Photographs of Vietnam’s Lunar New Year in Hanoi in the 1920s
Rare photographs that show how Vietnamese people celebrated Lunar New Year in Hanoi in the 1920s.
| Offerings for heaven and earth in Tet | |
| Healthy eating tips during Lunar New Year's reunion dinner | |
| 2020: Love compatibility, horoscope, personality |
Vietnamese people celebrate the Lunar New Year annually, which is based on a lunisolar calendar (calculating both the motions of Earth around the Sun and of the Moon around Earth).
Tet (Lunar New Year) is the time for all family members to get together while enjoying traditional dishes.
Vietnam’s biggest, most important traditional festival, also is a time of renewal, a time to thank Gods and ancestors and pray for their blessings.
Here’s an early 20th century Tet celebration in colored photos.
 |
| Nearly one hundred years ago, Tet evoked the same excitement and expectations it does today; except, things were very different. Photos colored by Dai Nam Phuc Anh |
 |
| A woman sells dong (Phrynium) leaves to wrap banh chung, a traditional Vietnamese glutinous rice cake that is a Tet specialty, at Hanoi’s Dong Xuan Market in 1929. |
 |
| People gather at the Dong Xuan Market in Hanoi the day before the Lunar New Year. |
 |
| People gather at the Dong Xuan Market in Hanoi the day before the Lunar New Year. |
 |
| An old man chooses a daffodil as a Tet decoration. Daffodils are believed to awaken one's hidden potential, including talent and creativity. They also represent rejuvenation, chivalry and generosity. |
 |
| People pick branches of peach blossoms, for long used in the north as the main Tet adornment for the house. Peach blossoms are believed to repel ghosts and demons, and symbolize youth, fertility and hope brought by spring. In the south, the flowers of choice for Tet is the yellow Mai flower. |
 |
| Flower market. |
 |
| Flower market. |
 |
| A merchant sells bananas in Hanoi’s Dong Xuan Market in 1929. |
 |
| People walk through Ho Guom (Sword Lake). |
 |
| A Hanoi family decorates their house with flowers, Tet fruit tray. |
 |
| The house is decorated with peach blossom tree to drive away evil spirits and bad luck. |
Tags:
Related Stories
Overseas Vietnamese
Homeland Spring 2026: “Vietnam’s Aspiration: Peace and Prosperity”
On the occasion of the Lunar New Year of the Horse (Binh Ngo) 2026, the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in coordination with relevant agencies, will organize the Homeland Spring 2026 Program themed “Vietnam’s Aspiration: Peace and Prosperity” on February 8, 2026 (the 21st day of the twelfth lunar month of the Year of the Snake).
January 10, 2026 | 16:26
Travel
Vibrant Destinations for New Year 2026 Holiday
The 2026 New Year holiday, spanning four days from January 1-4, marks a peak travel season as demand for rest, recreation, and exploration rises.
January 02, 2026 | 10:16
Recommended
Viet's Home
Zhi Shan Foundation Expands Medical Care for Disadvantaged Children and Mothers
In 2025, Zhi Shan Foundation continued to implement its free reconstructive surgery project for children with disabilities in Ha Tinh and Nghe An, while maintaining therapy activities for children with autism and developmental disorders and preparing a maternal and newborn health care project in Hue City.
January 10, 2026 | 16:28
Viet's Home
Rebuilding Homes in Storm-hit Areas to be Completed Before January 15, 2026
Along with repairing and rebuilding houses, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh requested support to ensure the provision of essential services and basic necessities for households whose homes were collapsed, damaged, or swept away by floods.
January 10, 2026 | 08:15
Viet's Home
COV/United States Supports Students Affected By Storms And Floods in Dak Lak
The Dak Lak Union of Friendship Organizations has coordinated with Children of Vietnam (COV/United States) to present 75 gift packages to students of Phu Yen Vocational College whose families were affected by storms and floods in the province.
January 01, 2026 | 08:12
Viet's Home
Comprehensive Review of Overseas Vietnamese Affairs To Takes Place on December 25
On December 25, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) will assign and coordinate with departments, ministries, branches and localities to organize a national conference to summarize the implementation of Resolution 36-NQ/TW on overseas Vietnamese affairs.
December 24, 2025 | 16:55
Viet's Home
US Government Aid Supports Natural Disasters Recovery in Gia Lai Province
On December 23, the Department of Dike Management and Disaster Prevention and Control (Ministry of Agriculture and Environment) in collaboration with the US Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City and CRS in Vietnam held a ceremony to hand over the disaster recovery aid to the people of Gia Lai province.
December 24, 2025 | 15:17
Viet's Home
Launch of “Student-Friendly Health Corner” In Vietnam
On December 19, 2025, Hanoi University of Civil Engineering, in coordination with Plan International Vietnam and AstraZeneca Vietnam, officially launched the Student-Friendly Health Corner - a healthcare space designed to be approachable, private, and tailored to the practical needs of students.
December 23, 2025 | 13:43
Viet's Home
Handover of First House Under “Quang Trung Campaign”
The Naval Region 4 Command held a ceremony to inaugurate and hand over a house to the family of Cao Ca Yen, a Raglai ethnic minority resident of Ta Giang 2 Hamlet, Tay Khanh Son Commune, on December 22. This is the first house completed after 17 days of urgent construction under the “Quang Trung Campaign”.
December 23, 2025 | 11:16
Viet's Home
Room to Read Helps Spread Reading Culture to Over 3.2 Million Students
The Ministry of Education and Training, in coordination with Room to Read Viet Nam, held the Conference to Review the Library Quality Improvement Program for developing reading habits and a reading culture for the 2021-2025 period on December 19 in Gia Lai province. The program recorded notable results, benefiting more than 3.2 million primary school students nationwide, while setting orientations for sustainable, digital, and equitable development of school libraries in the next phase.
December 23, 2025 | 10:08