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From Farmers' Day to the Lunar New Year Reunion
According to cultural and festival studies, the Mid-Autumn Festival in Vietnam is classified as a "seasonal festival," meaning a seasonal cultural activity, an agricultural festival, an agricultural ritual.The full moon of the eighth lunar month, the brightest moon of the year. Originally the autumn agricultural festival."
"Spring and Autumn," especially the Mid-Autumn Festival, are important holidays in the lives of farmers. In the traditional agricultural calendar, these are two periods of "agricultural leisure," with August being a time for farmers to rest after a busy harvest season. They can relax, reunite with their families, and participate in community cultural activities. These festivals not only help people relax mentally but also contribute to preserving national cultural identity, creating a united and close-knit community.
If you want to eat rice in May
Viewing the full moon in August
The moon shines brightly over the rice harvest.
The moon is dim and hazy, illuminating the rice fields.
(Byword)
Author Bui Xuan Dinh wrote in his book "Encyclopedia of Traditional Vietnamese Villages" that:In Vietnam, according to historical records, the Mid-Autumn Festival is the day when King Ly gives thanks to the Dragon God for bringing rain that resulted in a bountiful harvest, prosperity, and happiness for the people.".
At the same time, for people who live by farming rice, the Mid-Autumn Festival is also an occasion to gaze at the moon to predict the harvest and the fate of the nation. Ancient rice farmers also believed that if the autumn moon was yellow, that year would be a good year for silkworm farming; if the autumn moon was green, that year would bring natural disasters; and if the autumn moon was bright orange, the country would prosper…
Mid-Autumn Festival falls in the middle of autumn, a time when the weather has turned cooler, the sun shines brightly, and the gentle breeze begins to turn the leaves yellow.
The full moon, illuminating the nights spent irrigating the village wells and the golden rice paddies, has become an enduring symbol in the Vietnamese soul. This image has found its way into poetry, music, and art, becoming an endless source of inspiration for artists. On the night of the full moon in August, when the moon is at its brightest, people often set up a feast in their courtyards, gaze at the moon, and enjoy round mooncakes – as a way to express gratitude to nature and pray for a prosperous and happy life.
The most beautiful time of August is the full moon, when people take advantage of their free time to prepare feasts to admire the moon.
On the night of the full moon in the eighth lunar month, when the moon is at its brightest and most beautiful, people always take moments of quiet reflection to sit together around an elegant feast, enjoying tea and wine while gazing at the bright moon. Therefore, the Mid-Autumn Festival is also known as the "Moon-Viewing Festival." Furthermore, the Mid-Autumn Festival is a custom that reflects the communal spirit of the Vietnamese people. For farming, survival, and development, the rice-farming people are acutely aware of the capacity and strength of the community and the necessity of cohesion and community spirit.
Love blossoms under the full moon.
Mid-Autumn Festival, a celebration of reunion and togetherness, is a thread that connects hearts. The image of colorful lanterns shimmering like little stars, the joyful laughter of children, the aroma of mooncakes mingled with the scent of milk flowers... has become a beautiful memory in everyone's heart. On the night of the full moon, when the whole family gathers together, enjoying sweet, sticky rice cakes, gazing at the full moon, and listening to fairy tales, we feel the warm love spreading.
Mid-Autumn Festival symbolizes family reunion, a time for family members to gather and enjoy meals together.
Mid-Autumn Festival, a celebration of the full moon and family reunion, was once a time when people prayed for favorable weather and a bountiful harvest. It was also a season for lovers to exchange vows and for families to gather around a feast while gazing at the moon. Although modern life has changed considerably, the profound meaning of the Mid-Autumn Festival remains preserved.
On this day, not only children but also the whole family gather together, creating a warm and loving atmosphere.
Nowadays, with advancements in science, farmers no longer rely on moon gazing to predict the harvest, but the Mid-Autumn Festival remains an occasion for people to express their hopes for a peaceful and happy new year. Especially, it's a season of love, when promises of a bright future are exchanged, like flowers waiting to bloom in spring.
And then, as the Mid-Autumn Festival approaches, families gather together, enjoying delicious mooncakes, gazing at the bright moon, and playing traditional folk games. Children's laughter echoes everywhere, along with the shimmering star-shaped and fish-shaped lanterns, creating a warm and united atmosphere.
Mid-Autumn Festival remains an occasion for people to express their hopes for a peaceful and happy new year.
