January 15th, also known as the Full Moon of the First Month, is one of the most significant days in Vietnamese customs and is accompanied by many legends surrounding this festival.
The Full Moon of the First Month, also called “Yuanxiao Festival,” is a major holiday in the traditions of both Vietnam and China. However, few know that the origin of this festival stems from the filial piety of a palace maid during the Western Han Dynasty in China.
There is an ancient saying: “Offering for a whole year is not as good as the Full Moon of the First Month.” The Full Moon of the First Month, also known as “Yuanxiao”, refers to the first full moon night of the New Year. “Yuan” means first, and “xiao” means night. The name Yuanxiao is also associated with the tale of the filial maid Yuanxiao and the minister Dongfang Shuo from the Western Han Dynasty.
According to legend, Emperor Wu of Han had a favored minister named Dongfang Shuo, who was kind-hearted and humorous. One winter, when it snowed for several days, Dongfang Shuo visited the imperial garden and suddenly noticed a palace maid in tears who was about to jump into a well to commit suicide. Dongfang Shuo rushed over to stop her and inquired about her situation. It turned out that the maid was named Yuanxiao, and since entering the palace, she had not seen her family. Every year during springtime, she missed her family even more and felt she could not repay her parents’ kindness, leading her to contemplate death. Dongfang Shuo was moved and promised to find a way for her to reunite with her family.
The Yuanxiao Festival is famous for its lantern festival.
One day, Dongfang Shuo left the palace and set up a fortune-telling booth in the city of Chang’an. Many people crowded around to ask for fortunes. Each fortune told them: “On the Full Moon of the First Month, fire will strike the city.” In an instant, the entire city of Chang’an was in a panic, and people rushed to pray and find ways to avert the disaster. Dongfang Shuo announced:
“On the evening of the Full Moon of the First Month, the Fire God will send a female deity in red to inspect the mortal realm. This goddess is the messenger carrying the divine command to burn down Chang’an. I will write down a verse for everyone so that you might devise a plan on that day.”
After speaking, he threw down a red slip of paper and walked away. The people hurriedly picked it up and took it to the palace to report to the Emperor. When Emperor Wu of Han read it, he saw written:
“Chang’an is in trouble, fire will engulf the imperial palace, on the 15th the heavens will burn bright all night.”
Shocked, Emperor Wu summoned Dongfang Shuo, who was known for his wisdom. Dongfang pretended to think for a moment and then said:
“I have heard that the Fire God enjoys eating glutinous rice balls, and isn’t the maid Yuanxiao known for preparing them for Your Majesty?”
“On the Full Moon of the First Month, Your Majesty should ask Yuanxiao to make glutinous rice balls, light incense to offer, and command all households in the city to make them as offerings to the Fire God. Moreover, instruct the citizens to hang lanterns, set off firecrackers, and light fires throughout the city, as if the entire city is on fire, to deceive the heavens. Additionally, inform the people outside the city to come in on the Full Moon of the First Month to see the lanterns, so as to avert disaster.”
“Instruct the citizens to hang lanterns, set off firecrackers, and light fires throughout the city, as if the entire city is on fire…”. (Image: internet).
Emperor Wu was overjoyed and enacted Dongfang Shuo’s advice. On the Full Moon of the First Month, the city of Chang’an was adorned with lanterns and flowers, with everyone joyously celebrating. Yuanxiao’s parents also brought her younger sister into the city. When they saw the lanterns hanging in the palace with the words “Yuanxiao” written on them, they shouted loudly: “Yuanxiao! Yuanxiao!” Hearing this, Yuanxiao finally reunited with her family.
The festivities continued throughout the night, and indeed Chang’an remained safe. Emperor Wu was very pleased and decreed that henceforth, every year on the Full Moon of the First Month, glutinous rice balls would be made as offerings to the Fire God, and the entire city would light lanterns and fires. Since the glutinous rice balls made by Yuanxiao were delicious, this day became known as Yuanxiao Festival. The Yuanxiao balls are also known as tangyuan – round balls in water, symbolizing reunion and good fortune.
Additionally, there is another legend about the Yuanxiao Festival: In ancient times, a swan flew down from the heavenly realm to the mortal world and was shot dead by a hunter. To avenge the swan, the Jade Emperor sent a team of heavenly soldiers on the 15th of the First Month to incinerate all humans and animals in the mortal realm.
Fortunately for humanity, some deities in heaven disagreed with the Jade Emperor’s decision and risked their lives to descend to the mortal realm to devise a plan for the people. Thus, on that day, families hung lanterns and set off fireworks, tricking the heavenly realm into thinking their homes were ablaze. Thanks to this, humanity was saved from destruction.
Yuanxiao balls. (Image: internet)
Yuanxiao balls are very similar to Vietnamese glutinous rice balls, but the preparation method is different: the filling is flattened and cut into pieces, then placed in a sieve containing glutinous rice flour, shaken until the flour sticks to the filling until it is rolled into round balls about the size of table tennis balls. Yuanxiao has become a beautiful cultural symbol in Chinese tradition, akin to the green sticky rice cake of the Vietnamese.
In 2024, the Yuanxiao Festival – Full Moon of the First Month falls on Saturday, February 24th, which is conveniently during the weekend, making it easy for families to prepare their offerings.
What is the best date to offer on the Full Moon of the First Month in 2024?
The best time to offer during the Full Moon of the First Month is on the morning of February 24, 2024 (the 15th day of the lunar first month).
However, not every family can hold the offering ceremony on the exact date. Many experts suggest that the head of the household is not required to perform the offering on the exact 15th of the lunar month; they can offer early on the 14th but not later. The most important thing is sincerity. The offering time can be from early morning on the 14th of the lunar month until before 7 PM on the 15th of the lunar month.
What should be included in the offering for the Full Moon of the First Month?
Many families prepare a well-arranged offering tray to hope for good fortune throughout the year. The offerings are prepared according to each family’s economic conditions; they do not need to be overly elaborate but usually include basic dishes. Below are suggestions for a simple offering tray for the Full Moon of the First Month.
The vegetarian offering tray includes: fruits, sticky rice cakes, stir-fried vegetables with minimal seasoning, mushroom soup or stir-fried vegetables, and various bean dishes. Many families may also add glutinous rice balls to symbolize a smooth and harmonious year. The offerings for the Buddha should include: incense, flowers, and candles. The colors of the dishes on the vegetarian offering tray are believed to represent the presence of the five elements: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. Eating vegetarian food is also a way to cultivate tranquility and peace in the soul.
The non-vegetarian offering tray for ancestors includes: chicken, red sticky rice or sticky rice cake. Chicken is the most sacred offering, while red sticky rice will bring luck to the family in the new year. Other dishes such as Vietnamese sausage, stir-fried vegetables, etc., are also used for ancestor offerings on this day. Additionally, the offerings include: incense, fresh flowers, fresh fruits, paper offerings, candles, betel leaves, white wine, and cigarettes…
