The area outside the pagoda was packed with worshippers carrying flowers and offerings queuing to enter the main hall from around 1 am.
Incense smoke drifted across the courtyard, lending a solemn air to the heart of the capital.
Many lit incense in the yard before moving slowly into the sanctuary to pray for national prosperity and family well-being.
Phuong Hien, a final-year student from Hung Yen Province, said she prayed for health and confidence ahead of a key exam, while others sought stability and success in the year ahead.
Thu Ha, a Hoan Kiem Ward in Hanoi said she had not visited a pagoda for years but returned after midnight with her mother to pray for her family’s health and peace in the year ahead.
Even at around 1.30 am, the pagoda remained crowded, with a steady stream of worshippers continuing after the New Year’s Eve midnight moment.
Vendors nearby sold small bags of salt, priced between VND 10,000 and VND 20,000 a traditional purchase believed to bring prosperity and good fortune in the year ahead.
Worshippers turned out in larger numbers than usual after the New Year’s Eve countdown, with many families visiting just after midnight in the belief it would bring good fortune for the year ahead.
