Mid-Autumn Festival in Vietnam: All About Tet Trung Thu 2024!

It is no surprise that lunar worship has been practiced worldwide for thousands of years. In Eastern countries like Vietnam, the Mid-Autumn Festival (or Moon Festival) has evolved from the concept of moon worship. This festival, known as Tet Trung Thu in Vietnamese, takes place annually on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar, falling in September or October. It is always celebrated during a full moon night, earning it the nickname of the Moon Festival or Harvest Moon Festival.

Read our article to learn more about the origin, significance, and celebration of one of Vietnam's largest festivals!

Written by Jade NGUYEN, (local expert) Updated on 11-09-2024

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1. What is the Date of the Moon Festival in 2024?

In 2024, the Moon Festival will take place on Tuesday, September 17th. For 2025, it will be on October 6th.

Generally, for an ideal trip to the Moon Festival, plan to visit one to three weeks before or one to two weeks after the date. This is the best time to immerse yourself in the magical atmosphere where all shops, cafes, and shopping centers are beautifully decorated with the typical colors of red and yellow. Decorations are sold on the streets, and the ambiance is very lively.

2. The History of the Moon Festival in Vietnam

With a civilization largely based on rice farming for over 4,000 years, the Vietnamese hold various festivals following the lunar calendar to celebrate harvest prosperity. The largest Vietnamese festival, Tet or the Lunar New Year, was once celebrated at the beginning of a new rice season. It was a time when farmers planted rice and plowed fields to ensure sufficient harvests for autumn.

A good harvest allowed farmers to avoid food shortages and have a stable financial situation. To celebrate rice and its nourishing and commercial virtues, the Vietnamese created the Harvest Festival - Tet Trung Thu.

You might wonder, what is the connection between the autumn full moon and rice harvests? Unlike the sun, the moon changes its face throughout the month and can even change shape from day to day. The deeply religious Vietnamese believe that the moon symbolizes the unity of the Vietnamese people, united and supportive.

The bright full moon in mid-autumn, the most beautiful night of the year, has even more significance as it represents the concept of completeness. Thus, the Mid-Autumn Festival is a perfect occasion to gather family members and celebrate a good agricultural harvest.

>>> Read more: 7 Amazing Places to Catch Stunning Rice Fields in Vietnam!

The Legend of Cuội: A Tale for the Mid-Autumn Festival

Cuội, a woodcutter, discovered a magical tree that could bring the dead back to life. One day, he saw a mother tiger use its leaves to revive her cubs. Cuội took the tree home and saved many lives with its leaves.

Cuội’s fame grew, and he even revived a rich man’s daughter, marrying her. However, while Cuội was away, invaders killed his wife. His loyal dog offered its entrails to replace hers, and she lived, but became forgetful.

One evening, Cuội’s wife, not remembering his warning, used dirty water that had been used to wash feet to water the sacred tree. The ground shook, and the tree began to uproot. Cuội tried to save the tree, but it lifted him to the moon. Since then, Cuội has lived on the moon with his tree.

3. Tet Trung Thu, the Children’s Festival in Vietnam

Observing the Mid-Autumn Festival in other Asian countries, the traditions and rituals seem quite similar. However, notable differences exist in Vietnam as Tet Trung Thu is both a reunion event and a festival dedicated to children.

Indeed, this day can remind us of Children’s Day because kids receive lovely gifts or new clothes from their parents. In the evening, under a shining moon, children parade through the streets singing and carrying colorful lanterns of various sizes and shapes, such as star, butterfly, or fish-shaped lanterns. Some lanterns are red stars, the emblem of this festival, as the Vietnamese believe the star’s twinkling light symbolizes purity, like children’s innocence.

The traditional lion dance, or “múa lân,” is an unmissable performance during the Mid-Autumn festivities. Excitement peaks when the vibrant drumbeats echo through the streets. A lion then bursts forth, impressive and seemingly dancing with its giant head and sinuous body, carried by a team of acrobatic dancers. With its large mouth and mysterious bulging eyes, the lion can appear both amusing and frightening under the full moon’s white light.

>>> Read more: Vietnam in August

During this parade, a dancer wearing a round smiling mask representing “Ong Dia,” the Earth God, dances around the lion and approaches the crowd, making children laugh with his antics. For Vietnamese children, the spectacular Trung Thu nights are unforgettable. After this parade, children enjoy a sumptuous banquet prepared by their parents: sweet treats, Vietnamese fruits, and the famous moon cakes, the stars of the Mid-Autumn Festival!

>>> Explore: Vietnamese Desserts: 10 MUST-TRY Dishes!

4. The Moon Cake Festival

Moon cakes, known as “Banh Trung Thu” in Vietnamese, are directly associated with the Mid-Autumn Festival in Vietnam. Across the country, families celebrate Tet Trung Thu by placing a tray of five fruits and several moon cakes on the ancestral altar to express their gratitude.

The two most common moon cake recipes are Banh deo (soft and sticky cakes with a white glutinous rice crust) and Banh nuong (baked cakes with a golden crust). These cakes are beautifully decorated as they are molded into round or square shapes, with flower patterns, carp, or geometric shapes. The fillings of Banh Trung Thu - moon cakes vary, offering many sweet or savory notes.

The savory moon cake recipe is more complex than the sweet one, consisting of a dozen ingredients such as pork fat, sausages, jams, and various types of seeds and nuts. The sweet filling, on the other hand, is made from a single ingredient: mung bean paste or lotus seed paste. The moon cake is usually cut into small pieces and shared among family members. This sweet cake is traditionally accompanied by a hot cup of green tea.

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During the Mid-Autumn Festival in Vietnam, moon cakes are generally given as gifts to family and friends. However, the Vietnamese also exchange moon cakes between clients and colleagues to demonstrate loyalty, sincerity, and commitment.

5. Where to Visit in Vietnam During Tet Trung Thu?

Note that the Mid-Autumn Festival is celebrated throughout the country, so no matter where you go, you will find festive activities and beautiful decorations. Here are some of the best suggestions for you.

• Hoi An Ancient Town

Hoi An is already nicknamed the city of lanterns. It is the most beautiful old town in Vietnam, with thousands of lanterns illuminating all the alleys of the old town. Imagine the Mid-Autumn festivities, everything is even more dazzling, multiplied by two!

Each year, during the Mid-Autumn period, the streetlights of Hoi An’s historic city gradually turn off, allowing residents to hang lanterns in front of their houses. The colorful city is then lit up by thousands of lanterns and floating paper lamps... like a dream!

This spectacle becomes even more magical during your stroll through the streets along the Thu Bon River. On the main day of the festival, people release floating lanterns, illuminating the entire river. Also, discover the craftsmanship of Vietnamese lantern-making and its secrets during your visit to Hoi An.

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• Hanoi Old Quarters

As the millennial capital of Vietnam, Hanoi is a must-visit destination to discover the local culture and traditions of the Mid-Autumn Festival in Vietnam.

During this period, you can experience the joyful ambiance of this festival in the old quarters, particularly on Hang Ma Street. This bustling street, renowned for selling all kinds of traditional decorations, lights up with numerous lanterns in various shapes.

• China Town (Cho Lon) - Ho Chi Minh City

Like Hang Ma Street in Hanoi, Luong Nhu Hoc and Hai Thuong Lang Ong streets in the Chinatown of Ho Chi Minh City are among the most bustling areas during the Trung Thu Festival.

These streets host hundreds of stalls selling all sorts of decorations for the festival, creating a very lively and colorful atmosphere.

With streets adorned with colorful lanterns, the vibrant lion dances are also an interesting aspect of the festival.

>>> For more visit ideas in Ho Chi Minh City, please read: Explore Top 10 Ho Chi Minh City's Museums & Historical Sites

• The Northern Mountainous Regions

September offers an extraordinary spectacle for the landscapes of Northern Vietnam. During this month, the Moon Festival and the harvest season coincide, offering a unique and authentic experience. You can admire the terraced rice fields, dressed in their finest golden colors, and savor the intoxicating scent of ripe rice.

Observe Vietnamese peasants at work, passionately harvesting the fruits of their labor. The atmosphere is vibrant and lively, offering total immersion in Vietnamese culture. Combining the Moon Festival and the harvest season will make for an unforgettable journey!

>>> Explore the beauty of North Vietnam with us: Best Time to Visit North Vietnam in 2024

6. Mid-Autumn Festival in Vietnam 100 Years Ago

The color photographs of Mid-Autumn toys on Hang Gai Street, Hanoi in 1915, captured by photographer Léon Busy, open a gateway to the past. These are among the first color photos with high accuracy, showcasing skilled use of angles, character positioning, and lighting.

The Mid-Autumn toys, entirely handmade by Vietnamese ancestors, were intricate and aesthetically pleasing.
Besides the series on Mid-Autumn toys, Léon Busy also captured scenes of Hang Chen, Hang Thiec, Long Bien Bridge, Tran Vu Pagoda gate, the Temple of Literature, and Ngoc Son Temple in 1915. These are among the earliest color photos of Hanoi using autochrome technology. 

Today, 1,382 color photos of Vietnam and some early 20th-century film footage are preserved at the Albert Kahn Museum in France.
Albert Kahn, a French banker passionate about color photography for its vivid representation of life, funded equipment and hired photographers to capture color images from around the world. Léon Busy was sent by the Albert Kahn Museum to Vietnam to document daily life in Northern Vietnam from 1914 to 1917, giving us the chance to see ancient Vietnam.

Closing Remarks

For unique experiences rich in Asian culture, visit Vietnam during this period to see children carrying lanterns, taste delicious moon cakes, and buy lanterns or beautiful traditional decorations. The festive atmosphere will not disappoint you, especially for children.

If you want to introduce this famous festival to your children, check out our best family trips for ideas, and feel free to contact us if you have any questions!

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