Meaning of Tet Trung Thu

Tet Trung Thu (meaning Mid-Autumn Festival) is a Tet in Vietnam, it happens in 15th of August of Lunar calendar which is a full moon night.



In Vietnam, Tet Trung Thu has become a day of children, also called Tet Trong Trang (meaning Watching Moon Festival) or Tet Doan Vien (meaning Reunion Festival). The children are very excited with the day because they are given many toys such as: lantern, mask, drum,etc. At that night, when the moon rises high, the children will both dance and sing, both watch moon and get cake, candy, fruit. Some places, the children will dance in a lion or unicorn which are made from paper and bamboo.


According to custom of Vietnamese people, at the full moon night, parents will present candy, grapefruit and other fruits, especially moon cake for their child. Besides, they will hang lantern and lit it up by candle. Also on this occasion, Vietnamese people will buy moon cake, tea, wine to worship ancestors at night when the moon rise high. At that time, everyone will give moon cakes to their parents, teachers, relatives or friends. Chinese people has also Tet Trung Thu and they often dance in a dragon which is made from fabric. But, Vietnamese people often dances in a lion or unicorn which are made from paper and bamboo, follow the sound of drum. The unicorn is symbol for prosperity, luck and good things.

Tet Trung Thu is also an occasion for people to predict about harvest and destiny of the country. If the moon is yellow, that year will be good. If the moon is green, that year will have calamity. And, if the moon is bright orange color, the country will be prosperous.


Mask, drum and lantern are the most common toys on the occasion. Mask is made from paper with many characters that the children like such as: lion head, Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, Monk Tang, etc. Drum is made wood and buffalo skin. Lantern is made from paper and bamboo. Now, there are many toys are made from many materials, which attract children so much. But, many places still make toys by paper and bamboo.

In addition to toys, there is a tray of fruits, candy and cakes. The tray has a familiar animal, it is a dog. Of course, it doesn't have a real dog on tray, it is made from grape fruit, the eyes are two black beans. The tray has also other fruits such as: banana, persimmon, etc. There are two kinds of cakes of Tet Trung Thu, they have a common name moon cake (you can find them out here). Grape fruit seeds often are shelled and shelved in steel wires, dried 2-3 days ago. When the full moon night comes, the children will burn it out. When the moon rises high, it is the time for everyone to take things down from the tray, everyone will enjoy the flavor of Tet Trung Thu.


Also at the night, watching moon is a custom which are favourited. It attached with a legend, it said that: One day, a boy who is Cuoi, he must look after a precious banyan tree. At the night of the day, the tree flied up, he clung on the tree to hold it but it didn't work and he and the tree were flied up to the moon. When watching the moon, you can see a black stain, the children believes that is the boy and the tree.

The day has many meanings, each meaning is attached with each name. Tet Trung Thu is a popular name, simply, it happens at the full moon night in the middle of the August of the Autumn, it is the most beautiful night in the year, the weather is so cool, making many people feel comfortable, relaxed. Tet Trong Trang      is a custom, an activity at the ngiht, everyone watches the moon to predict the harvest and the destiny of the country. The last name, Tet Doan Vien, the full moon night is the night for everyone to gather in order to watch the moon, eat cake, drink tea together. With any meaning, the night is also a big meaning night for Vietnamese people. Let's travel to Vietnam to get the day, it's coming up. Each place in Vietnam will give you each different feeling so you can see a post about places that you can feel the flavor of the full moon night in the clearest way.