The Lantern Festival is celebrated with great fanfare in District 11.

Lion and dragon dance at the Lantern Festival in District 11 - Photo: Phuong Quyen

"This is the first time District 11 has organized the Lantern Festival for our Chinese community, so we came to watch. It was so much fun," Ms. Mai, a Chinese woman who brought her children and grandchildren to watch the program, happily told Tuoi Tre Online .

Lantern Festival in District 11: lively and heartwarming.

Attending the Lantern Festival in District 11 were Mr. Nguyen Van Dung - Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, Mr. Le Thanh Minh - Deputy Director of the Department of Science and Technology of Ho Chi Minh City, and Ms. Dang Thi Tuyet Mai - Deputy Head of the Ethnic Affairs Committee of Ho Chi Minh City.

A large crowd of people came to watch the first-ever Lantern Festival in District 11 - Photo: PHUONG QUYEN

From 5 PM onwards, Ha Ton Quyen street was packed with people. The street was also bustling with stalls selling calligraphy, cakes, and sweet soups, along with displays of images showcasing the activities of the people and the government of District 11.

At the end of the street, a large stage was set up, where artists performed lion dances, traditional songs, and other entertainment for the local people.

Here, lion and dragon dance parades take place along several streets, along with cultural and artistic exchanges among the Chinese community, and the offering of lucky lanterns.

In her opening remarks at the festival, Ms. Tran Thi Bich Tram, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of District 11, said: "This is the first year the Lantern Festival has been held in District 11. Besides its historical, political , cultural, and social values, it also represents community values, a mark of time, and a spiritual asset for the people."

This is a harmonious blend of Vietnamese and Chinese cultures, aiming to promote cultural values, spiritual values, humanistic values, and solidarity among Vietnamese and Chinese people and other ethnic groups in the Vietnamese community."

The activity of inviting lucky lanterns during the Lantern Festival in District 11 - Photo: PHUONG QUYEN

At the end of the festival was the traditional Chinese lantern-lighting ceremony. Many philanthropists contributed over 104 million VND to help underprivileged ethnic minority children living in District 11.

Calligraphy booth at the Lantern Festival in District 11 - Photo: HOANG LE

Artist Chau Hung, head of the Nhac Phong Chinese Traditional Music Club at the District 11 Cultural and Sports Center, excitedly shared: "Our club operates weekly. We perform for the community every quarter. But today we have the opportunity to perform right on the traditional Lunar New Year of our nation. I feel proud and happy."

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/tung-bung-le-hoi-nguyen-tieu-o-quan-11-20240223170112233.htm