The Tet Trung Thu At Home - Mid-Autumn Festival

On the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, we celebrate Tết Trung Thu, a major cultural event for many countries in Asia, including Vietnam. Dear to our hearts, we invite you to gaze at the moon for a moment and appreciate a tradition that has been carried on for three millennia.

Tết Trung Thu in Vietnamese customs and traditions

Located exactly at the midpoint of the three autumn months (the 7th, 8th, and 9th months of the lunar calendar), the Mid-Autumn Festival marks the harvest season. Originally, Tết Trung Thu was an agricultural celebration. After months of hard labor in the fields, mothers and fathers would return to the family home to reunite with their children around a festive meal: prayers to ancestors, offerings, mooncakes... An evening of rituals where farmers would predict the success or failure of the harvest based on the colors of the full moon.

The family unit, symbolized by the round shape of the moon, is at the heart of this tradition today. Over time, it has become a celebration for children. As Tết Trung Thu approaches, the streets of our cities transform. Bakers and artisans making traditional mooncake molds, toy vendors, and vegetable sellers fill the sidewalks, much to the delight of both young and old. The key is to share moments with family.

In the evening, children dressed in traditional costumes parade around the "mam co trung thu," the table of offerings where the parents are also gathered. Outside, the streets light up with processions of star-shaped lanterns. Drums beat to the rhythm of dragon, lion, and unicorn dances, bringing good fortune. Joy fills every corner of the street — Vietnam is a celebration!

Source : moments shared by our teams - making toys with family, 01/10/20

Traditional Toys

Whether bought or handmade, traditional toys continue to delight children and allow parents to pass down ancestral values to their offspring. Drums set the rhythm for legends and also evoke memories of Vietnamese troops going to the front. Star lanterns light the children's path to the future. Carp-shaped lanterns ward off the spirit of the carp, which in the past caused fatalities during the festivities. The doctor and the two figures playing with a stick bring children success in their studies and a bright future.

Source : moments shared by our teams - Pha co, 01/10/20

« Pha co », time to enjoy the treats

Tea, seasonal fruits, and mooncakes Bánh Deo on the left and Bánh Nướng on the right. These sweet treats are wrapped in a flaky pastry with lunar legends or auspicious Chinese characters inscribed on them. The filling is made of a dense mixture (lotus, beans, or almonds), with a whole egg yolk placed at the center, symbolizing the full moon. Very difficult to make for those who are not experts!

Imbued with legends, this festival is magical whether experienced on the terrace of an apartment, in the bustling streets of the big cities, or in the courtyards of countryside homes. It turns our gaze to the past, teaches us the simple pleasures, and brings us a happy future. If you are with us next year, we will take the time to contemplate the moon for much more than just a moment.

If you have any questions or would like us to organize your trip, please contact Vietnam Insolite !