EN
Many days before the full moon, the suburban villages of Hoai Duc have begun to bustle with preparations. Lion dance teams practice, children eagerly make star lanterns, and adults prepare offerings together. Everyone contributes their efforts to preserve the beauty of the village festival, hoping to bring the village a complete Mid-Autumn Festival. The familiar activities of carrying lanterns, lion dances, blowing fire... are still maintained, creating a Mid-Autumn atmosphere that is both exciting and imbued with traditional values.
The lion dance team of Cao Xa Thuong village starts at 8pm, moves around the village, stirring up the festival atmosphere throughout the alleys.
Young people in the village perform a fire-blowing act in a lion dance – a unique tradition preserved through many festival seasons.
The fire-blowing lion dance team is considered the soul of the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival in Hoai Duc. In Cao Xa Thuong village, the team has about 15 members, most of whom are young people in the village. They start parading from the 11th day of the 8th lunar month, going through the alleys to bring the Mid-Autumn atmosphere to every house. The sound of drums, gongs, cheers mixed with the flickering flames from the lion's mouth, creating a space that is both vibrant and warm, anyone who witnesses it will feel their heart flutter.
This year's lion dance attracted a large number of villagers to watch, creating a bustling, exciting atmosphere.
The lion dance team went through the village alleys, the loud cheers mixed with the pounding drums made the atmosphere more exciting and bustling.
The Mid-Autumn Festival team took a souvenir photo in front of the temple gate after completing the traditional ceremony at the beginning of the festival night.
Mr. Phi Huu Tung - Secretary of the Youth Union, Organizing Committee shared: "This year's lion dance team consists of 15 young members. This year, the number of people coming to watch is much larger than last year, the atmosphere is bustling throughout the village. After the opening dance in the communal house yard, the team will go around the alleys. When arriving at the pagoda and communal house, we will perform a ceremony according to custom, with the participation of nuns and the village elder to pray for peace and a favorable harvest."
The Mid-Autumn Festival tray is personally prepared by the people of Giang Xa, Hoai Duc, conveying the traditional beauty of the countryside.
Mid-Autumn Festival in Hoai Duc is not only a festival, but also an occasion for the whole village to cultivate and preserve traditional culture. In Giang Xa village, the atmosphere of preparing moon-viewing offerings is bustling: moon cakes and sticky rice cakes are neatly arranged, grapefruit and bananas are beautifully arranged, next to them is a "doctor" effigy - a symbol of the desire for education and success. Children chatter with star lanterns, following the lion dance team around the alleys, adults meticulously prepare the offerings, so that the village's Mid-Autumn Festival still retains its traditional spirit. The flickering firelight, the sound of drums echoing through the small alleys make the village space seem to be lit up by memories and joys of childhood.
People carrying children came to watch, crowded and bustling around the village road.
A special feature is the combination of performing arts and rituals. When the lion dance troupe goes to the communal house or pagoda, they participate in traditional rituals, with the support of nuns and monks. This is a moment for the community to pray for peace, and also a time for viewers to feel the profound cultural values and connection in the festival.
The children were excited and delighted to touch the lion's head.
Compared to the urban Mid-Autumn Festival, the Mid-Autumn Festival in Hoai Duc has its own charm: flickering firelight, bustling drum beats, light incense smoke, mixed with bustling laughter. It is not just a festival to watch, but an experience to live in tradition, memory and community.
In 2025, under the full moon, from Cao Xa Thuong, Giang Xa to other villages of Hoai Duc, Mid-Autumn Festival once again shines, proving that tradition is not only preserved but also breathed new life by the hands and passion of the young generation. Mid-Autumn Festival in Hoai Duc therefore still retains the soul of the countryside - joyful, vibrant and full of memories.
