Mid-Autumn Festival in Vietnam (Tết Trung Thu)

Tết Trung Thu, Vietnam's Mid-Autumn Festival, falls on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, when the moon is traditionally said to be at its fullest and brightest. In Vietnam it's above all a children's festival, celebrated with glowing lanterns, lion dances, mooncakes and moon-viewing.

The date moves each year on the Western calendar, usually landing in September or early October.

What does Tết Trung Thu mean?

Tết means festival or holiday (it's also the short name for Lunar New Year), trung means middle and thu means autumn. So Tết Trung Thu is the "mid-autumn festival." Say it roughly as "tet choong too" in Northern speech; Southern speakers keep more of the "tr" sound.

People also call it Tết thiếu nhi (children's festival) or Tết trông trăng (moon-watching festival), depending on the region and family.

Why it's a festival for children

Historically, the harvest was done by mid-autumn, and families had time to relax. Many explanations say parents, busy with farm work all year, used this time to make it up to their children with treats, toys and attention. Whatever the exact origin, today the festival is strongly centered on kids. Schools hold celebrations, neighborhoods organize lantern parades and shops fill with toys.

Lanterns: the heart of the festival

Lanterns are the most recognizable symbol of Trung Thu. A few traditional styles:

• Đèn ông sao: the five-pointed star lantern, made from bamboo and colored cellophane, often carried on a stick. It's the iconic Vietnamese Mid-Autumn lantern.
• Đèn kéo quân: a spinning lantern whose heat causes paper figures to rotate, casting moving shadows.
• Đèn lồng: round or shaped paper and silk lanterns, often red, hung outside homes and shops.
• Animal-shaped lanterns: fish, rabbits and other creatures, especially popular with young kids.

On the night of the full moon, children carry their lanterns through the streets, singing songs and following lion dance troupes. Plastic, battery-powered lanterns have become common, though many people still seek out handmade bamboo ones.

Lion dances and drums

Múa lân, the lion dance, is a highlight. Teams of performers in colorful lion costumes dance to drums and cymbals, often joined by a cheerful masked character called Ông Địa, the earth god, who teases the lion with a fan. In the weeks leading up to the festival, you'll hear drumming in neighborhoods as groups practice.

Mooncakes and the festival tray

Mooncakes are the signature food. Vietnam has two main kinds:

• Bánh nướng: baked mooncakes with a golden crust and fillings like lotus seed, mung bean or a mixed filling of nuts, seeds and cured meats, sometimes with salted egg yolk.
• Bánh dẻo: soft, chewy mooncakes made with glutinous rice flour, usually white, with sweet fillings.

Our guide to mooncakes in Vietnam explains both in detail. Families also set out a mâm cỗ Trung Thu, a festival tray with mooncakes, fruit like pomelo and persimmon, and sometimes decorative figures. Children often help arrange it, and a pomelo shaped into a dog is a fun traditional touch in some homes.

The legends behind the moon

Vietnamese Mid-Autumn stories center on the moon:

Chú Cuội is a woodcutter who, according to legend, ended up on the moon clinging to a magical banyan tree (cây đa). When you look at the moon's shadows, people say you can see Cuội sitting under his tree. "Nói dối như Cuội" ("lying like Cuội") is also a saying for someone who tells tall tales, since some versions portray him as a fibber.

Chị Hằng (Hằng Nga) is the moon lady, a beautiful figure who lives on the moon. Children sing songs about her and Cuội during the festival. Her story is shared with the Chinese legend of Chang'e.

Toys and crafts

Traditional Trung Thu toys include tò he, small colorful figures molded from rice dough, and đầu sư tử, papier-mâché lion heads that children wear while playing at lion dances. Markets in older neighborhoods, especially in Hanoi's Old Quarter around Hàng Mã street, are famous for overflowing with lanterns and toys in the weeks before the festival.

How it compares with other countries

China, Taiwan, Korea and other places celebrate the same lunar date with their own traditions. Vietnam's version stands out for its focus on children and its star lanterns. For Vietnamese communities abroad, Trung Thu is a popular time for lantern parades, cultural events and mooncake gatherings.

Celebrating at home

You don't need a big event to enjoy Trung Thu. A few simple ideas:

• Make or buy a star lantern and take a walk under the full moon
• Share mooncakes and tea with family or friends
• Tell the stories of Chú Cuội and Chị Hằng
• Let kids arrange a fruit tray with pomelo and persimmons

Check the lunar calendar for this year's date, then plan a lantern walk on the night of the full moon.