HCM City (VNA) – President Vo Van Thuong and hisspouse on February 2 joined overseas Vietnamese (OV) in a traditional ritual ofreleasing carps at Nha Rong Wharf on the day for “Ong Cong, Ong Tao” (LandGenie and Kitchen Gods).

In Vietnamese tradition, Land Genie and Kitchen Godsworshipping ritual is held on the 23rd day of the last lunar month, which fallson February 2 this year. It is also considered the start of the Lunar New Year(Tet) Festival - the biggest and most important traditional holidays of Vietnamese.

As the legend goes, “Ong Cong” (Land Genie) is the one incharge of land while “Ong Tao” (Kitchen Gods), consisting of two males and onefemale, are those who keep a watch over kitchen affairs of a family. They takenote of a family’s issues in a year and will ride carps back to the Heaven onthe 23rd day of the 12th lunar month to report all the good and bad things ofthat family to the God of Heaven.

This year, the ritual drew 100 OVs who are participatingin the annual “Xuan Que huong” (Homeland Spring) programme 2024.

In 2023, with the leadership of the Party and State as wellas the consensus of the whole nation, including more than 6 million OVs,Vietnam overcame difficulties and gained many important achievements, maintainingeconomic growth impetus, ensuring social welfare, firmly protecting nationalindependence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and enhancing the country’simage, position and prestige in the world arena.

Before conducting the carp release ritual, PresidentThuong, his spouse and the OVs offered incense and flowers in tribute to late President Ho ChiMinh and late President Ton Duc Thang.

The image of a carp swimming upstream and then leaping overthe falls to turn into a dragon as a symbol of steadfastness in surmountingchallenges to secure success.

At the Nha Rong Wharf, President Thuong and his spouse welcomed the OVs returninghome.

Also on February 2, the State leader and his entourage spent a minute ofsilence in commemoration of President Ho Chi Minh at the President Ho Chi Minh statue park on Nguyen Hue street in district 1./.