Taking no chances, exam hopefuls crowd temples and sticky rice shops

Published: 05/07/2009 05:00

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Vietnam’s young people study hard for the university entrance exams, but they also trust to luck. They follow strict abstention regime which they believe can help them pass the exams.

The student touches the head of the ’great-grandfather turtle’

On July 3, the eve of the first day of university entrance exams, Hanoi’s ancient Van Mieu (‘Temple of Literature’) was swarming with thousands of students and their relatives. All had come to burn incense and pray for success in the exams.

The luckiest people that day were not the test-takers, but those women who were selling incense and votive papers in front of the complex that is considered the first university in Vietnam. A bundle of incense was selling for 5000 dong, five times the ordinary price. However, the students and their relatives did not regret 5000 dong. They would rather spend the money than chance not passing the exam.

A lot of students tried to rub off some luck from the heads of turtles who bear stone steles inscribed with the names and birthplaces of 1306 men who were awarded doctorates at the Quoc Tu Giam (‘Imperial Academy’) centuries ago, even though such touching has been prohibited by the Heritage Management Board.

Examinees and their relatives also went to Thap But (Pen Tower) and Ngoc Son Temple by Hoan Kiem Lake in central Hanoi to pray for luck in the exam. A student who was praying at Ngoc Son Temple said that she has just left the Temple of Literature, where she was lucky enough to touch the head of one ‘great-grandfather turtle’.

However, not all students were lucky enough to enter Temple of Literature before the exam day. Nguyen Duc Canh, an elderly man from Vinh Phuc province, related on July 4 that he has just dropped off his son at the exam room and then gone to the Temple of Literature to touch the head of a turtle on his son’s behalf.

“My son and I reached the temple too late yesterday because of the traffic jam, and we could not get in. My son tossed and turned in bed all the last night because he had not been able to touch the head of the turtle. I promised I would do it for him this morning,” Canh said.

As soon as she had finished the mathematics exam in the morning of July 4, Bui Thi Ha from Nam Dinh hurried to go to the Temple of Literature. Ha, an Education University hopeful, said that because she had not been able touch the head of a turtle the day before, she was not really lucky with mathematics exam.

Ha said she and her mother spent 100,000 dong to purchase offerings. “We do not care about money,” her mother added. We need to show sincerity, so that our wishes can become true.”

Lucky Diets

A lot of students followed very strict cooking regimes on exam days. They avoided eggs, peanuts, bananas and black peas – all deemed to be unlucky. Meanwhile, they gobbled down red beans and sticky rice with green beans. The Vietnamese people consider black a token of bad luck, while red always brings good luck.

Nguyen Van Hai, from Ha Nam province is taking entrance exams for the Hanoi University of Technology. He said that he has abstained from eggs and peanuts for many days. “I like eggs,” said Ha, “but I dare not eat any, because their round shape looks like a zero mark.”

‘Sticky rice’ shops have popped up like mushrooms during the exam days to serve the examinees test-takers who wanted good luck

The owner of one such shop said her xoi dau do, a dish of sticky rice with red beans, was selling very well. “It is not a delicious meal at all, I think, but students still scramble for it because they hope they will have good luck with it,” she said.

Hoai, a student from Hai Phong City, said that she invited friends from the same lodging to eat che, Vietnam’s so-called ‘sweet soup,’ with red beans to have good luck. The student also said that she had to follow her mother’s instructions in exam days. “Yesterday, I didn’t finish the math exam. My mother guessed that I must have met a woman when I left my rooming house.” (Vietnamese people think that they will have good luck only the first person they encounter is a man). Hoai’s mother told her daughter to be sure to take her first step with left leg when she left her lodging the next day for the chemistry exam.

“I’m not really superstitious, but I feel more secure if I follow my mother’s instructions,” she said.

VietNamNet/TP, DT

Provide by Vietnam Travel

Taking no chances, exam hopefuls crowd temples and sticky rice shops - Education - News |  vietnam travel company

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