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Vietnamese mid-autumn festival
In Vietnam, there are hundreds of festivals each year and mid- autumn is the country’s second most important holiday, after Tet, the Vietnamese New Year. Tet Trung Thu- is the day when the moon is at its brightest in a year usually takes place on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month in the middle of autumn and it is celebrated for a whole day
History
As for origin of the Mid-Autumn Festival in Vietnam, it's totally different from the Chinese legend.Rice is harvested before the 15th of the eighth lunar month (mid-autumn) in Vietnam. Each household then offers sacrifices to the God of Earth. While occupied with harvesting parents have not so much time to take care of their children, therefore they make full use of the festival holiday to play with their children. In Vietnam the Mid-Autumn Festival is the happiest day for children, during which parents buy their children various kinds of lanterns and snacks.
Besides, Vietnam mid-autumn festival related to a interesting story- man named Cuoi was very famous because he owned a magic banyan tree that could cure any illness. Cuoi’s wife got angry because Cuoi seemed to love the tree more than her so one day when Cuoi was out treating a sick neighbor; she poured dirty water on the roots of the tree, which made it leave the ground. Cuoi suddenly returned and saw the tree fly up to the sky. He tried to grab it but failed to take it down and was taken up to the moon, where he lives together with his tree to this day. That’s why every year children light lanterns and take part in processions on the day of the festival to show Cuoi the way back to Earth.
Meaning of Mid-autumn moon festival
Mid-autumn festival is a Vietnamese special day to worship Moon Genie, give thanks for the harvest, and also pray happiness for their family.
Things to do
Eating moon cakes: These cakes are very rich and are filled with lotus seeds, ground beans, and an egg yolk though there are other varieties. Moon cakes are the most important traditional food related to Tet Trung Thu, and they are massively popular.
During the Moon Festival, it is customary to give boxes of moon cakes to family and special friends. The traditional moon cakes are usually very rich in taste. They have a bright yoke in the center to represent the moon. They are filled with lotus seeds, orange peel, and ground beans.
Lion dance: On the of full moon day, groups of children parade through the streets, some of them maintain a martial beat on drums, while others control an extravagantly decorated ‘lion’ crafted from molds and paper
Mid-autumn festival of other countries
Mid-autumn festival is not only famous festival in Vietnam but also many countries Asia like Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan and South Korea influenced by Chinese culture.
Japan: The Japanese also celebrate the festival on August 15th of Chinese lunar calendar with another name - “Moon Appreciation Party”. Not same as Vietnam, the festival food in Japan is not moon cake, but glutinous rice cake.
Philippines: During the festival, Chinese towns and Chinese colonies all over the country are decorated with lanterns and colorful banners, especially the China town in Manila and play games like dragon dance parade, traditional Chinese clothing parade, lantern parade, and fancy car parade are held.
Thailand: According to Thai legend, on the night of Mid-Autumn Festival, the Eight Immortals go to the Moon Palace to send peach-shaped cakes and birthday greetings to Guanyin (a Bodhisattva). So their offerings usually include some peach-shaped cakes. All family members, men and women, the young and old, then sit around the table with offerings to worship the moon, pray and exchange greetings.
Malaysia is quite same Vietnam festival with eating moon cake, dragon dances, and parade
South Korea: Mid-Autumn Festival is a big event in the country, also called “Thanksgiving Day” by local people. People there enjoy a three-day holiday, when they go back to hometowns to visit families and relatives