President Võ Văn Thưởng and his spouse conduct the carp release ritual at HCM City's Nhà Rồng Wharf on the day for “Ông Công, Ông Táo” (Land Genie and Kitchen Gods) on Friday. VNA/VNS Photo

HCM CITY – President Võ Văn Thưởng and his spouse on Friday joined overseas Vietnamese (OV) in a traditional ritual of releasing carp at Nhà Rồng Wharf on the day for “Ông Công, Ông Táo” (Land Genie and Kitchen Gods).

In Vietnamese tradition, Land Genie and Kitchen Gods worshipping ritual is held on the 23rd day of the last lunar month, which falls on February 2 this year. It is also considered the start of the Tết (Lunar New Year) festival, the biggest and most important traditional holiday for Vietnamese.

As the legend goes, “Ông Công” (Land Genie) is the one in charge of land while “Ông Táo” (Kitchen Gods), consisting of two males and one female, are those who keep watch over the kitchen or domestic affairs of a family. They take note of a family’s issues in a year and will ride carp back to the Heaven on the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month to report all the good and bad things concerning that family to the God of Heaven.

This year, the ritual drew 100 OVs who are participating in the annual “Xuân Quê hương” (Homeland Spring) programme 2024.

In 2023, with the leadership of the Party and State as well as the consensus of the whole nation, including more than six million OVs, Việt Nam overcame difficulties and gained many important achievements, maintaining economic growth impetus, ensuring social welfare, firmly protecting national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and enhancing the country’s image, position and prestige on the world arena.

Before conducting the carp release ritual, President Thưởng, his spouse and the OVs offered incense and flowers in tribute to late President Hồ Chí Minh and late President Tôn Đức Thắng.

The image of a carp swimming upstream and then leaping over the falls to turn into a dragon is a symbol of steadfastness in surmounting challenges to secure success.

At the Nhà Rồng Wharf, President Thưởng and his spouse welcomed the OVs returning home.

Also on Friday, the State leader and his entourage spent a minute of silence in commemoration of late President Hồ Chí Minh at the President Hồ Chí Minh statue park on Nguyễn Huệ Street in District 1. – VNS