The Origin and Meaning of the Đoan Ngọ Festival in Vietnam

The Double Fifth Festival is one of the traditional holidays in Vietnam. The Double Fifth Festival is celebrated on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month. So, when does the Double Fifth Festival fall in 2024?

The Double Fifth Festival in 2024 will be celebrated on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month, which is Monday, June 10, 2024.

The Double Fifth Festival is a shared celebration among several countries influenced by Chinese culture. However, in Vietnam, the Double Fifth Festival carries distinct meanings.

Every year, on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month, we celebrate the Double Fifth Festival, also known as the Festival of Insect Extermination.

“Double Fifth” signifies the beginning of noon (Đoan: beginning, Ngọ: noon), while “Dương” refers to the sun or positive energy, so “Đoan Dương” means the beginning at the peak of positive energy.

This traditional festival is based on Eastern folk culture and beliefs, marking the beginning of a new phase that heralds good things, praying for bountiful harvests and prosperous livelihoods. On the Double Fifth Festival, various customs are observed, such as the extermination of pests, dyeing fingernails and toenails, bathing with herbal water, inspecting trees for fruit, and gathering herbs during the noon hour.

In different countries, the customs and rituals for the Double Fifth Festival vary. In East Asia, Vietnam, Korea, and China honor and preserve this festival.

Origins of the Double Fifth Festival: The Vietnamese Festival Cannot Be Conceived as Originating from China

In Vietnam, the Double Fifth Festival is also colloquially referred to as the Festival of Insect Extermination. It is one of the traditional holidays rich in cultural significance. Not only in Vietnam and China but also in Korea, the Double Fifth Festival is celebrated. Therefore, the Double Fifth Festival is essentially an Eastern Asian festive custom associated with the concept of the cyclical nature of weather throughout the year.

China and the Legend of Qu Yuan

During the late Warring States period, there was a minister from the State of Chu named Qu Yuan. He was a loyal minister and a renowned cultural figure. It is said that he authored the famous poem “Li Sao,” which reflects his sorrow over the decline of his nation and the threat of losing it.

Unable to prevent King Huai from making poor decisions and being harmed by treacherous officials, he tragically drowned himself in the Miluo River on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month. In mourning for this loyal man, the people of ancient China would make dumplings wrapped in colorful threads (to scare away fish) and row boats out into the river, throwing dumplings and placing rice in bamboo tubes as offerings to Qu Yuan.

Additionally, there is another legend regarding the origins of the Double Fifth Festival; many sources suggest that the custom originates from the ancient “Summer Solstice,” while others believe it is a veneration of the totemic figures of the people living near the Yangtze River.

The Legend of the Double Fifth Festival in Vietnam

On a day following the harvest, farmers celebrated their bountiful yield, but pests invaded that year, devouring their crops and harvested food. The people were at a loss for how to solve this pest problem when suddenly an old man appeared, claiming to be Đôi Truân.

Vietnamese offerings for the Double Fifth Festival typically include fruits, sticky rice cakes, and fermented rice wine to exterminate pests.

The old man advised each household to set up a simple altar with sticky rice cakes and fruits, and then exercise in front of their homes. The people followed his advice, and soon the pests fell and died. The old man also added that pests are particularly aggressive on this day every year, and if they follow his instructions, they can be eradicated.

The grateful villagers wanted to thank the old man, but he had disappeared. To commemorate this event, they named this day “The Festival of Insect Extermination”, and some referred to it as “The Double Fifth Festival” because the offerings are usually made at noon.

Thus, it cannot be construed that the Double Fifth Festival of the Vietnamese originates from China, as some people mistakenly believe today.

Significance of the Double Fifth Festival

In Vietnam, the Double Fifth Festival has been “Vietnamized” into the Festival of Insect Extermination and ancestral worship. The Vietnamese also refer to the Double Fifth Festival as “The Festival of Insect Extermination” because during the seasonal transition, diseases are more likely to arise. On this day, various folk customs are performed to ward off pests and prevent illness.

In some rural villages in Vietnam, the old customs are still preserved, and the Double Fifth Festival is highly valued. After the Lunar New Year, “The Festival of Insect Extermination” is perhaps the warmest family reunion holiday, with many customs linked to the lives of the people… which is why family members, even if they work far away, try to arrange to return.

At this time, fruits and flowers begin to blossom, promising a bountiful season, making fruits an essential offering. Additionally, there are various dishes depending on local customs.

Sticky rice dumplings are commonly offered during the Double Fifth Festival.

On this day, the entire village buzzes with activity, as households rise early to prepare offerings for their ancestors, with fruits being an indispensable offering. It is believed that this is the time when fruits on trees and leaves on branches begin to bloom and bear fruit, and offerings to ancestors are made in hopes of a bountiful harvest.

After the offerings, the rituals for pest extermination take place. Families gather to eat sour fruits, fermented rice, sticky rice cakes… to eliminate “pests” and drive away diseases…

Customs on the Double Fifth Festival

Traditionally, at noon (12 PM), people in rural areas gather to pick herbs. This is the time with the best positive energy, as the sun shines at its brightest during the year. The herbs picked at this time have excellent medicinal properties for ailments such as skin irritations, especially intestinal issues or colds, and using these herbs in steam baths is very effective.

In the past, on this day, there were customs such as dyeing fingernails and toenails, inspecting trees for fruits, and hanging mugwort to ward off evil… Babies who have not yet learned to walk were sometimes smeared with a little lime on their fontanel, chest, and navel to prevent stomachaches and headaches. However, most of these customs have been abandoned, leaving only the bathing with herbal water and the herb-picking tradition.

Fermented rice is also a popular food to exterminate pests.

In urban areas, where there are not many gardens or greenery, people have the custom of buying herbs on the 5th day. During this time, vendors from the countryside bring various herbs for sale. The herbs are chopped, sorted, and shoppers choose the ones with their preferred aromas to buy. At noon on the 5th day, they dry the herbs and store them in their family medicine cabinets for use when someone is ill.

Foods for the Double Fifth Festival

According to regional traditions, on this day, besides fruits, the food also varies. In Hanoi and some northern regions, fermented rice, especially black fermented rice, is an indispensable dish. It is believed that the digestive system often harbors harmful parasites deep within, which cannot always be eliminated. Only on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month do these parasites usually surface, allowing people to consume sour and astringent foods, especially fermented rice, to expel them.

According to folk belief, consuming fermented rice right after waking up is very effective. This rice is primarily made from whole grains of sticky rice that have been fermented, also known as “cái.” People typically use white and black sticky rice to make the rice, cool it, sprinkle yeast over it, and let it ferment for three days. The fermented rice is placed in a basin to collect the rice wine, which is then mixed with the rice, creating a sweet and mildly spicy flavor that is very pleasant. Both the elderly and children can consume this type of rice wine.

Women in the rural northern regions mostly know how to ferment rice and often take advantage of this occasion to prepare rice for sale in Hanoi; some can sell as many as ten basins of black fermented rice in a single morning.

Central Region Rice Wine: Rice wine is made using traditional fermentation methods. This dessert is not only easy to digest but has also been prepared by many families in the Central region for their meals. Central region sticky rice wine typically has a square shape.

Millet Pudding: This dish is characteristic of the people of Huế during the Đoan Ngọ Festival. After grinding the millet seeds and removing the husk, they are soaked and boiled until soft and creamy. Then, sugar water and a bit of ginger are added, resulting in a fragrant and highly appealing pot of millet pudding.

Southern Sticky Rice Wine: In the southern provinces, sticky rice wine is simply referred to as rice wine. The rice wine is not left loose but shaped into round balls before fermentation. The rice wine in the South often releases liquid and is mixed with sugar water, making it delicious when eaten alongside sticky rice, similar to the sticky rice dessert in the North.

In Đà Nẵng, a must-have dish on the offering tray is steamed sticky rice dumplings. Every household buys at least thirty to forty dumplings.

Additionally, according to the tradition of the Central region, duck meat is also essential for this festival. In Ho Chi Minh City, roasted duck and roasted pork often see a spike in demand during this time.

Prayer for the Đoan Ngọ Festival

Prayer for the 5th day of the 5th lunar month at home

Namo Amitabha Buddha!

Namo Amitabha Buddha!

– We bow to the nine directions of the sky, the ten directions of the Buddhas, and all Buddhas.

– We respectfully worship the Heavenly Emperor, the Earth Goddess, and all deities.

– We respectfully worship the local guardian spirit, the land deity, the kitchen god, and all deities.

– We respectfully worship our ancestors, revered grandparents, and all ancestral spirits (if parents are still alive, replace with Grandfather and Grandmother).

The faithful hosts are: …

Residing at: …

Today is the 5th day of the 5th lunar month, the Đoan Ngọ Festival; we prepare incense, offerings, flower lights, and tea fruits to present before the altar.

We respectfully invite the local guardian spirit, the great deities, the land deities, the kitchen god, the deities of the five directions, the Dragon Vein, and the God of Wealth, humbly asking for your presence before the altar to witness our sincerity and partake in the offerings.

We respectfully invite our ancestors, revered grandparents, and all ancestral spirits from both our paternal and maternal sides, hoping you will show mercy and witness our sincerity to partake in the offerings.

The faithful host also respectfully invites the previous and current owners of this house and land to jointly witness and partake in the offerings, granting us health, safety, and peace. May all seasons bring no calamities, and may every occasion bring peace and prosperity.

We offer our humble sincerity before the altar, humbly requesting your protection and support.

Prayer for the Đoan Ngọ Festival on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month outdoors

We respectfully worship the Heavenly Emperor, the Earth Goddess, and all deities. We respectfully worship the local guardian spirit, the land deity, the kitchen god, and all deities. We respectfully worship our ancestors, revered grandparents, and all ancestral spirits (if parents are still alive, replace with Grandfather and Grandmother).

The faithful hosts are:… Age:.. Residing at:…

Today is the Đoan Ngọ Festival; we prepare incense, offerings, flower lights, and tea fruits to present before the altar.

We respectfully invite the local guardian spirit, the great deities, the land deities, the kitchen god, the deities of the five directions, the Dragon Vein, and the God of Wealth, humbly asking for your presence before the altar to witness our sincerity and partake in the offerings.

We respectfully invite our ancestors, revered grandparents, and all ancestral spirits from both our paternal and maternal sides, hoping you will show mercy and witness our sincerity to partake in the offerings.

We humbly make this announcement!

Optimal Times for Offerings during the Đoan Ngọ Festival in 2024

Feng Shui expert Nguyễn Song Hà suggests four auspicious times for making offerings during the Đoan Ngọ Festival, which will bring wealth, luck, and abundant harvests for the homeowners.

The Đoan Ngọ Festival in 2024 falls on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month, which corresponds to Monday, June 10, 2024, in the Gregorian calendar, specifically on the day of the Wood Snake, in the month of the Metal Horse, in the year of the Wood Dragon.

On this day, according to tradition, each family typically prepares an offering tray to present to their ancestors and the deities, hoping for wealth and abundant harvests. However, not everyone knows the best time to make these offerings.

According to Feng Shui expert Nguyễn Song Hà, the best times to perform the Đoan Ngọ offering ceremony in 2024 are as follows:

• The best time is the hour of Nhâm Ngọ from 11 AM to 1 PM.
• Earlier, the hour of Canh Thìn from 7 AM to 9 AM.
• Later, the hour of Quý Mùi from 1 PM to 3 PM.
• Finally, the last time of the day is the hour of Bính Tuất from 7 PM to 9 PM.

According to folk beliefs, people usually light incense in odd numbers. Therefore, homeowners may light 1 or 3 sticks depending on the worship space.

• How does eating rice wine during the Đoan Ngọ Festival benefit health?
• On the 5th day of the 5th lunar month, why do Chinese people particularly avoid the ‘Five Poisons’?
• Why is the 5th day of the 5th lunar month chosen as the Đoan Ngọ Festival?