The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as Tết Trung Thu, is a beloved tradition in Vietnam. Celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, it’s a time when families come together to honor the harvest and the full moon. Children eagerly look forward to this festival, as it involves fun activities like parades with colorful lanterns, lion dances, and enjoying delicious mooncakes. It’s a special occasion that highlights the importance of family, gratitude, and cultural heritage in Vietnamese society.
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Mid-Autumn Festival Legend – How the Vietnamese celebrate it
On the 15th day of the eighth Lunar month, under the radiant full moon, Vietnam is adorned with carp-shaped red lanterns, resounding with lively celebrations, and filled with the fragrant essence of traditional mooncakes. At this time, people flood the streets in anticipation of the arrival of Tet Trung Thu (Mid-Autumn Festival) to the city.
Mid-Autumn Festival is more like Children’s Day in that it brings them so much happiness.
What is the Mid Autumn Festival in Vietnam?
Similar to many other Asian countries, the Mid-Autumn Festival in Vietnam is a traditional celebration of the year’s largest full moon according to the Lunar Calendar (Moon Calendar). Legend traces this festival’s origins to the ancient Rice Civilization in the Red River Delta. Across centuries, the festival has gained prominence and endured.
When is the Mid Autumn Festival held in Vietnam?
People celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month. It align with mid-September to early October in the Western Calendar. The festival coincides with a full moon, signifying its name. Moreover, it signifies the conclusion of the summer harvest and holds recognition as a harvest festival in East Asia.
On this special day, the entire family gathers to prepare a variety of treats, fruits, and lanterns. As well as to don a variety of humorous masks.
What is the Mid Autumn Festival’s meaning in Vietnam?
Mid-Autumn Festival serves an essential function in the spiritual lives of Vietnamese people. This festival not only upholds a cherished generational tradition but also reinforces family bonds through the following means:
Special gift for children:
While the Mid-Autumn Festival honors various essential concepts, it especially highlights children in Vietnam. Named the Children’s Festival, it originates from a prominent lunar occasion, emphasizing children’s commemoration as a cherished gift. Parents commemorate it after the summer harvest because they were unable to properly care for their children during harvesting. After completing the primary task, they intend to make amends by planning a special date as a meaningful gift for the children. Coincidentally, the largest full moon of the year occurs in the midst of the eighth month of the Lunar Calendar. Consequently, they took advantage of this date to bring pleasure to the children by purchasing lanterns and colorful masks, hosting a traditional feast, and allowing their children to enjoy the lantern procession under the bright Full Moon. Thus, every Vietnamese child anticipates this festivity whenever the eighth lunar month arrives.
Hanoi
Be sure to visit Hàng M and Lng Văn Can if you’re in Hanoi before the Mid-Autumn Festival. Assorted lanterns and trinkets will adorn these roadways. Before the major night, you should also visit 87 M May in Hanoi, where you can observe local artisans producing festival crafts. Children’s musical performances take place on Mid-Autumn eve at the Youth Theatre on Ngô Thị Nhậm Street and the Children’s Palace on Lê Thái Tổ Street.
Hội An
Hoi An is celebrated for its year-round full moon festivities. For the Mid-Autumn Festival, this riverside community amps up the festivities. Locals and visitors pour on foot into the Ancient Town. Dancers and drumming groups fill the sidewalks, showcasing their performances in front of pagodas and businesses. On the banks of the Thu Bn River, there is music and various celebrations, and in the countryside, every house has an altar in front.
Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City’s Ch Ln neighborhood hosts thrilling Mid-Autumn celebrations. Visit Lng Nh Hc Street, famed for its profusion of lanterns, masks, and lion heads. This is the ideal location to purchase a lion head memento. Since fifty years ago, the shop at 109 Triu Quang Phc Street has sold lion masks to the city’s finest performers.
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Conclusion
The Mid-Autumn Festival in Vietnam is a special time for families and communities to come together and celebrate with joy and tradition. Children enjoy the excitement of lantern parades and delicious mooncakes, while adults remember the importance of family and giving thanks. The festival’s customs, from dragon dances to storytelling, bring everyone closer and create lasting memories. Overall, the Mid-Autumn Festival is a wonderful reminder of the rich cultural heritage and the values of unity and happiness in Vietnamese society.
