Full moon festival in July in Cao Bang

For generations, every full moon of the seventh lunar month, people and families are bustling to celebrate Tet. This is the second biggest festival after Tet Nguyen Dan, one of the customs and practices that represents the traditional cultural beauty of the Tay and Nung ethnic groups in Cao Bang .

Full moon market in July early morning. Photo taken at 6:20 a.m. on August 18, 2024.

From early morning, at markets in the province, many people go to the market to buy duck, necessities, noodles, fruits... to celebrate Tet.

Duck - the main dish in the 15th day of the 7th lunar month.

On this day, married daughters return to visit their parents and family, showing gratitude for giving birth and filial piety to their parents. The Tay and Nung people believe that after getting married, women must spend the whole year with their husband and children taking care of the husband's family's business and taking care of the husband's ancestors. Therefore, the 15th day of the 7th lunar month is the occasion for women and their husband and children (pay tai) to return to their parents' house to show filial piety to their parents and ancestors . This not only shows filial piety to their parents but is also an opportunity for the groom to express his gratitude to his parents-in-law for working hard to give birth and take care of the girl he married. Gifts for parents are usually a pair of fat ducks, a dozen "banh rom", "banh gai"... Therefore, this custom is always preserved, a beautiful cultural feature of ethnic minorities.

Banh rom and banh gai are indispensable on the full moon day.

Ms. Nong Thi Tho, from Hoa An district, currently married in Hanoi City, said: Because of the distance and busy work all year round, the couple only have the opportunity to return to their maternal home every now and then, but on the 15th day of the 7th lunar month, they cannot help but return. Every year, on the 15th day of the 7th lunar month, the whole family prepares their belongings, especially a pair of ducks to "pay tai" at their maternal home.

Vermicelli is also an indispensable dish on the full moon day.

A variety of fruits served on the full moon day.

Roast duck is vacuum packed for families. — Roasted duck is vacuum packed for families to enjoy.

It can be said that customs in each place and each ethnic group are different. But the most common thing is the filial piety towards parents and ancestors on the 15th day of the 7th lunar month, which is present in all ethnic groups. This is one of the occasions to strengthen the affection between people in the family, in the clan, in the relationship between neighbors... it is a unique cultural feature, full of humanity that needs to be preserved, conserved and developed.

On Tet holiday, the whole family gathers around a cozy meal, enjoying local specialties.