She and the spirit of Vietnamese Tet

Contest Entry Code: f830f8e3ce4e4c02b1ff93293ca944c2

Unit: Individual

Place of creation: Xã Cẩm Mỹ, Đồng Nai, Việt Nam

“Grandmother and the Soul of Vietnamese Tet” is not just the image of a grandmother sitting beside a pot of steaming banh chung (traditional Vietnamese rice cake), but also a symbol of togetherness and a long-standing tradition preserved through generations. In the flickering firelight and rising smoke, we can almost smell the aroma of banana leaves, sticky rice, and fatty pork mingling with the warmth of family. The image of the grandmother diligently tending the fire evokes childhood memories, where Tet was not only about the colors of peach blossoms and apricot blossoms, but also the flavor of green banh chung and overflowing love. This is the soul of Vietnamese Tet – simple, warm, and binding of children and grandchildren in the family home, preserving national identity through every aspect of life and every pot of banh chung in the spring.