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A celebration of light, history, and renewal Ho Chi Minh City's Chinatown commemorates Tết Nguyên Tiêu

February 14, 2025

A celebration of light, history, and renewal
Ho Chi Minh City’s Chinatown commemorates Tết Nguyên Tiêu

As the first full moon of the Lunar New Year rises over Ho Chi Minh City, the streets of Chợ Lớn burst with color, song, and dedication. Tết Nguyên Tiêu, also known as the Lantern Festival, is a spiritual and cultural celebration for the city’s Chinese-Vietnamese minority. It blends faith, heritage, and expectations for the new year. From the 12th to the 18th day of the first lunar month, temples and community centers are packed with worshippers, culminating in a night of massive celebrations that illuminate both the streets and the souls of all who attend the events.

A Spiritual Journey through Time

Tết Nguyên Tiêu is not just a holiday for the Hoa people. It is a sacred time to remember ancestors and ask divine graces for the future. Families of all ages pray in Chinatown’s narrow lanes at old temples such as Thiên Hậu Temple, Ông Temple, and Nghĩa An Assembly Hall. The perfume of burning incense pervades the air as believers offer golden-paper votives, fresh fruits, and fragrant flowers to deities that have watched over generations.

Each act of devotion is meaningful—a whispered yearning for fortune, a heartfelt plea for good health, a silent thank you to those who came before. Red candles flicker in the softly illuminated temple grounds, their soft light reflecting off the intricately carved wooden altars. The most important rites are held under the full moon’s light, with hundreds gathered to see complicated procedures led by temple elders. At Ông Temple, an age-old tradition unfolds: festival-goers borrow golden mandarins and red envelopes, promising to return them twice the following year—an enduring sign of reciprocity, appreciation, and the cyclical nature of favors.

The Streets Come Alive

Beyond the temple gates, Chợ Lớn transforms into a lively festival venue. The rhythmic clash of cymbals and the deep resonance of gongs signal the arrival of lion and dragon dancers, whose elaborate costumes sparkle in the lantern-lit sky. These performances, thought to ward off evil spirits and bring fortune, are a showcase of agility and innovation, with acrobats leaping onto towering poles in stunning demonstrations of balance and coordination.

The procession passes through historic streets such as Châu Văn Liêm, Lương Nhữ Học, Nguyễn Trãi, and Trần Hưng Đạo, with extravagantly dressed performers dazzling passersby with coordinated dances and brilliant theatrics. Foreign tourists, drawn by the event’s tremendous intensity, eagerly reach out to touch the dancing lions, a gesture believed to bring good luck for the following year. Children squeal with delight as they get sweets from Ông Địa, the festival’s ever-smiling deity of prosperity who represents joy and abundance.

Meanwhile, vendors line the sidewalks, their stalls loaded with bright lanterns, lucky charms, and a delectable selection of traditional street food. The air is thick with the aroma of sizzling skewers, crispy spring rolls, and sweet sesame balls. Food carts providing chè trôi nước (glutinous rice dumplings in ginger syrup) offer a refreshing and sumptuous break from the night’s festivities.

A culinary and cultural feast

Tết Nguyên Tiêu is celebrated with a feast, and in Chợ Lớn, eating tables and temples serve as gathering places. Families and friends congregate in restaurants and banquet halls to eat dim sum, succulent roast duck, and bowls of longevity noodles. It’s a time for reunions, laughter over cups of aromatic herbal tea, and rekindling bonds over shared meals passed down through generations.

The annual Dim Sum Week at the District 5 Cultural Center enhances the festival’s reputation as a gastronomic delight, attracting foodies eager to enjoy the Hoa people’s diverse culinary traditions. Cooks in Vietnam’s largest Chinatown show off their skills by making beautiful dumplings and expertly prepared Cantonese dinners that represent centuries of cultural mingling.

A Celebration of Unity and Identity

Tết Nguyên Tiêu’s sense of unity extends beyond the cuisine and festivities. Despite its Chinese origins, the festival has long been observed by Vietnam’s many ethnicities, including Vietnamese, Khmer, and other communities. In an ever-changing metropolis where modernity frequently takes precedence over tradition, the Lantern Festival serves as a stark reminder of the city’s varied identity and cultural persistence.

As the full moon shines on Ho Chi Minh City, the flickering lanterns of Chợ Lớn convey a timeless story of recall, rejuvenation, and shared optimism for the future. In their brilliance, the past and present merge, and for one glorious night, the city pulses with the heartbeats of generations past, present, and future.

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Whether cycling through tree-lined boulevards in flowing áo dài or laughing with friends over street-side cà phê sữa đá, they carry a natural elegance, a blend of modern sophistication and timeless tradition. Their smiles—warm as the southern sun—capture the essence of a city that never stands still yet always finds moments to shine.

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