As we all know, the Vietnamese Moon Festival (Tết Trung Thu) was just last month. The 11th graders performed for us to celebrate the Moon Festival which included everyone’s favorite dance; the Dragon Dance! But, what’s so important about Moon Festivals? How do the Vietnamese celebrate it?

The Vietnamese Moon Festival is commonly known as “The Children’s Festival”, as most of the events are for children. This is because in the olden days, the Vietnamese considered children being closest to innocence and purity of the natural world, so it was seen as the best way to connect to the animal spirits.

The Moon Festival was originally a celebration of harvest. The Vietnamese celebrate it on the fifteenth day of the eighth month of the Lunar Calendar, when it is full moon and appears to be the biggest during the year. The Vietnamese believed that the full moon represented prosperity and fullness of life, especially for their harvest.

One of the most well-known legends related to the Moon Festival is the Legend of Thằng Cuội. Cuội had a sacred banyan tree that could restore life. He always reminded his wife to water it with clean water, so it did not get exposed to contamination. However, one day the wife forgot to water the tree when Cuội was away, so she urinated on it. The tree began to grow and grow, and when Cuội tried to chop it down with an axe, he got stuck on the tree and floated upwards with it. Eventually, Cuội was stranded on the moon. Therefore, each year the children light colorful lanterns to lead Cuội’s way back to Earth.

Lanterns are probably one of the most eye-catching aspects of the Moon Festival. Traditionally, the Vietnamese people parade around at night, carrying colorful and different shaped lanterns. The shapes include stars, butterflies and fish. One of the most unique ones are the ‘den Keo Quan’, which spins around once the candle is placed inside. This also symbolizes the rotation of the Earth around the Sun.

Lastly, come everyone’s favorite parts; Moon Cakes! which are also known as ‘Bánh Trung Thu’ in Vietnamese! Moon cakes are special treats and sweets eaten for the celebration of the Moon Festival. The interesting thing about these moon cakes are that if the cakes are perfectly made, one could finish the whole batch without feeling bloated. However, if it is not so perfect, even one cake would be too much to eat. How good the moon cakes are depends on their taste, richness, softness and how long it can last. Mooncakes consist of whole salted egg yolks, to represent the Full Moon. Traditional moon cakes have Chinese imprints, which symbolizes longevity and harmony. Additional decorations can be added, such as the moon, flowers, vines or even a bunny.

The Vietnamese Moon Festival has a much deeper meaning than what we all think. It is a very traditional and meaningful festival which brings out the special Vietnamese culture.