What Vietnamese Tết pole is raised to ward off evil spirits?

The Vietnamese Tết pole raised to ward off evil spirits is called cây nêu.

Cây nêu is traditionally a tall bamboo New Year tree or pole erected during Tết Nguyên Đán, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year. It marks the household’s festive space and is believed to help keep unwanted spirits away during the holiday period. The pole’s upper section may be decorated with charms, paper objects, ornaments, or other locally meaningful items.

The custom has regional and historical variations. In one traditional Vietnamese observance, the pole was raised around the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month, when the household deities were believed to travel to heaven. Other communities, including some Tày and Nùng groups in northern Vietnam, have different timing and ceremonies.

Cây nêu is not simply any bamboo plant: cây tre means bamboo, while cây đào and cây mai refer to flowering plants associated with Tết decorations. The pole is specifically a ritual New Year structure, often made from bamboo and standing several metres high. It is traditionally taken down after the holiday, commonly on the seventh day of the first lunar month.