Lantern Festival in Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam
The Lantern Festival, celebrated with great enthusiasm in Ho Chi Minh City, is a vibrant and culturally rich event that showcases the spirit of community, tradition, and creativity. Although the Lantern Festival originates from Chinese culture and is traditionally held on the 15th day of the Lunar New Year, it has been warmly embraced and adapted by the Vietnamese people, especially in areas with strong Chinese influence like Cholon—the city’s Chinatown.
There are several beliefs about the origin of the Lantern Festival. However, its roots trace back more than 2,000 years and is popularly linked to the reign of Emperor Wen of the Han dynasty. Emperor Ming, an advocate of Buddhism, noticed Buddhist monks would light lanterns in temples on the fifteenth day of the first lunisolar month. As a result, he ordered all households, temples and the imperial palace to light lanterns on that evening. From there it developed into a folk custom. Another likely origin is the celebration of “the declining darkness of winter” and community’s ability to “move about at night with human-made light,” namely, lanterns.
In Ho Chi Minh City, the festival is most prominently celebrated in District 5, where streets are transformed into dazzling displays of light. Colorful lanterns of all shapes and sizes hang above bustling markets, temples, and homes, creating a magical atmosphere. Many lanterns are handcrafted and feature traditional symbols such as dragons, flowers, and scenes from Vietnamese folklore, symbolizing hope, good fortune, and the warding off of evil spirits.
Children often carry lanterns in joyful parades, while families gather to enjoy traditional foods like bánh trôi (sweet rice balls) and mooncakes. Temples host prayer ceremonies and cultural performances, including lion dances and music, attracting both locals and tourists alike. The festival becomes a time for reflection, reunion, and appreciation of cultural heritage.
In essence, the Lantern Festival in Ho Chi Minh City is more than just a celebration of lights—it’s a living expression of Vietnam’s multicultural identity and the community’s enduring respect for tradition in the midst of a rapidly modernizing city.
Raj Mayukh Dam 