Cold Food Festival and the Chinese custom of eating cold food
In Chinese, “han” means cold, “chao” means to eat. Therefore, the Cold Food Festival is also known as the Cold Food Festival. This traditional custom originates from China and is associated with a thrilling story that has been passed down through many generations.
During the Spring and Autumn period (770 – 221 BC), King Tan Van Cong of Tan encountered chaos so he had to leave the country in exile, living here and there, sometimes in the state of Qi, sometimes in the state of So. Next to the king, there was always a sage named Gioi Tu Thoi, who assisted and helped the king with many strategies.
One day, on the way to escape, food was running out, Gioi Tu Thoi secretly cut a piece of his thigh meat and cooked it to offer to the king. After the king finished eating, he found out after asking and was extremely grateful for Gioi Tu Thoi’s loyalty.
Gioi Tu Thoi has been attached to and supported King Tan Van Cong for nineteen years. Together they went through many hardships, “taste honey and thorns”, shared hardships, and trained their talents and bravery.
In China, the Cold Food Festival is also known as the Cold Food Festival
After Tan Van Cong regained the throne and returned to become king of Jin, he gave generous rewards to those who helped him while in exile. However, the sad thing is that he forgot Gioi Tu Thoi – a person whose great contributions cannot be denied.
Even though he was forgotten by the king, Gioi Tu Thoi did not feel resentment or blame. He believed that assisting the king was a duty that did not require compensation or reward. This action shows complete loyalty, a noble quality worthy of respect. Because he did not receive recognition from the king, Gioi Tu Thoi decided to take his mother to hermitage at Dien Son mountain.
After realizing his mistake, Tan Van Cong extremely regretted. He sent people to find Gioi Tu Thoi to reward him. However, Gioi Tu Thoi was a person who did not care about fame and fortune. He was determined not to return to the court to receive the reward. Tan Van Cong was worried that Gioi Tu Thoi would help others, so he ordered the Dien Son forest to be burned in the hope of forcing Tu Thoi out.
But unexpectedly, Gioi Tu Thoi would rather die than submit. He and his old mother hugged each other and died in the sea of fire. The tragic death of Gioi Tu Thoi has become a symbol of the integrity of loyalty, bravery and noble qualities of a gentleman. His story has been passed down through many generations and is always mentioned as a lesson of loyalty and noble sacrifice for the king and country.
This is the Cold Food Festival to commemorate Gioi Tu Thoi’s loyalty and noble sacrifice.
Before Gioi Tu Thoi’s tragic death, Tan Van Cong felt extremely regretful. He built a temple to commemorate and acknowledge Gioi Tu Thoi’s contributions. Every year, on the 3rd day of the third lunar month, the day Gioi Tu Thoi and his mother sacrificed, the king banned the use of fire for cooking. Even making offerings must be prepared the day before. This is the Cold Food Festival to commemorate Gioi Tu Thoi’s loyalty and noble sacrifice.
The Cold Food Festival is not only celebrated in China but also spread to many other countries, including Vietnam. This custom demonstrates cultural interference and profound human values.