viet's Home
She Feeds the World: 8,000 Individuals Adopt More Sustainable Agricultural Practices
The She Feeds the World program, a partnership between the PepsiCo Foundation and CARE, officially closes its first phase in Vietnam after more than two years of impactful work to improve farming production and empower local communities.
April 28, 2025 | 09:25
Viet's Home
Over 200 Valuable Documents Displayed at 'Mountains and Rivers Connected One Strip' Exhibition
On April 25, the National Archives II opened the thematic exhibition 'Mountains and Rivers Connected One Strip' at 2 Ter Le Duan Street (District 1, Ho Chi Minh City) to mark the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification.
April 28, 2025 | 09:05
Viet's Home
Latin American News Agency Prensa Latina Shares Story of Vietnamese Veteran’s 1,200km Journey Back to Former Battlefield
On April 24, Latin American news agency Prensa Latina published a story about 76-year-old war veteran Tran Van Thanh, who is riding more than 1,200 kilometers by motorbike from Vinh City (Nghe An Province) to Ho Chi Minh City. His goal is to attend the 50th anniversary celebration of the liberation of the South and national reunification (April 30, 1975 - April 30, 2025).
April 26, 2025 | 12:36
Viet's Home
GNI Contributes to Spreading the Joy of Reading to Students
From April 18 to 21, nearly 5,000 students and teachers from 13 schools across Hoa Binh, Tuyen Quang, and Ha Giang provinces took part in a series of Book Festivals organized by Good Neighbors International (GNI). The events aimed to promote a culture of reading and respond to Vietnam Book and Reading Culture Day (April 21).
April 25, 2025 | 09:58