In Vietnam, the 15th day of the eighth lunar month marks the Mid-Autumn Festival, which is also celebrated as Children’s Day. Families gather to admire the moon, carry lanterns in the parks, and participate in various activities.
Why is the Mid-Autumn Festival also Children’s Day in Vietnam? According to folklore, the period leading up to the festival coincides with the busy farming season, during which parents are unable to care for their children, leaving the kids to fend for themselves. Therefore, when the harvest season ends, Vietnamese parents celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month as a time to express their love and care for their children, making up for the time lost. Over time, this tradition has evolved into Vietnam’s Children’s Day.
The Mid-Autumn Festival in Vietnam also has its own legendary tale—The Legend of Cuội. According to the story, there was a man named Cuội in ancient Vietnam who helped people by treating their illnesses for free. Rather than using medical techniques, he relied on a Bodhi tree he had grown himself. Cuội traveled around, using the tree to heal many impoverished villagers. One day, the Bodhi tree suddenly soared into the sky, carrying Cuội to the moon. To express their gratitude for his help and to honor his medical ethics, the villagers who had been healed hung lanterns outside their homes on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month to celebrate Cuội’s ascension to immortality. This custom has been preserved in Vietnam to this day.
During the Mid-Autumn Festival in Vietnam, children often go out carrying lanterns, with the most common being the carp lantern. According to legend, there was once a carp that transformed into a harmful spirit. To save the people, the judge Bao Gong crafted a paper lantern in the shape of a carp to ward off the spirit. Thus, on Mid-Autumn night, children carry carp lanterns as a way to pray for peace and safety. Additionally, it symbolizes the hope that they will one day achieve great success, much like the carp that leaps over the dragon gate.
Eating mooncakes is an essential tradition during the Mid-Autumn Festival in Vietnam. Vietnamese mooncakes come in two main types: baked and soft. Popular shapes include carp and round mooncakes, with fillings such as taro, mung bean, egg yolk, and glutinous rice. Recently, some brands have introduced innovative mooncakes with fillings like black garlic, matcha, and collagen, adding a modern twist to this beloved treat.
On the Mid-Autumn Festival, there are also lion and dragon dance performances parading through the streets, creating a lively atmosphere filled with singing children and the sound of drums and gongs.
In addition, many cities in Vietnam host various activities before and after the festival, especially family-oriented events where parents bring their children to join in the celebrations.
