Popular fruits on the tray
Usually, the five-fruit tray has 5 types of fruits with 5 different colors, representing heaven and earth according to the 5 natural elements - metal (white), wood (blue), water (black), fire (red), earth (yellow). Besides, they symbolize the wishes of the homeowner for a prosperous and perfect life with luck, riches and luxury, longevity, health and peace.
The tray in Northern families often presents 5 different colors.
From the North to the South, there are a lot of different kinds of fruits used on the five-fruit tray, with the symbol of the wishes of the family, bringing common colors such as green (peace), red and orange (luck), and yellow (prosperity).
Traditional fruits include banana which symbolizes family gathering, finger citrons which symbolize Buddha's hands protecting the whole family, grapefruit which symbolizes peace and prosperity, red dragon fruit which symbolizes fortune, and yellow papaya which symbolizes prosperity.
Green is main color in the five-fruit tray in southern families.
In each region, people choose different types of fruits and different arrangement of the fruits based on its climate, specialities and each locality’s perception.
A five-fruit tray in central region
Pears, bananas, coconuts, apples, papayas, oranges and mangos are often used for five-fruit tray in northern region’s families; while southern families often choose soursop, figs, coconuts, papayas and mangos; and the five-fruit trays in central families are often the intersection of the north and the south.
As a nice offering of the Vietnamese people to their ancestors, the five-fruit tray displays a life-long tradition in the country./.