Image: Unknown author, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
TL;DR: The Lantern Festival of the Chinese community in Chợ Lớn (District 5, Ho Chi Minh City) is a major community festival recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage. It takes place mainly at assembly halls, notably temples dedicated to Thiên Hậu Thánh Mẫu, the goddess protecting seafarers, reflecting the migration journey and spiritual life of the Chinese community.
Introduction: A Festival of the Whole Community
If the Lunar New Year (Tết Nguyên Đán) is a time for family gatherings within households and ancestral halls, the Lantern Festival (Tết Nguyên Tiêu, on the 15th day of the first lunar month) carries a completely different meaning. It is a community-wide festival, a "Tet" that connects people sharing the same homeland and beliefs. In Ho Chi Minh City, nowhere embodies this atmosphere more vividly than the Chợ Lớn area (District 5 and its vicinity), the long-standing home of the Chinese community. The Lantern Festival here is not only a distinctive cultural feature but has been officially recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a national intangible cultural heritage, affirming its immense historical and spiritual value within Vietnam's diverse cultural landscape.
Comparison table of typical assembly halls organizing the Nguyên Tiêu Festival in Chợ Lớn.
| Assembly hall | Chinese community | Main deity worshipped | Construction period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bà Thiên Hậu Pagoda (Tuệ Thành Assembly Hall) | Guangzhou origin | Thiên Hậu Thánh Mẫu | around the 19th century |
| Ôn Lăng Assembly Hall | Fujian origin (Quanzhou prefecture) | Thiên Hậu Thánh Mẫu | second half of the 18th century |
| Ong Pagoda (Nghĩa An Assembly Hall) | Chaozhou | Quan Thánh Đế Quân | |
| Ông Bổn Pagoda (Nhị Phủ Assembly Hall) | Fujian (Quanzhou and Yangzhou prefectures) | Ông Bổn, also known as Phúc Đức Chính Thần | late 17th century |
What is the Lantern Festival and why is it celebrated?
What is Nguyên Tiêu?
"Nguyên Tiêu" (元宵) means the first full moon night of the new year, i.e., the night of the 15th day of the first lunar month. It is the time when the moon is fullest and brightest of the year, symbolizing completeness, reunion, and a good start. For the Chinese, this is an occasion to visit temples and shrines to pray for a peaceful, healthy, lucky, and prosperous new year.
How is it different from the Lunar New Year?
According to Dr. Đinh Văn Hạnh, a cultural expert, Tết Nguyên Đán is the Tet of the family, held at home and ancestral halls. In contrast, Tết Nguyên Tiêu is the Tet of the community, held mainly at assembly halls (Ong Pagoda, Ba Pagoda) - traditional religious sites with long histories. Therefore, the festival carries a strong character of community cultural activity, expressing solidarity and mutual support among those from the same homeland or profession in a foreign land.
How did the Chinese migrate to Chợ Lớn?
Chợ Lớn has long been known as one of the most bustling Chinese quarters in Vietnam. The Chinese community settled here over centuries, mainly from coastal areas of southern China such as Fujian, Guangdong, Chaozhou, and Hainan. Each community brought its own culture, language, and beliefs, collectively building a diverse and richly characterized Chợ Lớn. The presence of assembly halls is clear evidence of this migration process. They are not only places of worship but also administrative centers, meeting places, helping fellow townsfolk, and preserving language, script, and traditional values.
Who is Thiên Hậu, the patron goddess of seafarers?
Who is Thiên Hậu Thánh Mẫu?
In the minds of many Chinese communities, especially those from coastal regions, Thiên Hậu Thánh Mẫu (or Bà Thiên Hậu) is the supreme goddess protecting seafarers. She is seen as a symbol of protection and rescue from storms and dangers at sea. Her worship is closely tied to the sea-crossing journeys of Chinese migrants. Thus, upon arriving in new lands, they often built temples to honor her, expressing gratitude and seeking blessings for a peaceful and prosperous new life.
Architecture and Worship Activities at Assembly Halls Dedicated to Her
Bà Thiên Hậu Pagoda (Tuệ Thành Assembly Hall) is one of the most important worship centers of this belief in Chợ Lớn. Built around the 19th century by the Cantonese Chinese community, the hall is not only a place of worship but also a unique architectural and artistic work, featuring exquisite wood carvings on bao lam (decorative panels), altars, and reliefs. Every year, around pre-Tet and the 15th day of the first lunar month, it welcomes hundreds of lion dance troupes from all over to seek blessings and luck. The ritual of "khai quang diem nhan" (dotting the eyes to awaken the deity) is held with the hope of a peaceful and prosperous new year. On the 23rd day of the third lunar month, the death anniversary of the Goddess is celebrated solemnly, attracting many locals and tourists.
Where is the Lantern Festival celebrated in Chợ Lớn?
The Lantern Festival is not confined to one space but spreads across various assembly halls in District 5, each with its own unique features.
Ong Lan Assembly Hall (Ong Lan Pagoda or Quan Âm Pagoda)
Located at 12 Lão Tử Street, Ong Lan Assembly Hall was built in the late 18th century by the Fujian Chinese community (from Tuyền Châu prefecture). It is one of the oldest assembly halls dedicated to Thiên Hậu Thánh Mẫu in Chợ Lớn. The pagoda's architecture follows the ancient Chinese temple style with tubular roof tiles, bearing a strong Fujian character. During the 15th day of the first lunar month, it attracts many devotees to pray for peace and wealth. The hall is also famous for the custom of "beating the villain" before the Tiger God altar, usually held during Kinh Trap (the Awakening of Insects). On the main day of Nguyên Tiêu (15th of the first month) or the Nghinh Ông ceremony (13th of the first month), processions are required to pass by the pagoda to stop and pay respects, considered an indispensable ritual.
Ong Pagoda (Nghĩa An Assembly Hall)
Ong Pagoda is the common name of Nghĩa An Assembly Hall, dedicated to Quan Thánh Đế Quân (Guan Yu), founded by the Chaozhou Chinese community. Each year, the hall holds two major ceremonies: the Lantern Festival and the death anniversary of Ong (24th day of the sixth lunar month). During the 15th day of the first month, a series of festival activities attract thousands of participants. Most prominent are the procession of Quan Thánh Đế Quân on tour (13th of the first month) and the custom of borrowing and receiving blessings from Ong (14th and 15th of the first month). The hall's space, with double-sided carved wooden panels, calligraphy art, and refined stone and wood carvings from the 19th and 20th centuries, is a distinctive cultural highlight.
Ông Bổn Pagoda (Nhị Phủ Assembly Hall)
Nhị Phủ Assembly Hall was built by Chinese from Tuyền Châu and Dương Châu prefectures (Fujian) in the late 17th century. The main deity worshipped here is Ông Bổn, i.e., Phúc Đức Chính Thần, the god protecting land and people. During the Lantern Festival, Ông Bổn Pagoda organizes several important rituals, including the death anniversary of Quan Thánh Đế Quân (13th of the first month), the death anniversary of Phuoc Đức Chính Thần (15th of the first month), and the death anniversary of Ông Hổ (17th of the first month). The curved roof shaped like a dragon boat, decorated with elaborate porcelain shards, is a rare and distinctive feature.
What happens during the Lantern Festival?
Parades, Palanquin Processions, and Street Arts
The most distinctive highlight of the Lantern Festival in Chợ Lớn is the parades and street art performances. Processions involving associations, Chinese girls in traditional costumes, lion-dragon teams, martial arts groups, and large drums create a vibrant and noisy festival space, attracting tens of thousands of onlookers. The processions will sequentially pass by important assembly halls to stop and perform worship rituals, showing reverence to the deities.
Unique Folk Rituals
Alongside parades, many unique folk rituals are reenacted. At Ong Pagoda (Nghĩa An Assembly Hall), the ritual of "crawling through the belly of the sacred horse" (Ma dau tuong quan) is performed by many to seek luck. The customs of "borrowing fortune" and "receiving blessings from Ong" are also unique spiritual cultural features, expressing hopes for a prosperous business year. All these create a rich, diverse, and colorful picture of beliefs.
What heritage and tourism value does the festival have?
According to Dr. Đinh Văn Hạnh, the Lantern Festival of the Chinese in District 5 embodies many significant values. Culturally, it is the most effective mechanism for preserving social customs and beliefs of the Chinese community, reflecting people's thoughts and aspirations, and enhancing community cohesion and cultural exchange among ethnic groups. Scientifically, the festival is living evidence of the cohabitation and cultural acculturation among ethnic groups in Vietnam. The festival also holds special economic value as a tourist attraction, linked to the dense system of relics and rich cuisine of District 5. The recognition as a national intangible cultural heritage opens great opportunities for preservation and promotion, as well as sustainable cultural tourism development.
