Connecting and preserving identity

During the Mid-Autumn Festival, the beliefs, customs, practices and cultural identity of the community are further cultivated and preserved, contributing to building the brand of Da Nang's cultural and tourist destination.

The Thien Cau dance preserves the cultural values ​​of the Hoi An community. Photo: Hoi An World Heritage Conservation Center.

Street in lion season

Throughout the wards of Tam Ky, Ban Thach, Huong Tra, Quang Phu, from the middle of the 7th lunar month, the bustling atmosphere of the festival season has begun with the stages of making lion and dragon figures by artisans, young men, the elderly and children. That exciting atmosphere lasts until the full moon day of the Mid-Autumn Festival.

What is special is that in the above localities, it seems that every block of the ward has its own lion dance team. The teams exchange and share experiences in making lion heads, lion dances, and pass on the craft of making lion dances to the next generation. During the festival season, on all the streets, people flock to join the lion dance troupes to pray for peace.

Tu Ban Hamlet now belongs to Tam Ky and Huong Tra Wards. The two Wards are only separated by a small alley. Tu Ban has been famous for decades for its lion and dragon head making. The land with many talented artisans has produced beautiful, sophisticated lion and dragon heads that are always popular. In addition to lion and dragon heads, artisans also create dragons, turtles, and phoenixes that are also very eye-catching.

Mr. Truong Van Dung, a veteran lion and dragon craftsman of Tu Ban hamlet, said that at first, he made lion and dragon crafts for his children to play with and dance in the hamlet. Then, his reputation spread far and wide, and he made lion and dragon crafts to sell to individuals, units, and organizations in neighboring provinces and cities.

“Making and performing lion and dragon dances during the Mid-Autumn Festival is an occasion for the community to reunite, unite, and join hands. Lion and dragon dances pray for peace, happiness, and prosperity for the land and each family in the community. Lion and dragon dances are also a tradition of community solidarity, a custom of people striving for truth, goodness, and beauty,” said Mr. Dung.

Connecting to create cultural destinations

According to the memories of Hoi An elders, Hoi An people in the 18th century had the custom of hanging lanterns in front of their houses during the Mid-Autumn Festival. From that tradition, along with consumer demand, the lantern making profession in Hoi An gradually formed to serve the needs of decoration, entertainment and souvenirs for tourists visiting the ancient town.

Hoi An lanterns attract more tourists during Mid-Autumn Festival. Photo: QUANG VIET

In the Thien Cau dance, a unique and special performance ritual that prays for good things for people and wishes for peace and prosperity for the country in Hoi An, lanterns are indispensable.

According to documents preserved in Hoi An, lanterns are not just simple decorations but have many profound meanings for Hoi An people. Lanterns in the beliefs in particular and culture in general of Hoi An residents are symbols of light, so they carry the expectation of success, enlightenment, luck and happiness.

On the Mid-Autumn Festival night, lanterns connect families, friends and relatives in a warm, cozy and joyful atmosphere, so they are a symbol of solidarity, sharing, closeness and harmony of Hoi An people.

Many tourists, especially European and American tourists, when coming to Hoi An during the Mid-Autumn Festival, especially love the groups of children lighting lanterns, bustlingly carrying the full moon as a cultural beauty. Hoi An lanterns are therefore not only a long-standing traditional beauty but also a profound harmony between people and nature, the earth and sky...

According to Mr. Pham Phu Ngoc, Deputy Director of Hoi An World Cultural Heritage Conservation Center, Hoi An Mid-Autumn Festival with its core values ​​formed on the basis of indigenous traditions, cultural exchange and adaptation with Japan and China has always been preserved by the Hoi An community. Hoi An Mid-Autumn Festival is vibrant because of its rich cultural and religious values.

Mr. Ngoc said that this year's Hoi An Mid-Autumn Festival is held to continue to preserve and honor traditional cultural values, connect the community, bring joy to people and tourists, and convey cultural and historical meanings. "This year's Mid-Autumn Festival, Hoi An will recreate the living space, lifestyle and cultural and artistic activities of ancient Hoi An people, combined with the light of lanterns to bring a feeling of relaxation and peace in the experience," Mr. Ngoc affirmed.

It is no coincidence that the traditional festival, social customs and beliefs of the Mid-Autumn Festival in Hoi An were recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2023. The festival affirms Hoi An's creative spirit in applying tangible and intangible heritages to create vivid experiences for visitors.

We believe that the Hoi An Mid-Autumn Festival, when combined with the vibrant festivals in Ngu Hanh Son, Son Tra, and the city center, will become a series of Mid-Autumn activities, creating a unique cultural journey for Da Nang to develop its brand as a cultural and tourist destination in the region.

Source: https://baodanang.vn/gan-ket-va-gin-giu-ban-sac-3305448.html