Sweeping through the hair, touching the skin, gently kissing on the cheek - Wind knocks the door to the girl’s heart, excited and wistful... We cannot help but love the strong savoury of the wind, the warmth in every breath of smoke, and the heat in the green Chung cake. So peaceful and ecstatic!

We get tipsy in the sweetness brought by the wind, the sugariness of the grapefruit scent and of the traditional Tet jam. So full and warm!

Then the wind gives a flutter to people, in the essence of the cold. Just a little chill to reflect on the past, to ponder on the ups and downs of the moment. A slight cold to cherish the warmth of love one luckily has during the Lunar New Year, in the lovìng home...And a bit of the chilliness to turn our hearts to so many people who are far from home and cannot be reunited with their families on New Year's Eve. The cold for sharing, for empathy, for the simple wish of a fire that burns forever, lighting up the vast and endless world. No heart will be distant or lonely, no eyes will be filled with sorrowful tears...

Tet is coming…

Tet, the magical moments when people get the chance to slow down their living pace. That is when we are reunited with our families, let go of our old year's worries and reflecting the new year’s aspiring dreams, all after more than three hundred days of worrying about daily issues. That is when I found my father, my mother, and my relatives to be a little relaxed and not tired out by the hard work throughout the year. New Year's Day, the moment when workers, whose feet have been wearing boots, and their hands have been rough and darkened by the harsh weather day by day, hold up the small child-sized ao dai to see if the clothes fit their children with a heart filled with excitement and delight. Tet was also the moment when people were more likely to get angry with each other, even if it was only a slight touch, yet they choose to live more tolerant, smile more easily, with a permanent smile on their lips, and are ready to exchange words of blessing for a year of good things.

The old year has passed, and the new year has come again. Though this year’s Lunar New Year's Day is more full, the “something new” in the past is harder to find. Even if we experience misery or pain all year round, there is hope that every time one sees apricot blossoms with shades like the sun in the South, or the bright peach of the North, the heart flutters with hope once again, for the anticipation towards new and bright intentions and ambitions.

Sending the wind to the spring weather...

Writing JO: Hoang Phuong Uyen - Literature 2023

Photos: Nguyen Thuy Chi - Oxford 2023

Translator: Ngan Ha - Russian 2124