On every traditional Tet holiday, Cao Lan people will cut and paste, create shapes on red paper, then paste them on household items. The elaborate, beautiful shapes and patterns are not only simple decorations but also contain many cultural and spiritual values, symbolizing the desire for a new year of peace and prosperity. This is a beautiful custom, expressing the unique identity of Cao Lan people for thousands of years...
Mr. Au Duc Hoi pasted red paper on his family's ancestral altar with the wish for a peaceful, prosperous and lucky new year.
Following the road leading to Ngoc Tan village (zone 13), Ngoc Quan commune, Doan Hung district, where over 98% of the residents are Cao Lan people, under the gentle smoke from the kitchen and the chilly weather of the first days of Spring, from afar we saw the typical stilt houses of the Cao Lan people gradually appearing, full of warmth and affection. Together with the cultural officer of the commune, we visited the family of Mr. Au Duc Hoi - a prestigious person in Ngoc Tan village. At this time, the women in his family were busy making traditional cakes to offer to their ancestors and entertain guests, while the men were quickly cleaning, sanitizing, and reinforcing the house to prepare for Tet. The reason everyone was in such a hurry was because the Cao Lan people have a concept that Tet must be full, the more cakes and fruits on the offering tray, the more it shows prosperity and warmth.
The Cao Lan people's Tet holiday lasts from the 25th of December to the full moon of January. From the 25th of December onwards, the Cao Lan people begin to get busy with preparations for Tet. The first step is making traditional cakes for Tet, of which banh chung is indispensable for every family, not only to eat during Tet but also as gifts for relatives on both sides of the family. Along with banh chung, banh chim gau made from sticky rice, banh gai made from sticky rice mixed with green beans and molasses, banh ngu sac, che lam... are also indispensable cakes on the Cao Lan people's Tet tray.
While the women skillfully make traditional cakes and sing sweet and passionate Sinh ca, the men in the family are also busy preparing for the ceremony of pasting red paper (called Chi Dit in Cao Lan) on household items so that they can have a "Tet holiday".
Red paper is pasted on trees with the wish to drive away pests and evil spirits.
The red papers are cut and pasted with elaborate and beautiful shapes and patterns.
While searching and arranging the red papers, scissors, and glue, Mr. Hoi told us about the "specialties" of Tet that only the Cao Lan people have. He confided: Each ethnic group has its own unique Tet customs, creating a colorful cultural picture and the Cao Lan people also contribute a bright red color to that Tet picture. Since childhood, he was taught how to cut paper, paste it, and pray during the Chi Dit ceremony. This sacred traditional ritual is a bridge between humans and gods, and is still widely circulated today in the Cao Lan community in Ngoc Quan. Each piece of paper symbolizes a wish for a prosperous new year, a bountiful harvest, and also has spiritual meaning, helping to ward off evil spirits, bringing joy and luck. Therefore, at the end of the year and into the new year, all the Cao Lan villages are decorated with bright red colors.
After performing the Chi Dit Ceremony, the Cao Lan people sing Sinh ca and Veo ca together to enjoy Spring and celebrate Tet.
Red paper is usually cut into rectangles with traditional patterns. Red paper to be pasted on the ancestral altar will be about 30x50cm in size, while red paper to be pasted on objects will be about 5x10cm in size. Red paper is pasted everywhere in the house. If red paper is pasted on the ancestral altar, it means praying for grandparents and ancestors to bless the whole family with health, peace, and luck. If it is pasted on objects and tools in the house such as hoes, shovels, knives, etc., those objects will be able to rest and welcome the new year with people after a year of hard work. With the roots of trees in the garden, if red paper is pasted on them, in the new year, those trees will be lush, fruitful, and free of pests.
On the 28th and 29th of December, when all the objects in the house and the trees in the garden are decorated with red paper, and the fragrant aroma of cakes wafting from the corners of the house, Tet has come to the Cao Lan people. From this moment, they begin to put aside the worries and troubles of the past year, sing Sinh ca, Veo ca, dance with birds, scoop shrimp... together to welcome the New Year in joy, happiness, and excitement.
The Cao Lan Chi Dit Festival is not only a cultural beauty but also has profound spiritual significance, reflecting people's beliefs and aspirations for a bright future. Preserving and promoting the value of this custom helps preserve national identity, contributing to enriching the country's colorful culture.
Thanh An
Source: https://baophutho.vn/sac-do-don-mua-xuan-226939.htm
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