On the morning of February 10th (the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month of the Year of the Snake), under fine weather conditions, Hue Monuments Conservation Center reenacted the ceremony of setting up Neu pole (Thuong Tieu ceremony) in strict accordance with royal court rituals of the Nguyen Dynasty. The activity was part of Hue Festival 2026, attracting large numbers of locals and visitors to observe and experience the event, recreating the atmosphere of the traditional Tet holiday in the former Royal Palace.

Among the approximately 70 traditional villages living on practicing crafts in Hue, the craft of making parasols is a special one. Beyond the meticulous craftsmanship required in the crafting process, this craft is also special because the finished products carry profound symbolic value in the local cultural life. Far exceeding their practical function of shielding from sun and rain, the parasols serve as markers of order, ritual, and reverence.

In the festive atmosphere of the “Colors of Spring in the Highlands” celebration in A Luoi, amidst the “tung tung da da” dances and echoing gong sounds, I was fortunate to witness a special ritual of the Co Tu people - the An Ninh Pa Nua festival. This is one of their ancient traditional ceremonies, expressing the sacred feelings of the bride’s family toward the groom’s family after many years of being in-laws.