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MID - AUTUMN FESTIVAL
(TẾT TRUNG THU)
For a long time, Vietnam
and some other Asian countries who follow the rite of worshipping the Moon
Genie, welcome the Mid-Autumn Festival on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month.
This is the time when the moon is full, the
farm work is at rest, and the weather is cool and fresh. Apart from the Lunar
New Year, the Mid-Autumn Festival is the most impressive event for the
Vietnamese, particularly the children. There is no other event in the year other
than this festival that provides them with as much entertainment, toys, cakes,
candies, and fruit.
About half a month before
the event, various kinds of colourful items, mostly cakes, candies and toys, are
displayed for sale along the streets, in the shops and at the markets .
Everyone, both domestic and foreign, is eager to go either shopping or
sight-seeing. On the festive day, some families cook outstanding food to offer
their ancestors during the daytime. In the evening, the mid-autumn festive party
is prepared with cakes, candies and fruits. Cakes are various, but a
"must" is the banh deo
(glutinous-rice dumplings) and banh nuong (cakes) in the shape of the
moon and fish. Fruit , including longans, simmons, bananas, grapefruits, etc.,
are also abundant and diverse.
The Festival is exceptionally interesting for the children who play happily with
the bright new toys. The toys are made from various different forms: the lion
lead, the animal in folk tales and stories. The lanterns are colourful and of
various kinds, such as the rabbit, the carp, etc. Besides traditional carton
paper toys, plastic and bamboo plates, ships, tanks, etc. made of plastics with
batteries and having remote controls are also on sale. This is understandable
due to the economic improvements of the people. Whether organized in the city or
countryside, the preserved tradition of the Mid-Autumn Festival is reflected in
the way the children play games such as seek-and-hide, lion dancing, lantern
marching, etc.
The welcome-the-moon party in the evening is a good opportunity for the children
not only to enjoy the food, but also to learn more from their grandparents and
parents. They are told how to prepare the party in the most attractive way. To
decorate the party, there is always a "doctor" made of paper or dough,
which reminds the children of the high achievements to be obtained in their
studies. The time to start enjoying the party is solemnly shared by the whole
family and becomes the most sacred moment of the Mid-Autumn Festival. In the
bright moonlight, clear sky and fresh environment, everybody is relaxed with a
pure and detached joy.
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