On February 12th (the 15th day of the first lunar month), over 1,500 performers participated in the Lantern Festival parade. People filled the streets to enjoy the lively and festive atmosphere of the celebration.
The street art parade started at 5 PM and traveled through several streets around the Cholon area: Haithuong Lanong Street, Chau Van Lien Street, Laozi Street, Luong Nhu Hoc Street, Nguyen Trai Street, Tran Xuan Hoa Street, and the District 5 Cultural Center.
Performers dressed as the Eight Immortals performed lion dance routines along the streets on February 12th.
“This is my second year participating in the Lantern Festival parade. The atmosphere this year is more lively than last year because there are more lion dance troupes,” shared Ho Thi Hong Nhi (24 years old, on the left).
The parade passed through many streets around the Cholon area, with thousands of people joining in the festivities and enjoying the spectacular lion dance performances.
People on both sides of the street touched the lion dancers, hoping for good fortune, health, and prosperity in the new year.
Crowds lined the streets, waving to the parade as it passed by.
This annual event has been held since 1990. The Lantern Festival and Vietnamese Poetry Night in 2022 were organized by the Department of Culture and Sports of Ho Chi Minh City, the Permanent Office of the City’s Steering Committee for Major Festivals, and the People’s Committees of Districts 5, 6, and 11, in collaboration with the Writers’ Association.
Children were carried on their parents’ shoulders to watch the parade pass by.
“The Lantern Festival is a distinctive cultural tradition for the Chinese community. It’s also a time for everyone to wish for peace and good luck in the coming year,” shared Thu Hong (43 years old, District 5).
Many female performers wore traditional Chinese costumes, adding color to the parade on February 12th.
By 6:30 PM, the parade concluded its performance at the District 5 Cultural Center.
The Lantern Festival (also known as Shangyuan Festival or Lantern Festival) is one of the ancient traditional festivals. During the festival, Vietnamese and Chinese communities visit temples and shrines to pray for health, peace, and prosperity. The main activities of the day take place within families and communities at Chinese associations. In addition to rituals, the festival highlights the community spirit of the Chinese community with activities such as traditional opera performances, lion dances, lantern competitions, riddles, and traditional cuisine tasting, as well as street art parades.
Source link: https://dantri.com.vn/doi-song/tet-nguyen-tieu-tung-bung-cua-nguoi-hoa-o-tphcm-20250212194611548.htm
