Lantern Festival in Hoi An

The Lantern Festival in Hoi An holds great spiritual significance for the local people. It's an occasion for them to express their reverence to their ancestors and pray for prosperity in the new year. According to the folk beliefs of the people of Quang Nam province, the Lantern Festival in Hoi An is also known as the "Day of Heavenly Blessings" – a time when heavenly officials bestow many blessings upon the world. Therefore, this festival in Hoi An attracts a large number of locals and tourists who come to celebrate and experience it.

We invite you to experience the Lantern Festival with Vietnam.vn through the photo series "Lantern Festival in Hoi An" by author Nguyen Nhat Tu. Visiting Hoi An ancient town during the Lantern Festival, you can not only admire the peaceful scenery of ancient houses and unique architectural structures, but also explore the dazzling and magical Hoi An lantern street at night and participate in street activities with locals and foreign tourists. This photo series was submitted by the author to the "Happy Vietnam" photo and video contest, organized by the Ministry of Information and Communications . For hundreds of years, the unique cultural values ​​of the Hoi An Lantern Festival have been preserved and promoted by the residents of Hoi An ancient town, contributing to enriching the national cultural identity in general, and that of Hoi An and Quang Nam in particular. On February 2, 2023, the Hoi An Lantern Festival was recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage. The Lantern Festival in Hoi An is held over three days, from the 14th to the 16th of the first lunar month each year, with the official ceremony taking place on the 16th. Visitors can participate in the Lantern Festival at various temples and pagodas such as Ong Pagoda, Cau Pagoda, Son Phong Temple, etc., and also enjoy the lantern festival in the heart of Hoi An Old Town, near the Hoai River. The Lantern Festival originates from the folk beliefs of the people of Hoi An. They believe this is the day when the heavenly officials bestow blessings upon the people. Therefore, the local people have long had a tradition of offering sacrifices, warding off misfortune, praying for peace, and decorating their homes during this time. This is also one of the festivals with significant spiritual meaning, an opportunity for locals and tourists to express their reverence to the sages and pray for a prosperous and peaceful new year. Images of celestial beings at the Lantern Festival in Hoi An.

Elderly people in Hoi An attend the Lantern Festival.

Flower procession in the old town.

The Lantern Festival in Hoi An possesses unique cultural values ​​and characteristics compared to many other places in Vietnam and Asia, as it is formed on the basis of Vietnam's indigenous cultural traditions and the cultural exchange and adaptation with China and Japan during the golden age when Hoi An was a major trading port in the region.

The ceremony of receiving the certificate recognizing Hoi An's Lantern Festival as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Dragon dance to celebrate the Lantern Festival.

The Lantern Festival in Hoi An is held over three days, from the 14th to the 16th of the first lunar month each year, with the official ceremony taking place on the 16th. Visitors can participate in the Lantern Festival at temples and pagodas such as Ong Pagoda, Cau Pagoda, Son Phong Temple, etc., and join the lantern festival right in the heart of Hoi An Old Town, near the Hoai River.

The Lantern Festival plays a significant role in the cultural life of the Hoi An community. It satisfies spiritual and cultural needs, strengthens community bonds, and features attractive and unique traditional cultural, artistic, and recreational activities, thus drawing the entire community to participate.

Today, the Hoi An Lantern Festival is not only a traditional cultural and spiritual activity eagerly awaited by the people, but also a unique tourism product for visitors at the beginning of the new year, attracting a large number of domestic and international tourists to enjoy and explore. In 2024, the "Happy Vietnam" photo and video contest will continue to be organized by the Ministry of Information and Communications in coordination with the Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists on the website.   https://happy.vietnam.vn is open to all Vietnamese citizens and foreigners aged 15 and above. The competition aims to honor individuals and groups with positive informational products that make practical contributions to promoting a beautiful image of Vietnam to the world . Through this, it helps people at home, overseas Vietnamese, and international friends access authentic images of Vietnam, its people, its achievements in ensuring human rights, and towards a happy Vietnam. Each competition category (photos and videos) has the following prizes and prize values: – 1 Gold Medal: 70,000,000 VND – 2 Silver Medals: 20,000,000 VND – 3 Bronze Medals: 10,000,000 VND – 10 Consolation Prizes: 5,000,000 VND – 1 Most Voted entry: 5,000,000 VND. Winning authors will be invited by the Organizing Committee to attend the Award Ceremony and Certificate Presentation, broadcast live on Vietnam Television.

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