Introduction: A Festival of the Whole Community
If the Lunar New Year (Tet Nguyen Dan) is a time for family gatherings within households and ancestral halls, the Lantern Festival (Tet Nguyen Tieu, 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 Cho Lon 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.
Origins and Significance of the Lantern Festival
What is "Nguyen Tieu"?
"Nguyen Tieu" (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.
Differences from the Lunar New Year
According to Dr. Dinh Van Hanh, a cultural expert, Tet Nguyen Dan is the Tet of the family, held at home and ancestral halls. In contrast, Tet Nguyen Tieu 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.
Cho Lon and the Migration Journey of the Chinese
Cho Lon 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 Cho Lon. 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.
The Belief in Thien Hau: The Patron Goddess of Seafarers
Who is Thien Hau Thanh Mau?
In the minds of many Chinese communities, especially those from coastal regions, Thien Hau Thanh Mau (or Ba Thien Hau) 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
Ba Thien Hau Pagoda (Tue Thanh Assembly Hall) is one of the most important worship centers of this belief in Cho Lon. 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.
Typical Sites of the Lantern Festival in Cho Lon
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 Am Pagoda)
Located at 12 Lao Tu Street, Ong Lan Assembly Hall was built in the late 18th century by the Fujian Chinese community (from Tuyen Chau prefecture). It is one of the oldest assembly halls dedicated to Thien Hau Thanh Mau in Cho Lon. 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 Nguyen Tieu (15th of the first month) or the Nghinh Ong 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 (Nghia An Assembly Hall)
Ong Pagoda is the common name of Nghia An Assembly Hall, dedicated to Quan Thanh De Quan (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 Thanh De Quan 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.
Ong Bon Pagoda (Nhi Phu Assembly Hall)
Nhi Phu Assembly Hall was built by Chinese from Tuyen Chau and Duong Chau prefectures (Fujian) in the late 17th century. The main deity worshipped here is Ong Bon, i.e., Phuc Duc Chinh Than, the god protecting land and people. During the Lantern Festival, Ong Bon Pagoda organizes several important rituals, including the death anniversary of Quan Thanh De Quan (13th of the first month), the death anniversary of Phuoc Duc Chinh Than (15th of the first month), and the death anniversary of Ong Ho (17th of the first month). The curved roof shaped like a dragon boat, decorated with elaborate porcelain shards, is a rare and distinctive feature.
Main Activities During the Lantern Festival
Parades, Palanquin Processions, and Street Arts
The most distinctive highlight of the Lantern Festival in Cho Lon 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 (Nghia 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.
Heritage Values and Tourism Potential
According to Dr. Dinh Van Hanh, 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.
Conclusion
The Lantern Festival of the Chinese community in Cho Lon is not merely a religious festival but a comprehensive community cultural activity, converging beliefs, arts, cuisine, and traditional values. Through the worship of Thien Hau Thanh Mau and other deities at assembly halls, the festival has become an invisible thread connecting the Chinese community to its roots, while enriching the diverse cultural identity of Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnam as a whole.
