Giant Hoi An lantern wins first international lantern competition

The Oriental Light Festival 2025 opened grandly on the evening of January 18, attracting a large number of people and tourists from home and abroad.

The highlight of the festival’s opening night was the International Lantern Design Competition, held for the first time in Vietnam. The competition brought together more than 30 giant lantern clusters with sophisticated and unique designs from teams from China, Japan, Korea, Thailand and Vietnam.

The best works have conquered the international judges. First prize belongs to the work The Sacred Soul of Vietnam by Hoi An Craft team (Vietnam).

The work Qilin by author Seo Deok Hwan (Korea) won second prize.

Third Prize was awarded to the work Long phuong sum vay - Reunion of the dragon and the phoenix by the team Sac mau cuoc song (Vietnam).

3 Encouragement prizes for the works Lac Long Quan returns - Lac Long Quan returns by team Sac mau thanh Tuyen (Vietnam); Doi canh tuong lai - Wings of Future by team Shuixiu Gong China (China); Sajik & Nongak ceremony by author Lee Sang Moo (Korea).

Mr. Vo Hoang, a member of Hoi An Craft - the team that won First Prize in the contest with the work "Sacred Soul of Vietnam", said that paper made from Cam Thanh water coconut trees (Hoi An) is a new material used to make lanterns.

To make this new type of paper, Mr. Hoang and his teammates spent 5 years researching. “With normal paper, a worker can produce 40 sheets a day. To make this water coconut paper, a skilled worker can only create 5 1.5m2 paintings a day; each sheet of paper is a painting,” he said.

Mr. Hoang said that through the international competition, Vietnamese artisans have the opportunity to compete and learn so that traditional lanterns have new vitality, are updated with the times, and at the same time the skills of local artisans are improved.

“We hope that Vietnamese handicrafts will continue to develop, survive and contribute to promoting Vietnamese tourism. This competition is proof that the skills of Vietnamese craftsmen are not inferior to any other country,” he said.

Ms. Chen Jia - Cultural Director - Yuyuan INC, Member of the Jury, was particularly impressed with the Hoi An lantern cluster as the work was made from environmentally friendly materials such as water coconut shells, demonstrating high creativity.

“Hoi An artisans have breathed life into Vietnam’s long-standing culture and history into their lanterns, using the art of light to convey love and pride in the nation’s history as well as honor traditional Vietnamese culture.

We have been exposed to many creative methods in lantern art in the world, but this is the first time we have witnessed a creation in the way of Vietnamese artisans. This is also what touched the hearts of the jury members."