The significance of Giay cake in Vietnamese Tet.
Banh Giay or Banh Day (Giay cake or Day cake), alongside banh Chung (Chung cake), holds a significant place as one of the essential traditional dishes during the Vietnamese Tet holiday. In this article, let’s explore banh giay and how to make this type of cake.
According to official documents in Vietnam, “banh Giay” is the correct spelling. However, some Vietnamese people often write this type of cake as “banh Day”.
In Vietnamese folklore, Giay cake, with its round shape, is seen as a representation of the sky. This cake, white in color and fitting neatly in the palm of one’s hand, features a curved top that resembles the sky. In ancient Vietnamese culture, the sky was thought to be the dwelling place of divine beings. Therefore, Giay cake is often employed in rituals to honor the sky and to seek favorable weather for a prosperous and abundant year.
The legend recounts that Chung cake and Giay cake have their roots in the time of the Sixth Hung King. It is said that after successfully defeating the An invaders, during the first days of the new year, the King aimed to pass the throne to one of his princes.
To determine the successor, the King gathered his sons and declared that the one who presented a delicious dish with significance to their ancestors would inherit the throne. The princes eagerly sought various rare and precious ingredients to offer their father. Among them, only Prince Lang Lieu, the eighteenth prince, kind and dutiful but without a mother for a long time, was uncertain about his choice.
One night, Lang Lieu dreamt of a deity guiding him: ‘Nothing in the world is as precious as rice grains, the sustenance of human life. Mold rice into round and square shapes, symbolizing Earth and Heaven. Wrap them with leaves and place the filling inside to symbolize the grace of childbirth from parents.’ When Lang Lieu presented the dish to the King, he was delighted to discover the tasty and meaningful Chung cake and Giay cake. Consequently, the King passed the throne to Lang Liêu. The origin of Chung cake and Giay cake can be traced back to this legend.
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