The five-fruit tray is a tray of five different types of fruit, each representing a wish of the homeowner, through its name and color. Therefore, if you want to have a year that matches your wishes, you also need to understand the meaning of each type of fruit.
The word “five” in the five-fruit tray also represents the Vietnamese people’s wish to achieve the five blessings: happiness, nobility, longevity, health, and peace. However, depending on each region with its own climate, products, and beliefs, people choose different types of fruit to display on the five-fruit tray.
Bananas symbolize children and grandchildren gathering together, being warm, receiving luck, protecting and sheltering. Buddha's hand symbolizes the Buddha's hand protecting the whole family. Grapefruit brings wishes for peace and prosperity. Pears or cantaloupes mean wishing for success and advancement. Oranges and tangerines also imply praying for success. Pears have a sweet taste, implying that everything will go smoothly. Pomegranate has many seeds, so it symbolizes many children and grandchildren. Peaches mean promoting. Apples are associated with the wish for wealth and prosperity. Dragon fruit is associated with the image of dragons and clouds gathering, representing prosperity and wealth. Watermelon has a plump, cool shape, promising sweetness and luck. Chicken eggs (Le ki ma fruit) are a gift from heaven. Figs are associated with the symbol of abundance, health and money. Papaya means prosperity and abundance. Mangoes (pronounced like "spend") mean wishing for no shortage of spending.
Northern fruit tray
Northerners display the five-fruit tray according to the Five Elements theory in Eastern culture - meaning that all things are in harmony with heaven and earth. Therefore, the five-fruit tray must also be coordinated with 5 colors: Metal is white, Wood is green, Water is black, Fire is red, Earth is yellow. The arrangement and color of each type of fruit are interspersed to be beautiful and in accordance with Tet feng shui. Although there is no need to be too much or too little, everyone prepares enough offerings, all kinds of fruits, and the fruits must follow the meaning to display. The five-fruit tray in the North usually has 5 types: Banana, grapefruit, peach, persimmon, tangerine.
Central region fruit tray
The Central region is located in an area of barren land, harsh climate, and little fruit, so people here are not too concerned with formality. The five-fruit tray on Tet holiday is mainly to offer whatever is available, sincerely to pay respect to ancestors. Therefore, the five-fruit tray of each family is different, any fruit is fine, as long as it is fresh and delicious. Common fruits are: dragon fruit, banana, watermelon, custard apple, pineapple, fig, orange, tangerine...
Southern fruit tray
Southern people display the five-fruit tray with the wish “Pray for enough to spend” wishing for a new year of fullness and prosperity, corresponding to 5 types of fruit: custard apple, fig, coconut, papaya, mango. In addition, there is also pineapple with the wish for a house full of children and a pair of green-skinned, red-fleshed watermelons to pray for luck. The five-fruit tray of Southern people clearly shows simplicity, rusticity and humor. Each person has a different life and wishes, knowing what is “enough”, but everyone just needs enough.
