Buying salt at the beginning of the year and buying lime at the end of the year is one of the traditional traditions in our folklore. But why is that?
The custom of buying salt at the beginning of the year and buying lime at the end of the year has been continued and inherited for many years in our folk with the purpose of wishing for good luck and prosperity to come to the family. But why is that, where does it come from?
Why is there this idiom?
a. At the end of the year buy lime
In the past, lime played an important role in every Vietnamese family, it was used to whiten the house after a long windy year, it was also used to eat with betel nut or spread evenly in the four corners of the house. to ward off bad luck and bad luck.
Illustrated photo. Source: Baodautu.
In addition, the ancient Vietnamese were also very interested, paying attention to the use of words, they believed that white lime could symbolize the impossibility and coldness in relationships (like the sentence: Silver is like lime). ).
So when the old year ends, buy lime to prepare to redecorate the house, use it every day, then at the beginning of the next year, this will be avoided, which means the concept of avoiding treachery in the whole year.
b. At the beginning of the year, buy salt
On the contrary, buying salt at the beginning of the year is equally important in the life of the ancients. According to the previous concept, salt symbolizes salty, passionate, warm feelings in family and loved ones.
At the beginning of the year, buying salt is also an act to pray for the whole year family peace, harmony, passionate love between grandparents, parents and children or between brothers and sisters.
Not stopping at that meaning, salt is also considered as something that can bring good luck to people, remove bad luck and uncleanness of the old year, banish bad things. Therefore, buying salt at the beginning of the year is also for a full, lucky new year, not affected by the bad luck of the old year.
Illustration.
That’s why in the past, salt sellers always filled the bowls of salt with tops, not just brushing them with the mouth of the bowl in the hope that love could be as full.
In addition, the white color of salt also symbolizes purity and innocence. As can be seen, it is just a small spice, not heavy economically, but has great cultural significance.
c. Other layers of meaning
In fact, most of the proverbs and proverbs of the ancients have many layers of meaning, the more we learn, the more profound we see.
In the context of the sentence “Buy salt at the beginning of the year, buy lime at the end of the year”, the ancients also implicitly sent another layer of meaning, a reminder to their descendants, at the beginning of the year should live frugally and thriftily, then at the end of the year can building a house (buying lime often symbolizes building or repairing a house).
So to this day, buying salt at the beginning of the year to get good luck is still kept and valued. Even on New Year’s Eve, there are many street vendors or small shops selling small bags of salt to earn some spring luck.