Unique Mid-Autumn Lanterns in Dong Hung

For decades, as the Mid-Autumn Festival approaches, people in some communes in Dong Hung district have come together to “show off their talents” by creating giant lanterns with unique shapes, brilliant colors, and one-of-a-kind in Thai Binh. On the 12th and 13th of the 8th lunar month, the Mid-Autumn Festival with the theme “Lanterns light up dreams” will be held by the communes to bring children a moon season full of love.

Join hands to make giant lanterns

Mid-Autumn Festival is an occasion for each family and the whole society to show their care and give the best to children. That is why, for decades, every Mid-Autumn Festival, the Party Committee, the government, organizations, and people of Dong Hoang, Dong Quan, Dong Dong, Dong Phuong communes... have mobilized tens of millions of VND and working days to make giant lanterns for children to enjoy the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Mr. Pham Cong Luan, Chairman of Dong Hoang Commune People's Committee shared: Dong Hoang is the first commune in the district to make oversized lanterns, which have been well received by the entire population, with the core force being veterans, the elderly, youth, women... In the first year, the whole commune could only make 4-5 lanterns that were 2-3 times larger than real objects and animals, with wooden frames. The children from the hometown who came back to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival were impressed, and from then on, every time the Mid-Autumn Festival approached, many people sent money back to support the making of more large, beautiful lanterns with stainless steel frames. The commune organized competitions, scored and awarded lanterns with high aesthetics, good brightness, and good messages to encourage villages to maintain and develop the movement of making giant lanterns such as military aircraft, 10m long dragons, 7m long carps, 2.2m high, 1.5m wide military lanterns, star lanterns 8-10 times bigger than small hand-held lanterns... This year's Mid-Autumn Festival, the whole commune made over 50 lantern models of all sizes, nearly 20 more than last year, of which the tallest lantern cost about 50 million VND, the remaining lanterns cost from 5-10 million VND/model; in addition, there were nearly 1,000 small hand-held lanterns.

To date, Chau Giang village, Dong Quan commune has completed 25 lantern models, an increase of 5 models compared to 2023, ready for a bustling, exciting lantern procession night, filled with light and color on the evening of the 12th day of the 8th lunar month. This is a village with many large, beautiful lanterns. Every year, the money mobilized and supported to organize the Mid-Autumn Festival for children is over 100 million VND, the money donated to make lanterns alone is over 60 million VND, some people donated 10 - 20 million VND, many people donated dozens of working days.

Mr. Bui Thanh Binh, Chau Giang village, Dong Quan commune said: Every year I support money and join everyone for more than a month. No one tells anyone, whoever is free comes out to work, whoever knows what to do does it, each person lends a hand and gradually completes dozens of lantern models. When the children are happy, I am happy, forgetting all the tiredness.

Giant lanterns of Dong Hoang commune.

Looking forward to the full moon festival

Although it has not yet come to the lantern festival to welcome Hang, the Mid-Autumn Festival atmosphere has filled the entire village. The most bustling and exciting is in Dong Hoang and Dong Quan communes with the presence of nearly 100 unique, giant, and brilliant lanterns, attracting everyone from the elderly to children. In addition to traditional lantern models such as the lanterns, star lanterns, and carp lanterns, the communes also make lanterns according to the animals in the 12 zodiac signs, characters in fairy tales, and labor activities of the ancients. This useful playground for children to enjoy the Mid-Autumn Festival has been maintained for many years, spreading to several other communes such as Dong Dong, Dong A, Dong Phuong, etc.

Dao Le Phuong Anh, 5 years old, Dong Hoang commune said: I really like the Mid-Autumn Festival, every night I go with my sister to practice singing and dancing, watching the old people make lanterns. We look forward to the evening of the 13th day of the 8th lunar month to carry the Mid-Autumn Festival lanterns through the streets. As for Le Ngoc Khanh, grade 4, Dong Phong Primary School, Dong Quan commune, not only goes to watch the old people make lanterns but also helps with some light work. She shared: We are very happy and grateful to the old people, aunts and uncles who have worked hard to make the colorful and splendid lanterns. Looking at the lanterns, I remember the historical figures and old stories I have learned. I am very excited because on the evening of the 12th day of the 8th lunar month, I will be able to happily carry the Mid-Autumn Festival lanterns with the children to the bustling music through the countryside.

Implementing the Mid-Autumn Festival theme this year "Lanterns light up dreams", the youth union of communes has consulted the Party Committee and government to develop a plan to organize the Mid-Autumn Festival with many rich and attractive activities.

Mr. Phi Van Hiep, Secretary of the Dong Hoang Commune Youth Union, said: The whole commune has over 600 teenagers and children. In order for the children to have a Mid-Autumn Festival full of love, the Commune Youth Union mobilized 300 cadres, union members, and young people to teach art, team etiquette, set up a Mid-Autumn Festival camp, make lanterns, organize lantern parades, organize reunion meals... for the teenagers and children. 1,000 hand-held lanterns and 50 lantern models of various sizes with cheerful music will be paraded throughout the commune during the lantern parade night. The focal point attracting thousands of people to participate in the Mid-Autumn Festival is the parade on Highway 39 running through Dong Hoang and Dong Quan communes. The mid-Autumn Festival lantern models are dynamically designed, both traditional and modern, decorated very splendidly, with national flags and portraits of Uncle Ho. The meaningful messages on the lanterns are Mid-Autumn Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival of Unity, Mid-Autumn Festival of Love, Fun with Children, Mid-Autumn Festival of Sharing... Joining the lantern procession are lion dance teams, folk dance teams, and drum troupes, creating excitement for both children and adults.

Mr. Dang Thanh Nam, Dong Tan commune said: Before, I only saw giant mid-autumn lantern processions in Tuyen Quang, but in the past few years, they have been in Dong Hoang, Dong Quan. Every year, I take my children there to see them. The lantern models here are really impressive, and have the meaning of educating children to preserve the traditional values of the Mid-Autumn Festival.