The profound meaning of the full moon of July in Ban Bung, Thai Nguyen province

In the cultures of many ethnic groups, the full moon of the seventh lunar month is an occasion to pay tribute to ancestors and return to their roots. For the Dao Tien people in Ban Bung (Phong Quang commune, Thai Nguyen province), the full moon day not only has the meaning of remembering their grandparents but is also associated with many unique customs, adding a distinct color to the diverse picture of ethnic culture.

The 15th day of the 7th lunar month of the Dao Tien people, Ban Bung, Thai Nguyen province contains the meaning of solidarity.

From the beginning of the 7th lunar month, ethnic people in many localities have been busy preparing to celebrate the full moon. For the Dao Tien people, the full moon of the 7th lunar month is also considered a New Year's Day.

In Ban Bung, before the full moon, families' yards are covered with banana leaves drying lines. Elderly people in the village recall that in the past, to prepare for the full moon of the seventh lunar month, people had to start a month in advance.

When the harvest season ends, the men in the village will go to the forest to collect firewood, while the mothers and sisters will go get banana leaves and dry them in time to make cakes.

By the 13th day of the 7th lunar month, preparations must be completed, because from the 14th day, people start celebrating the full moon festival, and on the 15th day, they will return to visit their maternal grandparents' house.

From the afternoon of July 13, every household wraps banh chung and makes soaked vermicelli. In addition to familiar cakes such as mugwort cakes, banana root cakes, gai cakes, etc., banh chung is an indispensable dish on the full moon day here.

On the 14th, small families gather at the ancestral altar to celebrate the full moon. Unlike many other places, people here do not eat duck but instead eat rooster and fish noodles.

The fish is caught in the stream the previous afternoon, and grilled over hot coals early the next morning, chopped, fried with spices until fragrant, then used as a filling for vermicelli noodles served with chicken broth. This is a special dish that the Dao Tien people look forward to on the 15th day of the 7th lunar month every year.

On the 15th, from early morning, families go to their maternal grandparents' house. The Dao people believe that the 15th day of the 7th lunar month is the most important occasion of the year for married daughters to return to visit their parents, show filial piety and strengthen family ties.

This is the idle time after the harvest season, daughters can stay at their mother's house longer, gather with their parents, and share work and life.

A fat rooster, a pair of banh chung (square sticky rice cakes), and a pair of banana cakes are indispensable when returning to the maternal home. In addition, the daughter will bring home a piece of indigo fabric as a gift for her mother.

It was a special gift, the indigo color symbolizes longevity, and the fabric woven and dyed by the daughter's own hands contains her love and gratitude for her parents.

For married girls, the 15th day of the 7th lunar month is the occasion to return to visit their parents and stay the longest in the year, so preparations are always thorough and full of excitement.

When arriving, the son-in-law will slaughter a chicken, set up a tray to worship the ancestors, and inform them that he and his wife and children have returned home, wishing them peace, health, and prosperity.

Ms. Trieu Thi Huyen, a resident of Ban Bung, shared: "That was many years ago. Now life is better, we no longer have to prepare every little thing ourselves.

However, people still maintain many old customs, the only difference is that instead of indigo fabric, gifts are now more practical items such as clothes, household items, etc.

The 15th day of the 7th lunar month of the Dao Tien people is not only an occasion for family reunion and showing respect to ancestors, but also a way for the community to preserve customs and foster identity in the modern flow.

From the family meal to the gift-giving sticky rice, from the banh chung to the fish noodle bowl, all contain the meaning of connection, so that each full moon season passes, the Dao Tien culture continues and shines.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/y-nghia-sau-sac-ve-ram-thang-7-o-ban-bung-tinh-thai-nguyen-326852.html