Hanoi merchants are selling a wide variety of ornamental fish for the celebration of the Kitchen God.
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The yellow carp is one of the most popular traditional offerings to Kitchen God.
In December, on the 23rd day of the lunar calendar, it is believed that Kitchen God flies through the sky atop a yellow carp. So these fishes have special meaning for the holiday.
Yen Phu village in Tay Ho district is especially famous for its ornamental fish, and fish markets, flourish during in preparation for Tet.
Mr. Phuc, an owner of an ornamental fish shop, said, “It is very cold this year, so we’ve had to start selling fish a bit later than in previous years.”
As Kitchen God’ day approaches, he can sell as many as 400 carps a day. Since last year, the price for these fish has increased by 15% and 20%. Today the price is hovering around VND10,000 and VND50,000 (USD0.5-USD2.5) each.
Some new types of ornamental fishes have emerged on the market from China and Japan. These are a bit more expensive, going for VND70,000 to VND100,000 (USD3.5-USD5) each.
Villagers from Yen Phu buy white carp from Ho Chi Minh City for their festival. In the meantime, ornamental fish shops on Hoang Hoa Tham mainly buy fish from China and Phu Tho, in the north.
Mr. Xuyen, a wholesaler in Hanoi, said, “After years of trading in this field, I found out that regular, cheap fishes sell the best. Almost all my customers buy this kind of fish for ceremonial purposes. The more expensive fish actually don’t sell very well. After they’ve served their purpose, the fish are released into ponds, rivers and lakes.”
Mr Duc, from Lang Ha, said, “In my opinion, it is not important whether the fish is expensive or not when celebrating Kitchen God’s day. I usually buy three little fishes for the festival. After our worship my daughter and I let the fish go into Thanh Cong Lake. I do this as if I’m watching Kitchen God return to the sky. It makes us both very happy.”
These fish are called Ly Ngu in Vietnamese (literally translated, Obvious Wealth). Many years ago Vietnamese people, particularly in the north, would often cook the carp as votive offerings during the Kitchen God festival. But as years go by and people get busier, their habits also change. Now most prefer fresh carp.
Phuc selecting fish for the season
A type of ornamental carp
Fish serve celebratory purposes
Fish are set free after their work is complete