 Ahead of the Lunar New Year, thousands of Chung cakes are made every day in Tranh Khuc village, Thanh Tri district on the outskirt of Hanoi. |
A: On the last day of the lunar year, Friday, February 9, VOV will bring you a special program on how Vietnamese at home and abroad have been preserving our Tet culture.
B: On the first day of the new Lunar Year, Saturday, February 10, another special program will feature stories on culture promoted as a soft power to help Vietnam grow steadily and effectively integrate into the world.
A: Stories about traditional Vietnamese culture, customs and practices as well as Vietnam’s recent development will be broadcast on this occasion. So keep tuning in to VOV.
B: Mr. Ashik Eqbal Tokon of Bangladesh sent us greetings for Lunar New Year. He wrote: “As we welcome the Lunar New Year of the Dragon in 2024, I send my warmest wishes to you and your family. May this auspicious occasion bring joy, prosperity, and good fortune into your lives.”
A: He continued: “May the spirit of the Dragon infuse your days with strength, courage, and resilience, guiding you toward success and fulfillment in all your endeavors. May the year ahead be marked by prosperity, happiness, and an abundance of opportunities. Happy New Lunar Year 2024.”
B: Thank you Mr. Tokon for sending us New Year greetings.
 Young people in ao dai (Vietnamese long dress) pose for photos along an apricot blossom street in Kien Giang Province, southern Vietnam. (Photo: Chi Cong/Tuoi Tre) |
A: Sutomo Huang of Indonesia sent us New Year greetings, saying “I wish you have 12 months of happiness, 52 weeks of fun, 365 days of success, 8,760 hours of good health, 52,600 minutes of good luck and 3,153,600 seconds of joy!”
B: I think there are similarities in writing New Year wishes between us, Mr. Huang. That’s the way we wrote our New Year wishes to friends also. Once again, thank you very much. We wish you a very Happy New Year.
A: Mr. Ding Lu of China listened to our broadcast from 13:30 to 14:00 UTC on February 1 on the frequency 9840 kHz and rated SINPO at 3 and 4. In his New Year greeting to VOV, he told us a story about the dragon. “In a week or so, it will be the Year of the Dragon in the Chinese lunar calendar. In traditional Chinese culture, the dragon is a mythological beast, which is regarded as a symbol of good luck. It also represents authority, strength and good fortune. The Year of the Dragon often has a cultural association with good luck and prosperity, and is expected to bring good fortune and prosperity to the country, society and individuals.”
B: Ding Lu wished us, who he called friends at Voice of Vietnam English Radio, a prosperous, lively, smooth and safe Year of the Dragon!
A: Thank you, Mr. Ding Lu for sharing your story with us. We wish you a very Happy New Year also. This week, VOVWorld received more than 440 emails, letters and phone calls from listeners in 36 countries around the world with several questions about Vietnamese people’s Tet practices.
 The Tan Ba flower garden in the southern province of Binh Duong is bustling with farmers trimming leaves and watering the plants to ensure that the flowers bloom in time for the Lunar New Year festival (Tet). |
A: Today let’s check out the “dos and don’ts” Vietnamese people observe during Tết.
B: According to a traditional perception, if things go smoothly during Tết, good luck will follow all year round.
A: Some “dos” include paying all of one’s debts before Tết, giving lucky money, buying and wearing new clothes, and smiling.
B: Before Tết people should return all the things that they have borrowed from others in the previous year and pay all their debts. It is believed that people should never start a new year with debts and borrowed things; otherwise during that year people will be saddled with more debts.
A: On the first day of Tết, adults (those already married with income) are supposed to prepare some “lucky money” to give the children and kids when visiting each other’s homes as a symbol of luck for the coming New Year. People are also supposed to convey their best wishes to others. These activities are done with the expectation that luck and good things are brought to everyone.
B: Tết is a special occasion during which people wear new and beautiful outfits. The streets during Tết are full of women wearing colorful dresses, including the traditional Vietnamese long dress or ao dai. It is thought that colorful bright colors like red, yellow or blue can bring good luck and prosperity.
A: Another essential element of Tết is freedom from worry and anxiety. A smile can make everything seem more relaxing and enhance relationships between people. A smile can bring joy and happiness to you as well as people around you for the whole year.
B: During Tết, there are some “dont’s” like arguing, swearing or saying bad things. People also should avoid having arguments and shouting at each other because it can bring them a disharmonious year. When having any conflict, try to calm down and keep it as peaceful as possible.
 A few weeks before the Lunar New Year, or Tet, artisans in Bat Trang pottery village in Gia Lam district, Hanoi, are busy crafting exquisite and unique handmade ceramics featuring images of dragons, to meet rising demand among customers celebrating the New Year of the Dragon. |
A: Another thing people should avoid doing is sweeping the house or emptying the trash bin especially on the first day of the new year. People believe that if you sweep the floor, all the luck and money will flow out of your house. So you can keep this in mind. When visiting someone’s house during Tết, you should not drop anything onto the floor and make it dirty. Moreover, when you want to do something, it is a good idea to ask the home owner first to avoid unwanted problems.
B: Tết is a sacred festival. And people are very aware of “dos and don’ts” to completely enjoy themselves.
A: Next week, February 13 will be World Radio Day. Leading up to this occasion, VOV received greetings from listeners around the world including Shivendu Paul of India who told us that his organization “VOV Listeners’ Club of India” will organize a Radio Listeners’ Meet.
B: In his greeting to VOV, Rabi Sankar Bosu of India, one of our regular listeners, wrote: “Namaste and Warmest Greetings from the West Bengal State of India! Happy New Lunar Year. I would like to convey my heart-felt best wishes and congratulations to all of you who work for the Radio Voice of Vietnam-VOVWORLD and all the listeners on the occasion of the 13th UNESCO World Radio Day. This acknowledgement was adopted in 2011 under the theme of “Radio – a century of serving information, entertainment and education” which will be celebrated on February 13 to recognize radio as a method for teaching individuals, spreading information and promoting the opportunity of expression across global cultures.”
A: Rabi Sankar Bosu continued “This is the Voice of Vietnam, broadcasting from Hanoi, the capital of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam” – this enchanting announcement has become familiar with audiences of many generations worldwide over the years since its establishment on September 7, 1945, 5 days after the founding of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam by President Ho Chi Minh. Personally, I think the programs of VOVWORLD have been excellent throughout the year, and it fulfills the needs of its overseas listeners. I hope Voice of Vietnam will continue its progress, becoming closer with its listeners.”
B: Thank you, Mr. Shivendu Paul and Mr. Bosu as well as Bidhan Chandra Sanyal of India, Tarana Tinni, Saraban Sara, and Wahida Wahi of Bangladesh for sending us greetings on World Radio Day. We hope to continue to receive your feedback on our program.
A: We welcome all of your feedback at English Service, VOVWorld, the Voice of Vietnam, 45 Ba Trieu Street, Hanoi, Vietnam. Or you can email us at englishsection@vov.vn. You’re also invited to visit us online at vovworld.vn, where you can hear both live and recorded programs.
B: Check out our VOV Media App, available on both the IOS and Android platforms, to hear our broadcasts. We look forward to your feedback on the mobile version of vovworld.vn. Once again, thank you all for listening. Goodbye!