Published:  15:30 Tuesday - January 03, 2012

Considered the second most important festival in Vietnam following Tet holiday, Vu Lan Festival is the special and great festival happening on 15th day of the seventh month on Lunar Calendar.

Vu Lan festival is the popular and important festival of Vietnamese people. It takes place on the seventh full moon in the year.  In other words, it is called “Xa toi vong nhan” – Wandering Souls’ Day because on that day, the gate of hell opens and the death’s souls can come back to their former houses. Besides it, it gives Vietnamese people a chance to express the love and gratitude to their ancestor and parents. On the festival, children often give their children meaningful gifts and gather with the family.

On Vu Lan festival, each family will prepare a lavish tray with various delicious dishes set on the ancestral altar. It is to express the honor to ancestor and it is also the gathering tray of the family. Vu Lan festival is a special occasion for Vietnamese families and children to do significant things for their ancestor and parents. In accordance of Vietnamese tradition, liturgy plays a very important role in Vietnamese spirit. Vietnamese children will arrange to come back home to gather with their family and give gifts to their parents.

In addition, Vietnamese people often go to pagodas and temples on this day, so pagodas are so crowded as many people come here to worship and pray for their parents. Interestingly, each person will have a rose in front of their chest, red rose for those whose parents are alive and white rose for those whose parents have passed away. Perhaps, it is the day making them miss their parents and review all of the things that they have done for them. For those whose parents have passed away, the feelings may be so bored and they miss their parents so much.  Anyway, it is not only the day to express love and gratitude to ancestor and parents, it is the day for children to review themselves and give more gratitude to their parents. 

At night of that day, Vietnamese hold a ceremony of releasing lighted lanterns on the river, the lanterns follows the stream and bring their wishes with. They hope that these wishes for parents will come true and the released lanterns will help them carry out the wishes.