The five-fruit tray is one of the good traditions of Tet that is still preserved until now. No matter how busy they are, everyone tries to present a decent tray of five fruits to celebrate Tet. So what is the important meaning of the five-fruit fruit tray, do you know?
Meaning of five-fruit tray
The five-fruit tray on the ancestral altar during Tet originates from Buddhism. According to Buddhist concept, the 5 colors of fruits represent the five senses including:
- Hue base (lucidity)
- Mindfulness (memorization)
- Concentration (mind without chaos)
- Tan Can (persistent will)
- Trust (trust).
According to the concept of Eastern culture in general and Vietnamese people in particular, the five-fruit tray also symbolizes the 5 elements of the Five Elements (elements that make up the universe) including Metal - Wood - Water - Fire - Earth. This is also the reason why fruit trays often have 5 types of fruit with different names and colors.
The five-fruit tray in each locality will have a different meaning, but in general, the fruit tray displayed on Tet symbolizes good wishes for the new year. The five-fruit tray is also a cultural beauty that has been maintained for generations by Vietnamese people in all three regions. Everyone wants to offer regional products and the most quintessential fruits to their grandparents and ancestors, demonstrating the morality of drinking water and remembering its source, and showing the fruits of the year's labor to offer to the superiors.
Tet fruit tray
Decorate the five-fruit tray according to the standard Five Elements to pray for good luck all year
Many people believe that with this arrangement, it will be more in accordance with feng shui, everything will always go smoothly so that you can receive lots of fortune in the new year. The principle of presenting a tray of five fruits according to the Five Elements is that the tray will include 5 fruits of different colors. Number 5 symbolizes Phu - Quy - Tho - Khang - Ninh, expressing the wishes to achieve in the new year, and also represents the five blessings: Wealth - Luxury - Long Life - Health - Peace.
- Red fruits are usually persimmons, apples or dragon fruit.
- White fruits are usually plums, peaches, and pears
- Green fruits are usually bananas, papaya, custard apple, figs, coconut, watermelon...
- Brown or yellow fruits such as ripe mangoes, tangerines, oranges...
- Black fruits such as black grapes or other dark, dark fruits.
The fruits are selected based on the Five Elements
Arrange a tray of five fruits according to region
Each region will have different customs and concepts, so Tet fruit trays according to region are much more popular than decorating five-fruit trays according to the Five Elements. Of course, each region will have a different way of choosing fruit. Join Mykingdom to learn about the differences in fruit trays from the three regions of Vietnam.
Northern five-fruit tray
A common display in Northern homes is a bunch of green bananas placed at the bottom, symbolizing the wood onion. In the middle there will be large fruits such as green grapefruit and yellow Buddha's hand symbolizing the earth element. Other fruits are dotted around such as red peppers symbolizing the fire element, peaches or pears symbolizing the metal element and black grapes the water element.
In addition, Northerners also pay close attention to the quantity of fruit. The fruits displayed are selected in odd numbers and arranged staggered. Among them, the bananas displayed on the altar are the most important, usually old bananas that are still green and can be steamed during Tet so that they can gradually ripen and not be damaged. Each bunch of bananas usually has more than 20 fruits with a curved shape like Buddha's hand turned up to hold other fruits, symbolizing Buddha's protection, bringing blessings to the homeowner.
The fruits on the tray are arranged staggered together
Southern five-fruit tray
In contrast to the North, people in the South pay little attention to the number of fruits and color, but often choose fruits based on pronunciation. The Southern five-fruit tray is presented with the wish "Pray for just enough food", wishing for a full and prosperous new year. For that reason, the Tet fruit tray also corresponds to 5 types: Soursop, fig, coconut, papaya, mango...
Besides, some places also add pineapples with the wish of having a full flock of children or a pair of green watermelons with red skin to pray for good luck all year. Nowadays, many families want to make their Tet fruit tray more diverse, so they will change it to yellow watermelon or square watermelon.
The Tet fruit tray of the South is based on pronunciation
The Southern five-fruit tray will not have bananas because the pronunciation is similar to "chui", representing hardship and not doing well in business. In the South, few people cook tangerines, pears, and apples with the concept that "tangerines make doom"; Pears and apples are failing.
Central region five-fruit tray
Compared to the last two regions of the country, people in the Central region have a very simple way of presenting the five-fruit tray with the concept that they eat according to the season, as long as the homeowner sincerely offers it to the ancestors. On Tet, the fruit tray will have grapefruit and pineapple placed at the top, surrounded by smaller fruits such as mango, dragon fruit, apple, grape, tangerine...
Note when choosing fruit for the five-fruit tray
To keep the five-fruit tray fresh and beautiful for a long time, you need to pay attention to the following points:
1. After purchasing, you should not wash the fruit as it will cause a lot of water to accumulate in the fruit, causing it to spoil quickly.
2. If the fruit shell is dirty, you can use a damp cloth to wipe it clean.
3. When wiping grapefruit peels, you can add a little lime juice to the towel to make the grapefruit peel shine longer and not turn yellow.
4. If distilling from the 27th or 28th, you should choose green fruit to avoid the fruit being no longer fresh during Tet.
No matter how it is presented, the most important thing is still the filial piety and sincerity of children and grandchildren towards their grandparents and ancestors, and remembering the source when drinking water in the first days of the year. That is the best meaning that traditional customs leave for future generations.
You should choose green fruit if you cook Tet from the 27th and 28th
So Mykingdom has helped you answer questions about the five-fruit tray on Tet. The five-fruit tray is not only a harmonious combination of fruits, but also a symbol of luck, wealth, and fortune in the new year. Arranging a fruit tray with suitable fruits also helps you "score points" in the eyes of parents, creating a happy atmosphere during Tet. Don't forget to visit Mykingdom's Handbook section to learn more great tips!
