On the morning of February 26 (the 10th day of the first lunar month), Sinh Village wrestling festival in Duong No Ward, Hue City, officially opened in a vibrant atmosphere, drawing large crowds of residents and visitors from across the region to cheer and compete in the arena.

Since the primordial dawn of history, primitive humans were already conscious of time. They observed the rotation of the universe and carved markings on cave walls to record the passage of day and night. From natural phenomena, weather patterns, and cosmic cycles, humans created calendars to serve daily life and agricultural production.

On the morning of February 23 (the 7th day of the Lunar January), at Trieu Mieu and The Mieu - Hue Imperial Citadel, Hue Monuments of Conservation Center held the ceremony to lower the traditional New Year Neu pole and open the New Year seal in a solemn atmosphere, marking the close of Tet holiday and the start of the new working year in accordance with former royal court rituals.

On the first working day following the Lunar New Year of the Horse 2026 holiday, the number of patients seeking medical examination and treatment at healthcare facilities across Hue roses again. Several illnesses had increased, particularly among the elderly and patients with underlying conditions.

On the morning of the 6th day of the first lunar month (February 22), Thu Le Village wrestling arena (Quang Dien Commune) officially opened, attracting a large crowd of locals and visitors from neighboring provinces and cities.

After more than 10 days of activities, Hue Spring Festival of the year of the Horse 2026, themed “Identity and Integration” organized by the People’s Committee of Hue City, officially concluded on the afternoon of February 21 (the 5th day of the Lunar January) at Ly Tu Trong Park (Le Loi Street, Thuan Hoa Ward).

According to the information released by the Department of Tourism on February 22, during the 9-day Binh Ngo Lunar New Year holiday, the number of visitors to Hue increased sharply year-on-year. Especially, tourism revenue witnessed an increase of 350% compared to the previous year.

I visited An Dinh Palace on a warm, sunny early spring day. Not counting the respectful foreign visitors pausing before each artifact, I figured that among the more than 20 young people bustling about in ao-dai, with flowers, striking various poses for photos, few knew that they were standing very close to the remnants of a famous theater from the end of the Nguyen Dynasty that has now completely disappeared: Cuu Tu Dai.

As Lunar New Year approaches, areas around universities grow increasingly quiet. Traffic thins out, while many eateries and photocopy shops close for the holiday. Boarding houses fall silent as most students head home by the 24th or 25th day of the lunar December; those who remain are mainly from distant hometowns, working part-time, or hoping to experience Tet in a new place.

From the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year (February 17), the spring travel atmosphere in Hue has been vibrant and festive. Visitors from across Vietnam, along with international tourists, have chosen the former imperial capital as their holiday destination, creating a lively tourism scene on the very first day of the New Year.