There are moonlit nights in my memory.

Mid-Autumn Festival in our memories is the most beautiful Mid-Autumn Festival. The moon of childhood is the brightest moon. We often mention the Mid-Autumn Festival with nostalgia mixed with a little concern about whether it is gradually losing its traditional values ​​today... But ultimately, the Mid-Autumn Festival for the old and the young are the same in the shimmering colors when looking back at memories.

“Back then, the Mid-Autumn Festival feast was simple and meager. A single persimmon, cut in half, was enough for two people, and even then, they still wanted more. Each person only got a small piece of the traditional mixed-filling mooncake. In those days, joy was mainly about the spirit; material things were scarce, we were very poor!”

Peeling a persimmon that her granddaughter bought for her, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Nhung (Cao Xa commune, Lam Thao district) recounted to us stories of moonlit nights of yesteryear. As she spoke, memories, like a film reel, suddenly flooded back...

In 1955, Cao Xa commune was extremely poor and lacked many things, but for Mrs. Nhung, the Mid-Autumn Festival there was joyful and meaningful. Mrs. Nhung still vividly remembers that a few days before the full moon of the eighth lunar month, the children in the neighborhood would have five-pointed star lanterns made by their parents. They would use bamboo for the frame and colorful cellophane paper to create a star lantern to carry in the procession.

"Then, on the night of the full moon, when all the children in the neighborhood gathered, we lined up, holding star-shaped lanterns, and paraded from the beginning to the end of the alley, singing loudly as we went:

Perhaps always reminiscing about the old Children's Day celebrations, even at her advanced age, Mrs. Nhung never forgets to prepare a feast for her children and grandchildren on this day. For her, the feeling of spreading a mat in the yard, preparing a feast with persimmons, pomelos, mooncakes, candies... and then happily gathering with her children and grandchildren to enjoy the feast is truly blissful!

Contrary to his quiet demeanor while sitting on a park bench, when asked about Mid-Autumn Festival memories from the past, Mr. Nguyen Viet An (Gia Cam ward, Viet Tri city) enthusiastically recounted his experiences to us. For a moment, his eyes lit up with the childlike joy of his youth.

Mr. An still vividly remembers the Mid-Autumn Festival nights of the past. Back then, the moon was bright, round, and large, not obscured by tall buildings like it is now. During the subsidy period, the village where his family lived had no electricity; darkness enveloped the alleys, and the flickering oil lamps behind each window were not enough to illuminate the small road.

After the feast, Mr. An and the children in the village would play traditional folk games such as tag, hide-and-seek, hopscotch, and mock battles. When they got tired of playing, they would sit down, compete in solving riddles, and tell stories until the moon rose high and the dew fell, only then would they go home.

And perhaps, for those who have lived almost their entire lives, it is not money or fame, but love and family reunions that are truly precious.

Our journey to relive Mid-Autumn Festival memories concluded with a meeting between two young women, Minh Phuong and Ngoc Anh, who were shopping for Mid-Autumn Festival toys at a store in Viet Tri city. Unlike older generations, they had a less melancholic and more optimistic perspective when recalling their childhood Mid-Autumn Festivals.

"Then, when I was in middle school, I was impressed by the mask of Ông Địa (the Earth God) and the headdress of Princess Hàm Hương from Hoàn Châu Cách Cách... My parents bought me Princess Hàm Hương's headdress, and I used it until it was torn before throwing it away. I've been looking for a spinning top for my child to play with, but they don't sell them anymore because nobody wants to buy them anymore."

As for Ngoc Anh, a Gen Z girl, she's taking advantage of the opportunity to capture beautiful photos during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Her memories of the Mid-Autumn Festival include the resounding drumbeats of the lion dance troupe, the image of children excitedly wearing masks of Ông Địa and Chú Cuội, carrying star-shaped lanterns and fish-shaped lanterns, parading around the neighborhood. It's also about a long table filled with sweets and treats, children happily enjoying the feast while gazing at the moon, and the feeling of anticipation waiting for their parents to buy them toys or treats.

"Traditional mooncakes with fillings of Chinese sausage, char siu, pumpkin seeds, and salted pork fat infused with the fragrant scent of pomelo blossoms are deeply ingrained in our memories and are something everyone cherishes. You have to eat a traditional mooncake to truly feel that Mid-Autumn Festival is here. My mother said so!" - Ngoc Anh happily shared.

Nowadays, young people are also tending to seek out old traditions. These include moon-gazing feasts and traditional five-pointed star lanterns that sometimes stain your hands red when you hold them...

As time passes and the full moon season changes, amidst the hustle and bustle of modern life, the Mid-Autumn Festival remains an important holiday deeply rooted in Vietnamese culture. It contributes to preserving beautiful values, bringing people closer together, and holding cherished childhood memories of this special festival.

Bao Thoa

Source: https://baophutho.vn/co-mua-trang-sang-trong-ky-uc-219008.htm