The traditional Wind-Avoiding Ritual (Lễ kiêng gió) of the Red Dao people takes place on the 20th day of the first lunar month. On this day, villagers stay indoors and refrain from working or engaging in production activities. They believe that “whatever task is done, the Wind God will blow it away, leaving no result.” Let’s join Original Sa Pa to learn more about this unique cultural tradition.

“Bánh Chít” – A Special Chung Cake of the Red Dao

The day before the ritual, the Red Dao people go to the mountains to collect chít leaves used for making bánh chưng (traditional sticky rice cakes). They believe these leaves can shield them from the wind and bring good luck. However, chít leaves are rare and only grow in certain favorable climates.

To make perfect cakes, the Red Dao prepare various ingredients: chít leaves, dried cardamom, pork, glutinous rice, a bit of salt, and straw ash used to dye the rice black. According to their belief, white-colored cakes symbolize misfortune, so they always dye the rice.

The process is meticulous: dried cardamom is roasted over hot charcoal, then pounded into a fine powder. Sticky rice is carefully washed many times. Pork is cut into long strips. The ash is mixed with the rice to give it a black color. The cakes are wrapped in chít leaves in the shape of a buffalo horn, with layers of rice, pork, cardamom, and salt.

On the afternoon of the 19th lunar day, families gather to wrap and cook the cakes. The very last cake wrapped is never eaten by children, as people believe that eating it will cause them to always fall behind in life. That cake is marked with a string, and after being cooked, it is hung at the main entrance of the house. The remaining cakes are kept in the food cabinet or given to relatives and friends.

In the evening, leftover chít leaves are used in a ritual to “block the wind.” People place three chít leaves in the middle of alleyways, with a stone on top to hold them down. This act symbolizes creating barriers against the wind.

The 20th Day of the First Lunar Month

On the morning of the ritual, families wake up early to visit their relatives. If a couple lives with the wife’s family, they will go to the husband’s family for the Wind-Avoiding Ritual meal.

Each household prepares a tray of traditional dishes, including pork, chicken, vegetable soup, bánh chưng, and rice wine to welcome guests. Everyone gathers around the table, sharing drinks and telling stories they have seen or heard.

During the day, women bring out their embroidery work. Many are busy all year and can only finish one set of clothing annually. Festivals such as the Wind-Avoiding Day are the perfect time to complete unfinished garments.

The Red Dao’s costumes in Sa Pa are decorated with yellow and white thread, embroidered with meticulous skill. Under the lamplight, women sit together, sewing while joyfully chatting and laughing.

Meanwhile, the men gather in the upper house to study Chinese characters. Ancient books, hundreds of years old, are passed down from generation to generation. They sit together, reading aloud, and then practice writing with brush pens to keep their knowledge alive.