Nam Dong Hung Commune: Many lanterns to celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival

Lanterns are modeled after animals in the 12 zodiac signs.

Since the beginning of the 8th lunar month, the Mid-Autumn Festival atmosphere in Thai Hoa 1 village has been filled every evening with colorful lantern models combined with the sound of drums "tung ding ding ding ding" parading throughout the village. Wherever the lantern model caravan goes, people from old to young follow, creating a bustling, bustling scene, attracting passersby. Many people enjoy posing for photos next to the super-large lanterns, filming the entire row of lanterns to send to relatives far away to admire. This is also the village that initiated the unique and most impressive lantern making movement of the locality, which has been maintained for decades, in which in 2023 the 3.5m-high cat lantern model won first prize in the OLM national Mid-Autumn Festival lantern creation contest. Mr. Nham Huu Khu, Head of Thai Hoa 1 village, shared: With the wish that children will have a warm, memorable Mid-Autumn Festival, for decades, the villagers have mobilized social resources, people contributed labor and money to make beautiful, unique and strange lantern models. In addition to the models of Uncle Ho, Hang, and Cuoi, people also rely on funny animals to make lanterns that all children love. This year's Mid-Autumn Festival, Thai Hoa 1 village has 13 giant lantern models, the most in the commune.

Both adults and children enjoy the meticulously and elaborately crafted lantern models.

The appeal and significance of these unique lanterns have quickly spread to many villages in the commune. According to Mr. Pham Cong Luan, Vice Chairman of the Commune People's Committee, previously, the movement of making large, unique lanterns was only in the villages of the old Dong Hoang commune. This year's Mid-Autumn Festival is the first year that Dong Hoang commune merged with Xuan Quang Dong commune to establish the new Nam Dong Hung commune, but the movement has been replicated in many villages with over 100 large and small lanterns, modeled after animals in the 12 zodiac animals, according to fairy tale characters, fables... showing the richness in creative ideas and skillful hands of local people. Villages all try to create lantern models with their own mark, such as Thai Hoa I village with a gray cat, a pure white rabbit, a cobra; Lam Dien village with a golden carp, a tank; Quang Trung village with a golden dragon, a rooster; Hung Viet village is the star lantern... All models are mounted on homemade cars, installed with lighting systems, fun music, hanging the national flag and Uncle Ho's picture to create a vivid lighting effect, attracting all eyes and receiving many compliments. "Every year, the Mid-Autumn Festival is the most memorable for me when I get to participate in fun programs, such as lion dance performances, lantern parades around the commune and moon-watching parties. These activities have helped me have more childhood joy as well as understand more about the traditional beauty of the nation" - student Vu Duy Phuong, class 7A, Quang Duong Secondary School confided.

With the theme “Lanterns light up dreams”, the highlight of this year’s Mid-Autumn Festival in Nam Dong Hung commune is the display of lantern models in the central area of the commune, along the main road; the night of the procession of Uncle Ho’s palanquin and lantern models; camping, performing arts, lion dances; and moon-watching parties in residential areas. In addition, the commune also organized gift giving for children in especially difficult circumstances and provided financial support for villages to give Mid-Autumn gifts to 5,200 children from 1 to 14 years old in the commune.

With many exquisite, massive, impressive, and rare lantern models created by thousands of hearts for children, this year's Mid-Autumn Festival in Nam Dong Hung commune still promises to be the locality with the most joyful, bustling, and memorable lantern procession festival in the region.

Thu Hien

Source: https://baohungyen.vn/xa-nam-dong-hung-muon-ve-den-long-don-tet-trung-thu-3186183.html