About 100 antiques are decorated to recreate the Tet space, hobby, food … the spring day of Saigon people a century ago.

On January 30, at the National Archives Center 2 (Le Duan Street, District 1), Saigon New Year activities took place, attracting many visitors. The event is organized by the Saigon Impression Group, taking place during the day with talks about the New Year of the South, displays about the old New Year, lion dance, spring booth …

“Our group has collected more than 100 Vietnamese and Chinese antiques to recreate a small part of the Tet holiday of the old Saigon people. Each corner of the display has members to explain, thereby helping you understand the traditional culture. a more vivid and practical way, “said Candy Nguyen, team leader.

Nearly half of the program space serves as a place to display the Tet theme of the old Saigon people in the early 20th century. The highlight is the reconstructing corner of the spring day house, in which the highlight is the altar. Items such as censer, vase, altar, lampstand … are nearly hundred years old.

Northern altars are usually decorated according to the principle of posting: the pair of lampstands, the pair of flower pots are placed on the left and right sides of the altar, while things with one such as low peaks, incense bowls are put in the center.

The altar of the ancestors of the Saigon people also placed incense sticks, incense sticks in the middle and the pair of lampstands still placed on the left and right sides. The vase is only one and is placed on the left of the altar in the direction from the house to the door, while the fruit plate is placed on the pot (wooden three-legged object) on the opposite side.

Near the ancestor’s altar is the reception place, Tet will have more pots of chrysanthemum, apricot blossom for living room. On the table to put betel and areca, jam cake, tea … invite guests to celebrate Tet.

Confectionery often available on Tet in the South such as ginger jam, coconut jam, cake in, lotus seeds, licorice … are made by the group. Confectionery neatly in the casket is encrusted with delicate nacre. The nearly hundred-year-old casket and tray are a family artifact of one of the team members who brought the event.

Images of the lion and the art of lion dance on the New Year’s day were introduced to visitors. Lan is one of the four spirits (dragon, unicorn, quy, pho), an indispensable image in the Tet holiday, bearing a symbol of peace and prosperity.

Dong Ho paintings; Nam Bo glass paintings, spring music sheets … re-enact the enjoyment of the Tet holiday of the people of Saigon over 50 years ago.

The ancient southern jewelry represents when traveling spring in the first days of the year.

Tran Phuong Thao is wearing a restored t-shirt. This type of shirt from feudal times is often worn during Tet or wedding.

“The shirt I’m wearing is quite popular in Saigon in the early 20th century. I find it interesting to re-wear the old clothes that her grandparents used to wear before,” said the 25-year-old girl. know.

Another corner re-arranged the living room space on Tet holidays of Saigon people in the 1960s. On the table, the old cassette player was playing old songs written about spring.

Old music sheets that write songs and print pictures with a spring theme are displayed separately in the album.

The music sheet has been a popular hobby of Saigon people since the 1950s. The music and lyrics are copied on 2 pages of the cover, and the cover is drawn by pictures or photos of the singer with the title of the song or author.

On traditional New Year’s Day, it is indispensable for the image of teachers to wear ao dai and scarf for words. The group also recreated the image of people going to see hexagrams, fortune telling Kieu at the beginning of the year.

Quynh Tran/vnexpress