VietNam
The Nguyen Tieu Festival is celebrated annually by the Chinese living in Hoi An on the 16th of the first lunar month of January, at Guangdong and Chaozhou Assembly Hall.
Residents of the ancient city of Hoi An are always eager to welcome the Nguyen Tieu festival. On this occasion, people organize formal offering rituals at village pagodas and temples to honor Emperor Shen Nong and the tutelary Gods, and pray for bumper crops. This is a jubilant festival that introduces cultural and artistic traditions to domestic and international visitors.
Today, the people visit pagodas to offer incense, choose fortune lots and pray for health and wealth. The Chinese communities in Hue, Danang City and Quang Ngai Province gather at Fujian and Jiao Zchou clubs to make offerings to ancestors and celebrate the new year. Tourists in Hoi An City during these days will experience an exciting atmosphere, quite different f-rom the usual tranquility. Many solemn rituals and interesting activities such as Vietnamese poetry reading, lantern festival, unicom daces or lottery games attract a great number of visitors and locals.
At night, locals walk on dazzling bright streets, rush into pagodas or temples and participate in the festival. The Chinese light lanterns in front of their homes to signify the cozy atmosphere of the family reuni-on, and eat che troi nuoc, sticky rice dumplings with caramel ginger syrup, marking family reuni-on and luck. Foreign tourists are amazed at the festivities and join the traditional games happening throughout the city.
The center for Culture, Sports, Radio and Television of Hoi An city
