Mid fal festival

In Vietnam, T�et-Trung-Thu or the Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the most popular family holidays. It is held on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month.

I . History
The first custom concern that during the autumn of the 15th day of the 8th month of the Chinese calendar is the time when rice paddies are harvested; some people believe that the Mid Autumn Festival came from the autumn reward ritual.
The second custom concerns worship of the moon. According to astronomy, the Mid Autumn Festival occurs at the autumn equinox. At this time, the sunlight shines vertically on the equator, equally dividing the day and night in both the southern and northern hemispheres. The moon appears in the evening with gentle winds and light clouds. This is the best time to watch the moon. People later made this day, the day to worship the moon.
Who are they?
Moon Lady & Chu Cuoi
There’s also a story about how the Moon Lady ascended to the moon. A man named Chu Cuoi found a lucky tree that had special healing powers. Because this tree was sacred, people were forbidden to urinate at the foot of this tree. Unfortunately, Chu Cuoi’s wife, Chi Hang forgot the rule and urinated on the tree. On day, while she was sitting on the tree’s branch, the tree started to grow and grow. Eventually, it reached the moon, Since then, Chi Hang lived on the moon for the rest of her life as a punishment for desecrating the sacred tree.
II . Customs
The festival involves the custom of trong trang, procession of lights (parading with lanterns shaped as moon and stars), lion dance and eating moon cakes and fruits.
Today,festivities centered about the Mid-Autumn Festival are more varied. After a family reunion dinner, many people like to go out to attend special perfomances in parks or on public squares.
Parading with lanterns shaped as moon and stars
Lion dance
Eating moon cakes and fruits
Family reunion dinner
Attend special perfomances
Playing folk game
III . Festivities
Trung-Thu activities are often centered around children and education.
Moon cakes
Moon cakes are regarded as an indispensable delicacy on this occasion, they represent for the Moon.
Lanterns
You can make lenterns yourselves. Like these friends:




However, you can buy them with many colors and shapes at any stores in town.
Parents buy lanterns for their children so that they can participate in a candlelit lantern procession at dawn. Lanterns represent brightness while the procession symbolizes success in school
There are several different shapes of lanterns including the five-star lantern representing the sun and the frog-shape representing the moon. There are lanterns which spin around when a candle is placed inside, symbolizing the seasonal spinning of the earth around the sun.

Den

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Star lenterns
Decorative multi-coloured lantern
Perspicacious and impartial reconsideration of a higher court
Lion dance
One important event before and during Vietnamese Mid-Autumn Festival are lion dances. The dances are performed by both non-professional children group and trained professional groups. Lion dance groups perform on the streets go to houses asking for performing. If accepted by the host, “the lion” will come in and start dancing as a wish of luck and fortune and the host gives back lucky money to show thankfulness.
The dragon dance expresses the duality of Vietnamese festivals. The dragon dance is a re-enactment of the earth and sky duality, the yin and yang of the world. The Lord Earth, called Ong Dia in Vietnamese, is the dancer who dances around the dragon, urging it on. Ong Dia has a very round, happy smiling moon-face. He represents the wealth or fullness of the earth.
Masks
Because Ra Hu ate pieces of the full moon and that is why it has phases and eclipses.Children wear the masks and growl like tigers to frighten Ra Hu so he will not gobble up the entire moon. Nowadays there are also many kinds of plastic masks, including Mickey Mouse and Superman, to frighten off the monster.
Enjoying Mid Fall feast
Every family prepares a feast to offer the spirits. The offerings are then distributed to children and the poor people.
Offering presents
You give moon cakes to your family, boss, friends and co-workers. You may also give relatives other gifts such as food and money as a symble of luck.
Offering presents
Present moon cake to superior

Charitable organization give presents to poor children
IV . Meaning
The meaning of the Mid-Autumn Festival has been transformed over time. Originally it was not specifically for children. The Vietnamese people believe that only when one is innocent and pure can they get close to the natural and sacred world. So by becoming like children, they can acquire attributes of the gods. Because of its interesting legends and customs, and because the weather is mild, the Mid-Autumn Festival is a special time to look forward to.
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