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Vietnamese New Year

Official name

Tết Nguyên Đán

Also called

Tết
Lunar New Year (as a collective term including other Asian Lunar New Year festivals, used outside of Asia.)

Observed by
Vietnamese

Type

Religious, Cultural, and National.

Significance

The first day of the Lunar New Year

Celebrations

fireworks, family gatherings, family meals, visiting friends' homes on the first day of the new year ( xông đất), visiting friends and relatives, ancestor worship, giving red envelopes to children and elderly, and opening a shop.

Date

Lunar/Lunisolar New Year's Day

2023 date

22 January, Cat

2024 date

10 February, Dragon

2025 date

29 January, Serpent[1]

Frequency

Annual

Related to

Chinese New Year, Japanese New Year, Korean New Year, Mongolian New Year, Tibetan New Year

Tết (Vietnamese: ), short for ( lit. 'Festival of the first day'), is the most important celebration in Vietnamese culture. Tết celebrates the arrival of spring based on the Vietnamese calendar, which is mostly based on the lunisolar Chinese calendar and usually has the date in January or February in the Gregorian calendar.

Tết Nguyên Đán is not to be confused with Tết Trung Thu, which is also known as Children's Festival in Vietnam. "" itself only means festival but is often colloquially known as "Lunar New Year" in Vietnamese, as it is often seen as the most important festival amongst the Vietnamese and the Vietnamese diaspora, with Tết Trung Thu regarded as the second-most important.

Vietnamese people celebrate annually, which is based on a lunisolar calendar (calculating both the motions of Earth around the Sun and of the Moon around Earth). Tết is generally celebrated on the same day as Chinese New Year (also called Spring Festival), with the one-hour time difference between Vietnam and China resulting in the new moon occurring on different days. Rarely, the dates of Vietnamese and Chinese Lunar New Year can differ as such in 1943, when Vietnam celebrated Lunar New Year, one month after China. It takes place from the first day of the first month of the Vietnamese lunar calendar (around late January or early February) until at least the third day.

Tết is also an occasion for pilgrims and family reunions. They set aside the trouble of the past year and hope for a better and happier upcoming year. This festival can also be referred to as Hội xuân in vernacular Vietnamese, (festival - lễ hội, spring - mùa xuân).

The name Tết is a shortening of Tết Nguyên Đán, literally written as tết (meaning festivals; only used in festival names) and nguyên đán which means the first day of the year. Both words come from Sino-Vietnamese respectively, 節 (SV: tiết) and 元旦.

The word for festival is usually lễ hội, a Sino-Vietnamese word, 禮會.

Vietnamese people usually return to their families during Tết. Some return to worship at the family altar or visit the graves of their ancestors in their homeland. They also clear up the graves of their families as a sign of respect. Although Tết is a national holiday among all Vietnamese, each region and religion has its own customs.

Many Vietnamese prepare for Tết by cooking special holiday food and doing house cleaning. These foods include bánh tét, bánh chưng, bánh dày, canh khổ qua, thịt kho hột vịt, dried young bamboo soup (canh măng), giò, and xôi ( sticky rice). Many customs and traditions are practiced during Tết, such as visiting a person's house on the first day of the new year ( xông nhà), ancestor worship, exchanging New Year's greetings, giving lucky money to children and elderly people, opening a shop, visiting relatives, friends, and neighbors.

Tết can be divided into three time periods, tất niên (celebrations before the end of the year), giao thừa (New Year's Eve), and năm mới (the New Year), representing the preparation before Tết, the eve of Tết, and the days of and following Tết, respectively.

The New Year in Tết

A red envelope decorations (lì xì)

The first day of Tết is reserved for the nuclear family. Children receive red envelopes containing money from their elders. This tradition is called "mừng tuổi" (happy age) in the North region and lì xì in the South region. Usually, children wear their new clothes and give their elders the traditional Tết greetings before receiving money. Since the Vietnamese believe that the first visitor who a family receives in the year determines their fortune for the entire year, people never enter any house on the first day without being invited first. The verb of being the first person to enter a house at Tết is xông đất, xông nhà, or đạp đất, which is one of the most important customs during Tết. According to Vietnamese tradition, if good things come to a family on the first day of the lunar New Year, the entire following year will also be full of blessings. Usually, a person of good temper, morality, and success will be a lucky sign for the host family and be first invited into his house. However, just to be safe, the owner of the house will leave the house a few minutes before midnight and come back just as the clock strikes midnight to prevent anyone else from entering the house first who might potentially bring any unfortunate events in the new year, to the household.

Sweeping during Tết is taboo, it is xui or rủi (unlucky), since it symbolizes sweeping the luck away; that is why they clean before the new year. It is also taboo for anyone who experienced a recent loss of a family member to visit anyone else during Tết.

During subsequent days, people visit relatives and friends. Traditionally but not strictly, the second day of Tết is usually reserved for friends, while the third day is for teachers, who command respect in Vietnam. Local Buddhist temples are popular spots because people like to give donations and get their fortunes told during Tết. Children are free to spend their new money on toys or on gambling games such as bầu cua cá cọp, which can be found in the streets. Prosperous families can pay for dragon dancers to perform at their house. Also, public performances are given for everyone to watch.

Traditional celebrations

These celebrations can last from a day up to the entire week, and the New Year is filled with people in the streets trying to make as much noise as possible using firecrackers, drums, bells, gongs, and anything they can think of to ward off evil spirits. This parade will also include different masks and dancers hidden under the guise of what is known as the múa lân or lion dancing. The lân is an animal between a lion and a dragon and is the symbol of strength in the Vietnamese culture that is used to scare away evil spirits. After the parade, families, and friends come together to have a feast of traditional Vietnamese dishes and share the happiness and joy of the New Year with one another. This is also the time when the elders will hand out red envelopes with money to the children for good luck in exchange for Tết greetings.[citation needed ]

It is also a tradition to pay off debts before the Vietnamese New Year for some Vietnamese families.

Decorations

Traditionally, each family displays , an artificial New Year tree consisting of a bamboo pole 5-6 m (16-20 ft) long. The top end is usually decorated with many objects, depending on the locality, including good luck charms, origami fish, cactus branches, and more.

At Tết, every house is usually decorated by Yellow Apricot blossoms ( hoa mai) in the central and southern parts of Vietnam, peach blossoms ( hoa đào) in the northern part of Vietnam, or St. John's wort ( hoa ban) in the mountain areas. In the north, some people (especially the elite in the past)[citation needed ] also decorate their house with plum blossoms (also called hoa mơ in Vietnamese but referring to a totally different species from mickey-mouse blossoms). In the north or central, the kumquat tree is a popular decoration for the living room during Tết. Its many fruits symbolize fertility and fruitfulness which the family hopes in the coming year.

Vietnamese people also decorate their homes with Hòn non bộ and flowers such as chrysanthemums ( hoa cúc), marigolds ( vạn thọ) symbolizing longevity, cockscombs ( mào gà) in southern Vietnam, and paperwhites ( thủy tiên) and orchids ( hoa lan) in northern Vietnam. In the past, there was a tradition where people tried to make their paperwhites bloom on the day of the observance.

Tết greetings shown in here in the Vietnamese alphabet, Chữ Hán and chữ Nôm.

The traditional greetings are " Chúc Mừng Năm Mới" (祝𢜠𢆥㵋, Happy New Year) and " Cung Chúc Tân Xuân", (恭祝新春, gracious wishes of the new spring). People also wish each other prosperity and luck. Common wishes for Tết include the following:[citation needed ]

Sống lâu trăm tuổi: (𤯩𥹰𤾓歲, Live long for a hundred years!): used by children for elders. Traditionally, everyone is considered one year older on Tết, so children would wish their grandparents' health and longevity in exchange for mừng tuổi (𢜠歲) or lì xì (利市 "SV: lợi thị").

An khang thịnh vượng: (安康盛旺, Security, good health, and prosperity)

Vạn sự như ý: (萬事如意, May things go your way)

Sức khỏe dồi dào: (飭劸洡𤁠, Plenty of health!)

Làm ăn tấn tới: (爫咹晉𬧐, Be successful at work!)

Tiền vô như nước: (錢𠓺如渃, May money flow in like water!). Used informally.

Cung hỉ phát tài: (恭喜發財, Congratulations and best wishes for a prosperous New Year!)

Năm mới thắng lợi mới: (𢆥㵋勝利㵋, New year, new triumphs!; often heard in political speeches)

Chúc hay ăn chóng lớn: (祝𫨩咹𢶢𡘯, Eat well, grow quick!; aimed at children)

Năm mới thăng quan tiến chức: (𢆥㵋陞官進織, I wish for you to be promoted in the new year!)

Năm mới toàn gia bình an: (𢆥㵋全家平安, I wish that the new year will bring health and peace to your family!)

Mừng xuân Di-lặc: (𢜠春彌勒, Happy Spring of Maitreya!). Used by Buddhists.

Mừng xuân an lạc: (𢜠春安樂, Happy peaceful joyful spring!). Used by Buddhists.

Chúc mừng Chúa Xuân: (祝𢜠主春, Praise the Lord of Spring!). Used by Catholics.

In the Vietnamese language, to celebrate Tết is to ăn Tết, literally meaning "eat Tết", showing the importance of food in its celebration. Some of the food is also eaten year-round, while other dishes are only eaten during Tết. Also, some of the food is vegetarian since it is believed to be good luck to eat vegetarian on Tết. Some traditional foods on Tết include the following:

Mứt Tết are candied fruits and seeds eaten during Tết

Bánh chưng and bánh tét: essentially tightly packed sticky rice with meat or bean fillings wrapped in dong leaves (Phrynium placentarium). When these leaves are unavailable, banana leaves can be used as a substitute. One difference between them is their shape. Bánh chưng is the square-shaped one to represent the Earth, while bánh tét is cylindrical to represent the moon. Also, bánh chưng is more popular in the northern parts of Vietnam, bánh tét is more popular in the south. Preparation can take days. After molding them into their respective shapes (the square shape is achieved using a wooden frame), they are boiled for several hours to cook. The story of their origins and their connection with Tết is often recounted to children while cooking them overnight.

Hạt dưa: roasted watermelon seeds, also eaten during Tết

Dưa hành: pickled onion and pickled cabbage

Củ kiệu: pickled small leeks

Mứt: These dried candied fruits are rarely eaten at any time besides Tết.

Kẹo dừa: coconut candy

Kẹo mè xửng: peanut brittle with sesame seeds or peanuts

Cầu sung dừa đủ xoài: In southern Vietnam, popular fruits used for offerings at the family altar in fruit arranging art are the custard-apple/sugar-apple/soursop (mãng cầu), coconut (dừa), goolar fig (sung), papaya (đu đủ), and mango (xoài), since they sound like "cầu sung vừa đủ xài" ([We] pray for enough [money/resources/funds/goods/etc.] to use) in the southern dialect of Vietnamese.

Thịt kho nước dừa: Meaning "meat stewed in coconut juice", is a traditional dish of pork belly and medium boiled eggs stewed in a broth-like sauce made overnight of young coconut juice and nước mắm. It is often eaten with pickled bean sprouts and chives, and white rice.

Xôi gấc: a red sticky rice made from gac fruit, typically paired with chả lụa (the most common type of sausage in Vietnamese cuisine, made of pork and traditionally wrapped in banana leaves).[22]

Bầu cua tôm cá is a Vietnamese gambling game that involves using three dice. It is traditionally played during Tết.

Đánh đu - a traditional game that often appears during Tết.

People enjoy traditional games during Tết, including bầu cua cá cọp, , ném còn, chọi trâu, and đá gà. They also participate in some competitions presenting their knowledge, strength, and aestheticism, such as the bird competition and ngâm thơ competition.

Fireworks displays have also become a traditional part of a Tết celebration in Vietnam. During New Year's Eve, fireworks displays at major cities, such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang, are broadcast through multiple national and local TV channels, accompanied by New Year wishes of the incumbent president. In 2017 only, fireworks displays were prohibited due to political and financial reasons. In 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most provinces and cities canceled the fireworks displays; instead, the displays were only held in Hanoi and several provinces with public gatherings prohibited. In 2022, due to the aforementioned pandemic, all provinces canceled the firework displays due to financial reasons. In Australia, Canada & the United States, there are fireworks displays at many of its festivals, although in 2021 they were either held virtually or canceled.

Gặp nhau cuối năm ("Year-end meet") is a nationally known satirical theatrical comedy show, broadcast on VTV on New Year's Eve.

From 2020 to 2043.

In the weeks leading up to Tet, celebratory songs are played throughout Vietnam. One song, Ngày Tết Quê Em (Tet in My Homeland) was released by Linh Trang and Xuan Mai in 2006. It was on the album Xuân Mai và Thiếu Nhi Cali 2 Hội chợ Cali. The song can be heard playing in many public places across the country.

The lyrics to this song in Vietnamese are:

Tết Tết Tết Tết đến rồi

Tết Tết Tết Tết đến rồi

Tết Tết Tết Tết đến rồi

Tết đến trong tim mọi người

Mừng ngày Tết trên khắp quê tôi

Ngàn hoa thơm khoa sắc xinh tươi

Đàn em thơ khoe áo mới

Chạy tung tăng vui pháo hoa

Mừng ngày Tết trên khắp quê tôi

Người ra Trung, ra Bắc, vô Nam

Dù đi đâu ai cũng nhớ

Về chung vui bên gia đình

Tết Tết Tết Tết đến rồi

Tết Tết Tết Tết đến rồi

Tết Tết Tết Tết đến rồi

Tết đến trong tim mọi người

Mừng ngày Tết phố xá đông vui

Người đi thăm, đi viếng, đi chơi

Người lo đi mua sắm Tết

Người dâng hương đi lễ chùa

Mừng ngày Tết ta chúc cho nhau

Một năm thêm sung túc an vui

Người nông dân thêm lúa thóc

Người thương gia mau phát tài

Tết Tết Tết Tết đến rồi

Tết Tết Tết Tết đến rồi

Tết Tết Tết Tết đến rồi

Tết đến trong tim mọi người

Several covers of the song have been produced since its initial release. An English version was released by Khánh Vy and Thảo Tâm in 2020.

The lyrics to the English version are:

Tet Tet Tet is coming

Tet Tet Tet is coming

Tet Tet Tet is coming

Tet has come to our hearts.

Tet Tet Tet is coming

Tet Tet Tet is coming

Tet Tet Tet is coming

Tet has come to our hearts.

Happy holiday everywhere

Flowers blooming in the air

Little children dressing up

Run around with fireworks.

Happy Holiday in everywhere

People traveling here and there

We go far, we go long

But Tet is the time we go home.

Tet Tet Tet is coming

Tet Tet Tet is coming

Tet Tet Tet is coming

Tet has come to our hearts.

Tet Tet Tet is coming

Tet Tet Tet is coming

Tet Tet Tet is coming

Tet has come to our hearts.

Everybody's happy in towns

Some will meet up and hang out

Some go shopping together

Some pray in pagodas.

Happy Tet I wish for you

A fortune, happy, peaceful year

If you're farmer, you'll gain more

If you're dealers, you'll earn more.

The song summarizes some of the main Tet traditions. During Tet, it is traditional for Vietnamese people to travel to their hometowns, hence the lyrics "People traveling here and there."

Typically, there are large fireworks displays in most major cities. Prior to 1995, it was customary to use firecrackers at individual homes; however, the government banned the production and use of these fireworks due to fatal accidents. In December 2020 a regulation was passed that allows "anyone aged 18 and older with legal capacity" to purchase sparklers for special occasions. The regulations went into effect on January 11, 2020.

While the song is not inherently religious, it does reference pagodas, a tiered tower used by Buddhists and Taoists for worship. Many Buddhist altars are set up in the weeks leading up to Tet.

The line "If you're a farmer, you'll gain more" refers to beliefs held by many Vietnamese people about the effects the new year will bring on agriculture. Tet symbolizes the start of the spring season. Farmers traditionally use this time as an opportunity to remember the gods of harvest. The next line, "If you're dealers, you'll earn more" refers to the amount of work retailers do in order to be prepared for the surge of shopping in preparation for the holiday.

List of Buddhist festivals

Celebrations of the Lunar New Year in other parts of Asia:

Similar Asian Lunisolar New Year celebrations that occur in April:

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Vietnamese New Year Official name Tết Nguyên Đán Also called Tết Lunar New Year (as a collective term including other Asian Lunar New Year festivals, used outside of Asia.) Observed by Vietnamese Type Religious, Cultural, and National.

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Spring brings together all the best there is among nature and people. On New Year's, everybody puts aside all the fuss of life to come together around the family dining table. New Year sweets are popular snacks at this time. Above them all, sugared lotus seeds are the best-known and beloved, because lotus is considered the Vietnamese national flower.

Photos by courtesy of triducfood.com.vn

Lotus grows in all regions of our country. The further south one goes, the more lotuses can be seen. Especially in Dong Thap Province, they grow everywhere, even in paddy fields. Nothing of a lotus plant is wasted. The leaves, seeds, stems and roots, all add colours, tastes and aromas to different Vietnamese foods.
Since ancient times, people have learned to use lotus seeds in various highly nutritious foods, such as lotus pudding, sugar-coated lotus seeds, lotus and longan compote, lotus and bean porridge, and lotus and chicken stew. Sugar-coated lotus seeds are not only delicious and nutritious, but also a traditional medicine which soothes chronic diarrhoea, amnesia and nutritional deficiency.

Being a significant sacrament in Vietnamese spiritual life, lotus is also present in what is best of our culinary culture. Parts of the lotus plant are used in the most common Vietnamese food items, such as lotus root-stock salad, lotus-scented tea, and sugared lotus seeds. The sugar-coated seeds are especially valued, not only during the New Year celebration, but also on many other happy occasions, such as engagement and wedding ceremonies. Aromatic sweet seeds coquettishly wrapped in red glass paper and tied to a packet of tea and a green sticky rice cake makes them divine.
Beside the sweets made of squash, coconut, and ginger, each translucent yellow lotus seed stands out like a jewel. Chewed with a sip of bitter tea, especially scented tea, which carries a delicate touch of fresh aroma, it makes one's experience both fancy and tranquil. The sugar-coated seeds can also be used to make all sorts of sweet-flavoured puddings and compotes. They are also often a part of the beloved mid-autumn cakes.
Everyone who has visited Vietnam has spared no words to extol lotus. They say that the Vietnamese are blessed by heaven with this gift. Lotus leaves are like green suns. The flowers are as refined as the Vietnamese girls. The seeds are gems between heaven and earth. The more the society changes, the more human life advances, the more sophisticated and delicate foods will appear in our festivities and on our dining tables. But hopefully the New Year sweets, especially the sugar-coated lotus seeds will remain with us forever.n
*The article was printed on triducfood.com.vn

The elders of Nanh Village, Ninh Hiep Commune of Hanoi say that sugaring lotus seeds is a painstaking business. To make the famous 'naked lotus seeds' of Hanoi, the seeds must be meticulously filtered. The Northern lotus is best because it's rounder, more aromatic and crumbly. It requires delicacy to break the hard husk without breaking the seed. It's also difficult to remove the green bud, which is very bitter, in its entirety from centre of the seed. Up until now, only Nanh Village owned the secret of chopping the lotus seed husk. The seeds must be boiled in water several times, with different durations and heat levels, to make the seeds melt away in the mouth but firm enough to stay in shape. At the sugaring stage, the sugar must be absorbed inside the seeds. Only then they can look gem-like. And the sugar solution must be seasoned with pomelo flower oil to create the unforgettable impression associated with this fabulous sweet.

Customers can buy sugared lotus seeds made by Nanh Village at FairFood Company at VND100,000/kg. FairFood Company, Room 14.1, Building CT1 - Vimeco, Hoang Minh Giam St, Cau Giay Dist., Hanoi. Tel: (04) 2225-0531

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Spring brings together all the best there is among nature and people. On New Year's, everybody puts aside all the fuss of life to come together around the family dining table. New Year sweets are popular snacks at this time. Above them all, sugared lotus seeds are the best-known and beloved, because lotus is considered the Vietnamese national flower.

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Middle English smeren, from Old English smerian, smierwan, smyrian "anoint or rub with ointment, oil, etc.," from Proto-Germanic *smerwjan "to spread grease on" (source also of Old Norse smyrja "to anoint, rub with ointment," Danish smøre, Swedish smörja, Dutch smeren, Old High German smirwen "apply salve, smear," German schmieren "to smear;" Old Norse smör "butter"), from PIE *smeru- "grease" (source also of Greek myron "unguent, balsam," Old Irish smi(u)r "marrow," Old English smeoru "fat, grease, ointment, tallow, lard, suet," Lithuanian smarsas "fat").

Originally especially "to anoint," but also in Old English "overspread too thickly with something thick or sticky." In modern use also of bad painting or makeup. The figurative sense of "assault a public reputation" is by 1835; especially "dishonor or besmirch with unsubstantiated charges." Related: Smeared; smearing. , one used regardless of its literal meaning but invested with invective, is from 1938.

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smear | Etymology of smear by etymonline

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"anoint or rub with ointment, oil, etc.," from Proto-Germanic *smerwjan "to spread grease... See origin and meaning of smear.

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calculate | Etymology of calculate by etymonline

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“ascertain by computation, estimate by mathematical means,” from Latin calculatus, past… See origin and meaning of calculate.

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Vietnamese Embroidery Art - Quintessence of Vietnamese Paintings

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Discover litlle by little Vietnamese Embroidery Painting about the history, the great evolution of and kinds of Vietnamese Embroidery Art

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These delicious Vietnamese steamed rice cakes (bánh bèo) are topped with velvety mung bean, prawn floss, fried pork fat, and a drizzle of scallion oil.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cURcd2_w-rg

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screech | Etymology of screech by etymonline

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“cry out with a sharp, shrill voice,” 1570s, an alteration of scritch (mid-13c.,… See origin and meaning of screech.

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Year of the Rabbit or Year of the Cat? Depends on where you live

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In most parts of East Asia, the new year that begins on Jan. 22 corresponds to the rabbit. In Vietnam, though, it will usher in the Year of the Cat.

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In Scottish, Northern English, and Manx folklore, the first-foot ( Scottish Gaelic: ciad-chuairt, Manx: quaaltagh/qualtagh) is the first person to enter the home of a household on New Year's Day and is seen as a bringer of good fortune for the coming year. Similar practices are also found in Greek, Vietnamese, and Georgian new year traditions.

The origins of first-footing is uncertain, although there may be a connection to the Viking Invasion of the British Isles: "This may go back to the time of Vikings when the arrival of a blond stranger at your door would be the cause of fear and alarm."

Whenever a public ritual is suppressed many continue it at another date.[citation needed ] Many customs of first-footing (bringing coal, knocking on doors, group singing Auld Lang Syne to pass from the old to the new) parallel those of Samhain, the Celtic new year, for which fuel was gathered, food collected by reciting verses door-to-door, and a ritual fire lit to welcome crossing the threshold to the next world.[citation needed ]

"Quite a degree of transferability of customs across the period between Samhain ... Christmas and New Year. Whether this represents a natural tendency to transfer celebrations that brighten the dull winter months or a concerted religious effort to dissipate or transform wholly pagan festivities remains unclear, but a combination of factors is likely."

North of England

The tradition of first-footing and how it is conducted varies from place to place in the North of England. Generally, a tall, dark-haired male is preferred over a man with light hair or even a woman. There are regional variations about the hair colour of the first-foot, although generally they must be a male. In East Yorkshire, the first-footer should be dark-haired, but the North York Moors first-footers should be fair-haired.

Often it is expected that they will bring symbolic gifts, and be given food and drink in return by the inhabitants of the house they visit:

The first-foot doesn't enter the house empty-handed - any first-footers who do arrive empty-handed will bring bad luck with them. Instead, the first-foot should bring a selection of gifts for the household, which can include; a silver coin; shortbread or a black bun; salt; coal; and a drink, usually whisky. They represent prosperity, food, flavour, warmth for the house, and good cheer - the whisky is used to toast the new year.

The practice of first-footing is still common across Scotland and varies from place to place as part of Hogmanay celebrations. The luck that the first-foot brings with him will determine the luck for the household for the rest of the year.

Generally, the first-foot should be a tall dark-haired male who is not already in the house when midnight strikes. In many areas, the first-foot should bring with him symbolic gifts such as coal, coins, whisky, or black buns. Food and drink will be given to the first-foot and any other guests. Often women and light or red haired men are considered very unlucky. In Scotland, first-footing has traditionally been more elaborate than in England, involving subsequent entertainment.

On the Isle of Man the practice of first-footing has also been a long held tradition. A. W. Moore in his book Folklore of the Isle of Man described the practice:

The qualtagh (he or she) may also be the first person who enters a house on New Year's morning. In this case it is usual to place before him or her the best fare the family can afford. It was considered fortunate if the qualtagh were a person (a man being preferred to a woman), of dark complexion, as meeting a person of light complexion at this time, especially if his or her hair is red, would be thought very unlucky.

Traditionally, young boys would visit the houses in their local area on New Year's Day. They would recite a poem in the Manx language at every house and then a boy with dark hair was considered to be lucky for the household and he was given the best food and drink the inhabitants had to share.

Ollick ghennal erriu as bleïn feer vie,
Seihll as slaynt da'n slane lught thie.
Bea as gennallys eu bio ry-cheilley,
Shee as graih eddyr mraane as deiney.
Cooid as cowryn, stock as stoyr.
Palçhey phuddase, as skaddan dy-liooar.
Arran as caashey, eeym as roayrt.
Baase, myr lugh, ayns uhllin ny soalt.
Cadley sauçhey tra vees shiu ny lhie,
As feeackle y jargan, nagh bee dy mie.

The New Year Blessing in English

A merry Christmas on ye, and a very good year,
Long life and health to the whole household.
Your life and mirth living together,
Peace and love between women and men.
Goods and wealth, stock and store,
Plenty potatoes and enough herring.
Bread and cheese, butter and beef,
Death, like a mouse, in the stackyard of the barn.
Sleeping safely when you lie,
and the flea's tooth, may it not be well.

In Serbian folklore, the , polažajnik, polaženik, or radovan, is the first person who visits the family on Christmas Day. Like the first-foot tradition, it is expected that the visit will ensure good luck and well-being for the household in the ensuing year. Often a man or boy is chosen in advance for the visit on Christmas morning.

There are practices similar to first-footing outside the British Isles. For example, it exists in Sweden, where having a fair-skinned, blond(e) first-foot is considered the highest blessing whereas darker persons are considered bad luck. In a similar Greek tradition called pothariko, also called podariko (from the root pod-, or 'foot'), it is believed that the first person to enter the house on New Year's Eve brings either good or bad luck. Many households to this day keep this tradition and specially select who first enters the house. After the first-foot, the lady of the house serves the guests with Christmas treats or gives them an amount of money to ensure that good luck will come in the new year.

A similar tradition exists in the country of Georgia, where the person is called mekvle (from kvali - 'footstep', 'footprint', 'trace').

1. ^ Simpson, Jacqueline; Steve Roud (2000). "New Year". A Dictionary of English Folklore. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-210019-X.

2. ^ Page, Michael; Robert Ingpen (1987). Encyclopedia of Things that Never Were. New York: Viking Press. p. 167. ISBN 0-670-81607-8.

3. ^ https://atlanticreligion.com/2013/10/28/the-meaning-of-samhain/ Atlantic Religion. com collected 31 December 2018

4. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "First-foot". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 10 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 424.

5. ^ Gell, John (1954). Conversational Manx. Yn Çheshaght Ghailckagh. pp. 19-20. ISBN 1-87-0029-10-0.

6. ^ Entry for the headword "Quaaltagh or Qualtagh," in Archibald Cregeen, A Dictionary of the Manx Language (Douglas & London & Liverpool, 1835 [but 1837], 132b

7. Miles, Clement A. (2008). "The Yule Log". Christmas in Ritual and Tradition. Forgotten Books. pp. 192-99. ISBN 978-1-60506-814-5. Retrieved 5 August 2020

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In Scottish, Northern English, and Manx folklore, the first-foot ( Scottish Gaelic: ciad-chuairt, Manx: quaaltagh/qualtagh) is the first person to enter the home of a household on New Year's Day and is seen as a bringer of good fortune for the coming year. Similar practices are also found in Greek, Vietnamese, and Georgian new year traditions.

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Bánh chưng is a traditional Vietnamese food which is made from glutinous rice, mung beans, pork and other ingredients. Its origin is told by the legend of Lang Liêu, a prince of the last king of the Sixth Hùng Dynasty, who became the successor thanks to his creation of bánh chưng and , which symbolized, respectively, the earth and the sky. Considered an essential element of the family altar on the occasion of , the making and eating of bánh chưng during this time is a well-preserved tradition of Vietnamese people. Beside the Tết holiday, bánh chưng is also eaten all year round as Vietnamese cuisine.

According to the book Lĩnh Nam chích quái ( Extraordinary stories of Lĩnh Nam) published in 1695, the creation of bánh chưng was credited to Lang Liêu, a prince of the last Sixth Hùng Dynasty of the Hùng dynasty (c. 1712 - 1632 BC). It was said that in choosing a successor among his sons, the monarch decided to carry out a competition in which each prince brought a delicacy representing the sincerity for the ancestors on the occasion of Tết, whoever could introduce the most delicious dish for the altar would become the next ruler of the country. While other princes tried to find the rare and delicious foods from forest and sea, the eighteenth prince, Lang Liêu, who was the poorest son of the Hùng king, could not afford such luxurious dishes and had to be content with everyday ingredients, such as rice and pork. He created one cake in the square form of earth called bánh chưng and one in the round form of sky called from these simple ingredients. In tasting the dishes offered by his son, the Hùng king found bánh chưng and bánh giầy not only delicious but also a fine representation of the respect for ancestors. Therefore, he decided to cede the throne to Lang Liêu and bánh chưng, bánh giầy became traditional foods during Tết. Lang Liêu founded the Seventh Hùng dynasty (c. 1631 - 1432 BC).

Considered an indispensable dish of Tết, bánh chưng is placed on the family altars to honor the family ancestors and pray to them for support in the new year. Wrapped in a green square package, bánh chưng symbolizes the earth, the various ingredients of bánh chưng, which come from all the products of nature, also emphasize the meaning of bánh chưng with Vietnamese people.

The required ingredients of bánh chưng are glutinous rice, mung bean, fatty pork and black pepper, salt, sometimes green onion, and for salty taste. In the wrapping stage, one needs , strings split from giang, one type of bamboo which has long node, and sometimes a square mold in wood so that bánh chưng can be wrapped in a better shape, lá dong, which is popular only in Southern Asia, can be substituted by banana leaves or even . Lá dong and giang strings have to be washed carefully in order to preserve the taste of the cake, giang strings may be soaked in water or steamed so that they become flexible enough for wrapping and tying. People often choose high quality rice and beans for making bánh chưng. The mung beans are soaked in water for approx. 2 hours and the glutinous rice for 12 to 14 hours. The mung beans are drained, cooked and mashed into a paste. The fat in the pork is preferred for bánh chưng because its fatty flavor associates well with the glutinous rice and mung beans. After being sliced in approx. half-inch thick strips, the pork is mixed with pepper, onion, salt and nước mắm. Sugar can also be added to this mixture of spices.

The cake is wrapped in the following order. First, the giang strings and two lá dong leaves are placed as the square base for the bánh chưng. Then glutinous rice is stuffed in lá dong, followed by mung bean, pork, more mung bean and finally another layer of rice so that bean and pork can be respectively in the center of the cake. The ingredients are carefully wrapped in lá dong and bound by giang strings in the square form. In order to get a near perfect square-shaped cake, the maker can use a square mold to help in the wrapping and pressing the ingredients to fill the corners of the square mold. To keep the cake from mold or being spoiled, bánh chưng should be wrapped as tight as possible.

The prepared cakes are arranged in a large pot (with recommended spacing between cakes, using chopsticks, bamboo or other spacers). The pot is filled with fresh water and boiled for hours until they are cooked thoroughly. As the water evaporates during cooking, more boiled water should be added to keep the cakes submerged at all time. The outer-most layer of rice turns green because the rice absorbed the color of lá dong. One bánh chưng is often divided into 8 (triangular shaped) or 9 (square shaped) pieces, usually by using the very giang string that bounded the cake. As the cake was formed from several ingredients, the taste of bánh chưng varies from part to part with different flavors of glutinous rice, pork, bean and even the wrapping lá dong. Bánh chưng is often served with pickled onions or vegetables, and . After unwrapping, bánh chưng remains edible for several days when stored in the refrigerator, while an unopened one can be kept for up to two weeks in the refrigerator. Bánh chưng can also be frozen and thawed again for consumption, though the quality is not as good as a fresh cake. Bánh chưng has the water activity value a w of about 0.95 and its pH is approximately 6.4.

The prepared ingredients of bánh chưng

Wrapping bánh chưng using a mould

An unwrapped bánh chưng, cut into 8 pieces, ready to serve

Bánh chưng is served with chả lụa and other dishes

Bánh chưng is always considered an essential element of a traditional Tết, which is described by a popular couplet:

Vietnamese: Thịt mỡ, dưa hành, câu đối đỏ
Cây nêu, tràng pháo, bánh chưng xanh
Translate: Rich meats, Pickled onions, red couplets
Nêu tree, firecracker, green bánh chưng

Women wear for their tradition. Traditionally, bánh chưng requires a preparation of many ingredients, each Vietnamese family which can afford such a preparation begins to make the cake from the 27th or 28th day of the December ( tháng Chạp) in Lunar calendar. In making bánh chưng, all members of the family gather to perform different tasks, from washing the lá dong, mixing the pork with spices, preparing the mung beans and most important wrapping all ingredients into the square form and boiling the cakes. Bánh chưng needs to be carefully boiled for ten to twelve hours during which the adults and children sit together around the boiling cauldron. In the countryside, to ensure that bánh chưng is available for every family even the poor ones, a fund called họ bánh chưng is jointly set up and about one month before the Tết, the accumulated capital and benefit are divided between members of the fund so that they can have enough money to prepare bánh chưng.

Nowadays, the tradition of self-made bánh chưng gradually declines in Vietnam when the size of a typical family is smaller and people do not have enough time for the preparation and making of bánh chưng. Instead, they go to the bánh chưng shop or order cakes in advance from families that specialize in making them. Therefore, bánh chưng still appears in each family during the Tết but they are not a family product any more. With the shift of bánh chưng making from family to specialized manufacturers, some craft villages became famous for their reputation in making bánh chưng such as Tranh Khúc village or Duyên Hà village both in Thanh Trì, Hanoi.

Each year, on the occasion of the Death anniversary of the Hung Kings, a competition of making bánh chưng and bánh dày is often organized in Hùng Temple, Phú Thọ. Participants from eight different regions including Lào Cai, Hanoi and Cần Thơ are provided with 5 kg of glutinous rice, bean, 1 kg of pork so that they can make 10 bánh chưng in 10 minutes, the product of the winning team will be present in the official altar of the festival. In 2005, bánh chưng makers in Ho Chi Minh City offered Hùng Temple a pair of giant bánh chưng and bánh giầy, the size of the bánh chưng measured 1.8m x 1.8m x 0.7m (71 x 71 x 27.5 inches) and weighed 2 tonnes after cooking, it was made in Ho Chi Minh City and subsequently transferred to Phú Thọ.

While being normally eaten warm or at room temperature, bánh chưng may be also fried up and served in form of crisp pancake called bánh chưng chiên (fried bánh chưng). The writer Vũ Bằng in his book Thương nhớ mười hai (Longing of the 12 months) mentioned bánh chưng rán as a delicious dish during the cold February of Hanoi. In some regions, instead of bánh chưng, people make which is a cylindrical cake with almost the same ingredients as bánh chưng. A similar cake as bánh tét is made in some regions in the North but with the name or bánh chưng dài (long bánh chưng). Bánh tày is often made with small quantity of mung bean and little or no pork so that it can be preserved for a longer period, bánh tày can be cut in slices and fried like bánh chưng rán. San Diu people has another variation of the long bánh chưng with a hump in the middle of the cake, hence it is called bánh chưng "gù" ("humped" bánh chưng), besides lá dong, bánh chưng "gù" is wrapped by an additional type of leaf named .

There are ye boi variations of bánh chưng for vegetarians and Buddhists which do not contain pork such as bánh chưng chay (vegetarian chưng cake) or bánh chưng ngọt (sweeten chưng cake), instead of pork, these cakes are stuffed with molasses or brown sugar. For these variations, sometimes they mix glutinous rice with so that the cake can have a red skin which is more appetizing. In the countryside, bánh chưng chay was once made by the poor families who could not afford the pork for stuffing, they replaced pork by cardamom, black pepper and cooked mung bean, this type of bánh chưng was eaten with molasses.

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Bánh chưng is a traditional Vietnamese food which is made from glutinous rice, mung beans, pork and other ingredients. Its origin is told by the legend of Lang Liêu, a prince of the last king of the Sixth Hùng Dynasty, who became the successor thanks to his creation of bánh chưng and , which symbolized, respectively, the earth and the sky.

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Middle English tellen, "speak, talk, say; count, reckon," from Old English tellan "reckon, calculate, number, compute; consider, think, esteem, account" (past tense tealde, past participle teald), from Proto-Germanic *taljan "mention in order" (source also of Old Saxon tellian "tell," Old Norse telja "to count, number; to tell, say," Old Frisian tella "to count; to tell," Middle Dutch and Dutch tellen, Old Saxon talon "to count, reckon," Danish tale "to speak," Old High German zalon, German zählen "to count, reckon"), according to Watkins from PIE root *del- (2) "to count, reckon" (see tale).

The meaning "narrate, announce, relate" in English is from c. 1000; that of "make known by speech or writing, announce" is from early 12c. The meaning "discern so as to be able to say" is from late 14c. The sense of "reveal or disclose" is from c. 1400. The meaning "order (someone to do something)" is from 1590s.

In intransitive use, c. 1300 as "give an account;" 1530s as " tell tales, act as an informer, 'peach;' " 1650s as "talk, chat, gossip." To "hear reported" is from c. 1200. To is from 1804 as "count off;" to tell (someone) off "reprimand" is from 1919, from the "speak" sense of the word.

The older "counting" sense is preserved in teller and phrases such as "count the hours," "when all are counted." For sense evolution, compare French conter "to count," raconter "to recount;" Italian contare, Spanish contar "to count, recount, narrate;" German zählen "to count," erzählen "to recount, narrate." Klein also compares Hebrew saphar "he counted," sipper "he told."

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foretell | Etymology of foretell by etymonline

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"predict, prophesy," c. 1300, from fore- + tell (v.). Related: Foretold; foretelling. See origin and meaning of foretell.

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The papaya (, ), papaw, ([3]) or pawpaw ([3])[4] is the plant species Carica papaya, one of the 21 accepted species in the genus Carica of the family Caricaceae.[5] It was first domesticated in Mesoamerica, within modern-day southern Mexico and Central America.[6][7] It is grown in several countries in regions with a tropical climate. In 2020, India produced 42% of the world’s supply of papayas.

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“thrust out the lips, as in sullenness or displeasure,” mid-14c., of uncertain origin,… See origin and meaning of pout.

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I Ching fortuneteller in Japan, 1914

I Ching divination is a form of cleromancy applied to the . The text of the I Ching consists of sixty-four hexagrams: six-line figures of (broken) or (solid) lines, and commentaries on them. There are two main methods of building up the lines of the hexagram, using either 50 yarrow stalks or three coins. Some of the lines may be designated "old" lines, in which case the lines are subsequently changed to create a second hexagram. The text relating to the hexagram(s) and old lines (if any) is studied, and the meanings derived from such study can be interpreted as an oracle.

Each hexagram is six lines, written sequentially one above the other; each of the lines represents a state that is either yin ( yīn: dark, feminine, etc., represented by a broken line) or yang ( yáng: light, masculine, etc., a solid line), and either old (moving or changing, represented by an "X" written on the middle of a yin line, or a circle written on the middle of a yang line) or young (static, unchanging). The usual methods for consulting the I Ching as an oracle produce a "sacred" or "ritual" number for each type of line: 6 (for an old yin line), 7 (young yang), 8 (young yin), or 9 (old yang). The six lines are produced in order using the chosen method (see below for examples), beginning at the first (lowest) one and proceeding upward to the sixth (uppermost) line, each with its corresponding number. Then, the commentaries applying to the generated hexagram are studied; if the hexagram contains no old lines at all, that concludes the consultation, but if there are one or more old lines, the separate commentary for each such line is also studied. Then, the lines are appropriately changed (any old yin lines into young yang lines, and any old yang lines into young yin lines), which-with the young lines in the original hexagram remaining the same-results in a second, different, hexagram, the commentarial material on which is then also studied.

The method used by the diviner to generate the hexagram(s) depends on their circumstances and beliefs; the yarrow-stalk method is usually employed by traditionalists who find significance in its complexity, and in the resulting time needed to manipulate the stalks to produce a hexagram. Coin methods, and others, are used either by those short of time, or by fortune-tellers who need a quick reading. There are also methods to generate a hexagram by interpreting the time, direction, person, etc., instead of throwing coins or dividing and counting yarrow stalks. Several of the methods described below force exactly one, or no, moving lines; the traditional yarrow-stalk method allows from zero to six moving lines. The yarrow-stalk method favours static lines over moving lines in the ratio 3:1.

Precursor to I Ching: Cracks in turtle shell

Plastromancy or the turtle-shell oracle is probably the earliest recorded form of fortune telling. The diviner would apply heat to a piece of a turtle shell (sometimes with a hot poker), and interpret the resulting cracks. The cracks were sometimes annotated with inscriptions, the oldest Chinese writings that have been discovered. This oracle predated the earliest versions of the (dated from about 1100 BC) by hundreds of years.[relevant? ]

A variant on this method was to use ox shoulder bones, a practice called scapulimancy. When thick material was to be cracked, the underside was thinned by carving with a knife.

A bunch of 50 yarrow (Achillea millefolium subsp. millefolium var. millefolium) stalks, used for I Ching divination.

Hexagrams may be generated by the manipulation of yarrow stalks. These are usually genuine Achillea millefolium stalks that have been cut and prepared for such purposes, or any form of wooden rod or sticks (the quality ranging from cheap hardwood to very expensive red sandalwood, etc.) which are plain, lacquered, or varnished. When genuine Achillea is used, varieties local to the diviner are considered the best, as they would contain closer to, and more in tune with, the diviner, or they may come from a particularly spiritual or relevant place, such as on the grounds of a Confucian temple. When not in use, they are kept in a cloth or silk bag/pouch or a wooden case/box.

Fifty yarrow stalks are used, though one stalk is set aside at the beginning and takes no further part in the process of consultation. The remaining forty-nine stalks are roughly sorted into two piles, and then for the right hand pile one stalk is initially "remaindered"; then the pile is "cast off" in lots of four ( i.e., groups of four stalks are removed). The remainders from each half are combined (traditionally placed between the fingers of one hand during the counting process) and set aside, with the process then repeated twice ( i.e., for a total of three times). The total number of stalks in the remainder pile will necessarily (if the procedure has been followed correctly) be 9 or 5, in the first count, and 8 or 4, in the second. 9 or 8 is assigned a value of 2; 5 or 4, a value of 3. The total of the three passes will be one of just four values: 6 (2+2+2), 7 (2+2+3), 8 (2+3+3), or 9 (3+3+3)-that value is the number of the first line. The forty-nine stalks are then gathered and the entire procedure repeated to generate each of the remaining five lines of the hexagram.

The yarrow-stalk method produces unequal probabilities for obtaining each of the four totals, as shown in the table. Compared to the three-coin method discussed next, the probabilities of the lines produced by the yarrow-stalk method are significantly different.

Note that the Yarrow algorithm is a particular algorithm for generating random numbers; while it is named after the yarrow-stalk method of consulting the I Ching, its details are unrelated to it.

Yarrow Stalks prepared for regular usage

Two heads and one tail of the original I-Ching Divination Coins.

The three- coin method came into use over a thousand years after the yarrow-stalk method. The quickest, easiest, and most popular method by far, it has largely supplanted yarrow stalks, but produces outcomes with different likelihoods. Three coins are tossed at once; each coin is given a value of 2 or 3, depending upon whether it is tails or heads, respectively. Six such tosses make the hexagram. Some fortune-tellers use an empty tortoise shell to shake the coins in before throwing them on a dish or plate.

The three-coin method can be modified to have the same probabilities as the yarrow-stalk method by having one of the coins be of a second coin type, or in some way be marked as special (i.e., be distinguishable from the other coins). All three coins are tossed at once. The results are counted just as in the original three-coin method, with two exceptions: one to make yin less likely to move, and one to make yang more likely to move. (The probability for 6/8/9/7 in the coin method is 2/6/2/6, but in the yarrow-stalk method is 1/7/3/5; hence, 6 has to occur less often, and 9 has to occur more often.)

In the case where the special coin is tails and the other two are both tails-which would normally produce a 6-re-flip the marked coin: if it remains tails, then treat it as a 6 (moving yin); otherwise, it remains an 8 (static yin). As a 6 can become a 6 or an 8, it reduces the probability of the moving 6. In other words, it makes the old yin less likely to change (or move).

In the case where the special coin is heads and the other two are both tails-which would normally produce an 7-re-flip the marked coin: if it remains heads, then it remains as a 7 (static yang); otherwise, it becomes a 9 (moving yang). As a 7 can become a 7 or an 9, it reduces the probability of the static 7. In other words, it makes the young yang less likely and hence more yang s change as a result.

This method retains the 50% chance of yin:yang, but changes the ratio of moving yin to static yin from 1:3 to 1:7; likewise, it changes the ratio of moving yang to static yang from 1:3 to 3:5, which is the same probabilities as the yarrow-stalk method.

Some purists contend that there is a problem with the three-coin method because its probabilities differ from the more ancient, yarrow-stalk, method. In fact, over the centuries there have even been other methods used for consulting the oracle.

The two-coin method involves tossing one pair of coins twice: on the first toss, two heads give a value of 2, and anything else is 3; on the second toss, each coin is valued separately, to give a sum from 6 to 9, as above. This results in the same distribution of probabilities as for the yarrow-stalk method.

A modified version of the two-coin method improves on the original on several aspects. First, while maintaining the probabilities of the traditional yarrow-stalk method, it simplifies outcomes such that they become intuitive at first sight, without need of further calculations. Second, it reduces the average number of coin throws per hexagram by 25%, from 12 to 9. It does so by requiring to throw the coins a second time only if both coins land on the same face (either both heads, or both tails), thus only in 50% of instances. Third, it is easy to memorize, as it clearly identifies heads with yang, and tails with yin, and a greater share of heads/tails with old (aka mature, moving, changing) yang/yin.

The modified two-coin method involves tossing one pair of coins of different size or shape. The larger, or heavier coin is assigned primacy (and is reported here as first, dominant, outcome) while the outcome of the smaller one comes second. Let H be heads and T tails.

If the coins land H, T, yang dominates and the outcome is young yang, unchanging. There is no need to throw the coins again for the same line.

If the coins land T, H, then yin dominates and the outcome is young yin, unchanging. Again, there is no need to throw the coins again for the same line.

If the coins land both on heads (H, H) then the outcome is for sure yang, but one must throw again to verify if the yang is changing (aka old) or unchanging (young). In case the second throw yields at least one H (either H, H, or H, T, or T, H), then the yang is changing. If both coins land on T (T, T) at second throw then the yang is unchanging.

If the coins land both on tails (T, T) then the outcome is for sure yin, but one must throw again to verify if the yin is changing or unchanging. In case the second throw yields both tails (T, T), then the yin is changing. If any of the two coins lands on H (either H, T, or T, H, or H, H) at second throw then the yin is unchanging.

The modified two-coin method yields old yang (changing) 3/16 of the times. Unchanging yang 5/16 times, and unchanging yin 7/16. The remaining 1/16 outcomes is old yin (changing).

It is considered simplified as it reduces the number of throws and calculations needed to correctly identify the outcome of each hexagram line, compared to any other method. While this has its advantages, some purists consider the time required to build the hexagram as a fundamental aspect of I Ching divination, for its ceremonial as well as introspective purposes. This said, any other coin based method can be considered similarly lacking on this regard, when compared to the yarrow-stalk method.

As is the case for the conventional two-coin method and the four coin method, the simplified two-coin method can be boiled down to binary numbers, simply interpreting any H as 1 and any T as 0. Then, old yin takes value of 0000 (0 in decimal numbers), unchanging yin values between 0001 and 0111 (1 to 7), unchanging yang those between 1000 and 1100 (8 to 12), and old yang from 1101 to 1111 (13 to 15). This also clearly showcases the relative probabilities of each outcome.

With tails assigned the value 0 (zero) and heads the value 1, four coins tossed at once can be used to generate a four-bit binary number, the right-most coin indicating the first bit, the next coin (to the first's left) indicating the next bit, etc. The number 0000 is called old yin; the next three numbers-0001, 0010, and 0011 (the binary numbers whose decimal equivalents are 1, 2, and 3, respectively)-are called old yang, with a similar principle applied to the remaining twelve outcomes. This gives identical results to the yarrow-stalk method.

The two-coin method described above can be performed with four coins, simply by having one pair of coins be alike-of the same size or denomination-while the other two are of a different size or denomination; the larger coins can then be counted as the first toss, while the two smaller coins constitute the second toss (or vice versa).

Six coins-five identical coins and one different-can be thrown at once. The coin that lands closest to a line drawn on the table will make the first line of the hexagram, and so on: heads for yang, tails for yin. The distinct coin is a moving line. This method has the dual failings that (1) it forces every hexagram to be a changing hexagram, and (2) it only ever allows exactly one line to be changing.

Eight coins, one marked, are tossed at once. They are picked up in order and placed onto a Bagua diagram; the marked coin rests on the lower trigram. The eight process is repeated for the upper trigram. After a third toss, the first six coins are placed on the hexagram to mark a moving line. This has the deficiency or allowing at most one moving line, whereas all six lines could be moving in traditional methods.

Any dice with an even number of faces can also be used in the same fashion as the coin tosses, with even die rolls for heads and odd for tails. An eight-sided die (d8) can be used to simulate the chances of a line being an old moving line equivalent to the yarrow-stalk method. For example, because the chances of any yin line or any yang line are equal in the yarrow-stalk method, there is a one-in-eight chance of getting any basic trigram, the same chance held under the ba qian method, so the ba qian method can be used to determine the basic hexagram. The d8 can then be used by rolling it once for each line to determine moving lines. A result of 1 on a yin line, or 3 or less on a yang line, will make that line a moving line, preserving the yarrow-stalk method's outcomes.

Another dice method that produces the 1:7:3:5 ratio of the yarrow-stalk method is to add 1d4 + 1d8. All odd results are considered yin, with the result of 11 denoting an old yin. Any even results would be considered yang, with both 4 and 10 treated as old yang.

Two dice methods that not only produce the yarrow-stalk probabilities but maintain the traditional even-odd associations of yin and yang are the 3d4 and 2d8 methods. In the 3d4 method, one rolls three four-sided dice and adds their outcomes, treating all odd totals as yang and all even totals as yin, with totals of 4, 7, and 12 indicating a moving line. The 2d8 method works analogously for two eight-sided dice, but here, any total over 10 (with the exception of 12) is considered moving.

There is a tradition of Taoist thought which explores numerology, esoteric cosmology, astrology and feng shui in connection with the I Ching.

The Han period (206 BCE-220 CE)... saw the combination and correlation of the I Ching, particularly in its structural aspects of line, trigrams, and hexagrams, with the yin-yang and wu hsing (Five Element) theories of the cosmologists, with numerical patterns and speculations, with military theory, and, rather more nebulously, with the interests of the fang-shih or "Masters of Techniques," who ranged over many areas, from practical medicine, through alchemy and astrology, to the occult and beyond.

-  Hacker, Moore and Patsco, "The I Ching in Time and Space", I Ching: an annotated bibliography, p. xiii

The eleventh-century Neo-Confucian philosopher Shao Yung contributed advanced methods of divination including the Plum Blossom Yi Numerology, a horary astrology that takes into account the number of calligraphic brush strokes of one's query.[citation needed ] Following the associations Carl Jung drew between astrology and I Ching with the introduction of his theory of synchronicity, the authors of modern Yi studies are much informed by the astrological paradigm. Chu and Sherrill provide five astrological systems in An Anthology of I Ching and in The Astrology of I Ching develop a form of symbolic astrology that uses the eight trigrams in connection with the time of one's birth to generate an oracle from which further hexagrams and a daily line judgement are derived. Another modern development incorporates the planetary positions of one's natal horoscope against the backdrop of Shao Yung's circular Fu Xi arrangement and the Western zodiac to provide multiple hexagrams corresponding to each of the planets.

This method goes back to Jing Fang (78-37 BC). While a hexagram is derived with one of the common methods like coin or yarrow stalks, here the divination is not interpreted on the basis of the classic I Ching text. Instead, this system connects each of the six hexagram lines to one of the Twelve Earthly Branches, and then the picture can be analyzed with the use of 5 Elements ( Wu Xing).

By bringing in the Chinese calendar, this method not only tries to determine what will happen, but also when it will happen. As such, Wen Wang Gua makes a bridge between I Ching and the Four Pillars of Destiny.

The preceding ("concrete"/physical) methods can be simulated in ("abstract"/conceptual) software. This has the theoretical advantage of improving randomness aspects of consulting the I Ching ("not-doing" in the personal sense, enhancing the "universal" principle). For all methods, one must pre-focus/prepare the mind.

Here is a typical example for the "modified three-coin" method:

With a modified three-coin method as default, this may avoid the Sung dynasty issue, i.e., when you have an easily available and simple method, you use it-but with a wrong probability! (Also, the first number starts from the bottom like a hexagram.)

A JavaScript version of the Yarrow Stalk method, which generates slightly different probabilities, is available in open source form at GitHub.

Probability analysis of I Ching divination

Most analyses of the probabilities of either the coin method or yarrow-stalk method agree on the probabilities for each method. The coin method varies significantly from the yarrow-stalk method, in that the former gives the same probability to both of the moving lines and to both of the static lines, which is not the case in the yarrow-stalk method.

However, the calculation of the frequencies for the yarrow-stalk method-generally believed to be the same as those described in this article in the simplified method using sixteen objects-contains a further error, in the opinion of Andrew Kennedy, which is that of including the selection of zero as a quantity for either hand. The yarrow-stalk procedure expressly requires that the four numbers be produced without using zero; Kennedy shows that by not allowing the user to select zero for either hand, or a single stalk for the right hand (this stalk is moved to the left hand before counting by fours, and so also leaves a zero in the right hand), the hexagram frequencies change significantly for a daily user of the oracle. Kennedy has modified the simplified method of using sixteen coloured objects described in this article as follows:

take 38 objects, of which

8 are of one colour = moving yang

2 are of a different colour = moving yin

11 are of a different colour = static yang

17 are of a different colour = static yin

This arrangement produces Kennedy's calculated frequencies within 0.1%.

In Profiler Season 1, Episode 3: "Holy Alliance" (1996), a serial killer uses I Ching, and the hexagram determines what and how someone is chosen and killed.

In the Mad Men season 6 episode, "Crash", Frank Gleason's flower child daughter, Wendy, uses the three-coin method to tell fortunes at the offices of the newly merged firm.

In The Man In the High Castle by Philip K. Dick, several characters consult the I Ching at various points and consider the answers given. Dick apparently used the I Ching while writing his novel, to help him decide on the direction of the plot.
In the TV adaptation of the novel, the I Ching is habitually used by character Nabosuke Tagomi, who later teaches this to Juliana Crain and Trudy Walker.

In the song "God", John Lennon states that he "doesn't believe in I Ching", among many other religious and cultural phenomena that he claims to not believe in or follow.

The song "Walking On The Chinese Wall" by Philip Bailey references the I Ching and the coin method.

In Philip Pullman's The Amber Spyglass, Mary Malone uses the I Ching as a way to communicate with Dust.

In episode 700 of the Dark Shadows original TV series, Barnabas Collins and Professor Elliott Stokes discover a set of I Ching wands in a drawer in an abandoned section of the Collinwood mansion in 1969. Barnabas casts himself into a trance using the wands, allowing his astral body to travel back to the year 1897.

In the video game Cyberpunk 2077, players can undertake a mission to collect several self-driving cars driven by artificial intelligence. If the player chooses to grant the cars independence, they will receive messages from one vehicle stating that it has discovered the meaning of life through the 61st hexagram.

The song "Chapter 24" by Pink Floyd takes its lyrics from the commentary on the 24th hexagram.

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I Ching divination is a form of cleromancy applied to the . The text of the I Ching consists of sixty-four hexagrams: six-line figures of (broken) or (solid) lines, and commentaries on them. There are two main methods of building up the lines of the hexagram, using either 50 yarrow stalks or three coins.