This year's Mid-Autumn Festival (15th day of the 8th lunar month) falls on Tuesday, September 17, 2024.
In the book "Vietnamese Customs" by author Phan Ke Binh, it is written: "The 15th day of the 8th lunar month is the Mid-Autumn Festival. This festival is often called the Children's Festival. During the day, offerings are made to worship ancestors, and at night, offerings are set up to enjoy the moon. The first offering is a moon cake and many kinds of cakes, fruits and flowers are used, dyed in bright colors of green, red, white, and yellow."
According to the book “Vietnamese customs”, the offering tray for the full moon of the 8th lunar month usually includes fruits and candies. Vietnamese people prepare both offerings to their ancestors and offerings to enjoy the moon. On the holiday, children carry lanterns, tug of war, adults prepare offerings, and sing “Trong Quan”.
According to feng shui expert Nguyen Song Ha, the offering tray for the 15th day of the 8th lunar month cannot lack fruits that bring good luck such as bananas, grapefruit, persimmons, custard apples, pomegranates, etc. Traditional offerings often include both green and ripe fruits, symbolizing the harmony of yin and yang.
In particular, the Mid-Autumn Festival offering tray needs to prepare moon cakes and sticky rice cakes with square and round shapes, symbolizing heaven and earth. Many families also prepare lotus tea, jasmine tea and black tea to offer with the cakes. You can decorate with fresh flowers and typical Mid-Autumn Festival lanterns.
For the savory offering tray, families can prepare ham, boiled pork belly, sticky rice and traditional dishes depending on their conditions. The offering tray for the 15th day of the 8th lunar month needs to be prepared neatly and carefully, showing the respect of the homeowner.
According to feng shui expert Nguyen Song Ha, the offering tray for the full moon of August does not need to be as elaborate as the full moon of January or July, but must be prepared carefully.
Offering on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month is a long-standing cultural feature of Vietnamese people. On this day, families often prepare a full meal to offer to their ancestors and gods with the purpose of praying for peace and family harmony.
In addition, the homeowner also needs to prepare a moon-watching tray so that when the moon rises, the whole family will gather under the moonlight to enjoy the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Depending on the customs of each locality or the lifestyle of each family, the offering tray for the full moon of August will change accordingly. However, in general, each offering tray for the full moon of August will include: moon cakes, fruits, incense, flowers and candles...
In Asia, the Mid-Autumn Festival in each country has its own unique culture and colors.
Japanese people watch the moon, eat traditional food in front of their houses, children participate in the carp lantern festival.
Meanwhile, China and Korea consider the Mid-Autumn Festival a major holiday, an occasion for families to reunite and enjoy a family meal.
Chinese people often drink wine, watch the moon, and chat. They also have the custom of worshiping the moon, releasing flower lanterns, dancing with lions, solving riddles, etc.
On this occasion, Koreans wear hanbok, eat songpyeon, mung bean cakes, drink sindoju wine...
Some countries like Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines... Mid-Autumn Festival has a strong Chinese character. The streets are lit up with lanterns, moon cake shops, lion dance troupes.
The difference is Cambodia, this country celebrates the Mid-Autumn Festival on the 15th day of the 10th lunar month, called Ok Om Bok.
