If given a place to celebrate the traditional New Year in three countries, Westerners prefer to go to Beijing, Seoul and Ho Chi Minh City.
On Quora, a foreign visitor was curious about the similarities and differences between the Lunar New Year of three Asian countries, Vietnam - China - Korea. The question quickly caught on, and here are some of the differences shared by locals and international visitors alike.
Tet in the ancient village of Duong Lam, Vietnam. Photo: Cao Tung
The most similar thing here is occasion, everyone will focus their attention on reuniting with family. Chinese and Vietnamese people will have dinner together on New Year's Eve. This is one of the most important meals of the year. Koreans will visit family and graves before and after Tet.
The second similarity is the tradition of giving lucky money - celebrating the new year. Elderly people give money in red envelopes to young people, with the meaning of blessing. In Vietnam and China, people use red paper envelopes, while Koreans use silk bags. Recently, Chinese people have a habit of transferring lucky money online.
All three countries calculate age based on 12 zodiac animals. For example, this year is the Tiger, those born in 2022 will have the year of the Tiger (tiger). However, depending on the culture of each country, the animals change accordingly. Among the 12 zodiac animals, Vietnam has the year of the Rabbit (cat), and the Chinese have the year of the Rabbit.
The first is the time people have holidays during Tet. For Vietnamese people, the holiday can last from 7 to 9 days, including the break before and after Tet. The Chinese have three official New Year days (1st, 2nd, 3rd), but many places last for 7 days. In some places, the time is up to 15 days. Tet in Korea takes place for three days, the day before the new year, the 1st and the second day.
The second difference is the color. The Chinese prefer red, the Vietnamese have yellow, and the Koreans usually don't have the main color.
Places to celebrate Tet in three countries as suggested by international guests
The biggest place to welcome New Year in China, according to tourists, is nowhere like Beijing. Visitors have the opportunity to join the flow of people going to temples and pagodas, participating in major festivals. At these events, you can watch entertainment activities such as martial arts performances, acrobatics, and enjoy traditional country cuisine at street stalls.
In Vietnam, if you like nightlife, the suggested destination is Ho Chi Minh City. This is the place that Western guests give the nickname "the city that never sleeps" in Vietnam.
In Korea, it's Seoul. Visitors can visit the major festivals to welcome the new year held at Namsangol Hanok Village and the Korean Folk Village. In addition, visitors can visit amusement parks in Seoul.
However, due to the epidemic situation, this year events and festivals to welcome the New Year took place quietly, less crowded than in all three countries. However, international guests still said that they will return to these places to celebrate the traditional New Year, when the epidemic is under control, and the festivals are as crowded as before.
