(VOVWORLD) - Tet Nguyen Tieu, the first Full Moon of the Lunar New Year, is an important occasion in the Vietnamese culture. Families worship to commemorate their ancestors and various community activities are held to honor national culture.
 Unicorns dance on Mai Hoa Thung platform is a special performance at the first Full Moon Festival 2023 in Ho Chi Minh City. (Photo: Thu Huong/VNA) |
In Ho Chi Minh City, the first Full Moon Festival featured a Vietnamese Poetry Night, the procession of Guan Yu, the auction of lucky lanterns, the Vietnam-Hoa Culinary Festival, and an exhibition of fine art and calligraphic works. A highlight of the festival was a street parade in District 5, with artists in costumes performing dragon dances, lion dances, and circus.
The first Full Moon Festival, which has been held for 30 years, is one of 19 annual culture and art events in Ho Chi Minh City.
“The first Full-Moon is an important event for the Hoa community. We celebrate the full-moon and pray for an abundant auspicious year. All people in HCMC celebrate this Festival, which has strengthened social bonds,” said Truong Thanh Tuan in District 6.
Hoi An in Quang Nam province organized a street parade and performances to celebrate the recognition of the first Full Moon Festival in the ancient town as a national intangible cultural heritage. The Festival in Hoi An combines the Vietnamese, Japanese, and Chinese cultures. People wordship Buddha, deities, and ancestors to pray for good luck and happiness. Hoi An organized various activities to entertain visitors, such as the Night Tour of the Ancient Town, a Poetry Night, Worship at Assembly Halls, and folk games.
“The local authorities and people will work to spread the culture to a wider public, promote the image of kind, friendly Hoi An people, build the city under an orientation of culture, ecology, and tourism, and contribute to the goal of making Quang Nam a developed province by 2030,” said Ho Quang Buu, Vice Chairman of the Quang Nam provincial People’s Committee.
The Vietnam Writers’ Association held its 21st Vietnam Poetry Day at the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long in Hanoi on Sunday, the first full moon of the Year of the Cat 2023.
With the theme "New Rhythm", Vietnam Poetry Day 2023 conveyed a message of hope for a better future when the country will have overcome the COVID-19 pandemic and life will have returned to normal but with a new rhythm and impetus.