Concerns of PROVIDENT PEOPLE – CONCERN for DEBT PAYMENT
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HUNG NGUYEN MANH 1
When studying the techniques of the Vietnamese people in traditional trades and occupations, HENRI OGER paid special attention to gestures and movements in different positions such as standing, walking, lying and sitting… as is seen in the sketch on a “squatter” (Fig 1).
If such a sitting posture is seen in the days closely prior to the Lunar New Year Festival the viewers could not but sadly think of the misery of one who faces with piling debts without any solution in sight. How could you not feel unsympathetic toward poor and miserable fellows who are always haunted by a scene of “Shouting like dunning on Tết”.
According to the Vietnamese custom then during the year-end days all debts and accounts should be settled so that one could calmy enjoy the Tết holidays. For their part, debtors had to settle payments to their creditors before the new year arrived2, otherwise the latter would dun in the first days of the new year, a thing considered to be “giông” (a new-year sign of bad luck and a taboo for all people). It was a common saying that “If you come across a woman while going out of the house on the first day of the new year you would be “giông” all year round”.
But people had to resort to reckless moves when they were confronted with no-way-out circumstances. Some debtors unable to pay their debts on the last days of the year had to take flight and just came back to their house only on New Year’s Eve. In the morning of the first day of the new year, if the creditor called at their houses to dun they were obliged to confess their bad faith; or being kept at bay, they would slash at the creditor and blame him for not sparing new-year taboos for them.
Perhaps Henri Oger did not see such a type of obstinate people but he witnessed judicious debtors who went to ask for a postponement of debt payment with a hired woman carrying a tray with a pig head on it. The debtor himself looked somewhat imposing as he was strolling with a bamboo-framed paper fan on his hand while the creditor stood at the gate of her brick house, looking out at him. If viewing carefully, we can see that the gate was decorated with an inscription in Chinese characters “Wealthy and Esteemed”.
A Vietnamese saying goes as follows: “Intelligence is demonstrated at the court The year end days reveal if you are rich or poor.”
Nguyễn Công Trứ himself – when experiencing difficult times on his way to achieve success – had been deep in debt:
In the evening of the 30th day of the 12th lunar month, when urged from all directions to reimburse one’s debts, one bends one’s leg and kicks out Poorness.
In the morning of the first day (of the new lunar year), one is in one’s cups, and, proffering one’s hands, one carries Wealth into one’s house”.
NOTE:
1 Associate Professor HUNG NGUYEN MANH, Doctor of Phylosophy in History.
2 According to ALEXANDRE DE RHODES – Relazion del Tunchino – Roma, 1650, pp. 108-109.
BAN TU THU
01 /2020
NOTE:
◊ Source: Vietnamese Lunar New Year – Major Festival – Asso. Prof. HUNG NGUYEN MANH, Doctor of Phylosophy in History.
◊ Bold text and sepia images has been set by Ban Tu Thu – thanhdiavietnamhoc.com
SEE ALSO:
◊ From Sketches in early 20th century to traditional rituals and festival.
◊ Signification of the term “Tết”
◊ Lunar New Year Festival
◊ Concerns of PROVIDENT PEOPLE – Concerns for KITCHEN and CAKES
◊ Concerns of PROVIDENT PEOPLE – Concerns for MARKETING – Section 1
◊ Concerns of PROVIDENT PEOPLE – Concerns for MARKETING – Section 2
◊ Vietnam Lunar New Year – vi-VersiGoo
◊ etc.