Sep 29, 2023
Mid-Autumn Festival 2023 (Vietnam)
This Doodle’s Key Themes
Today’s annual Doodle celebrates the Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Children’s Festival or Tết Trung Thu, in Vietnam. The holiday occurs on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month every year, when the full moon shines brightest in the night sky. Vietnamese people organize feasts, lion dances, family gatherings, and more to give thanks for a bountiful harvest season and wish for good fortune.
There are several folk legends about the origins of Tết Trung Thu. First is the story of Hằng Nga, who became one with the moon after drinking a divine medicine to keep it safe from wicked hands. Then there’s the tale of Chú Cuội, a poor woodcutter who found an old banyan with magical leaves and used them to cure a sick princess. When the tree was damaged, he failed to keep it rooted and floated up to the moon with it. Lastly is the fable of Thỏ Trắng, a rabbit who was invited to live on the moon after demonstrating its bravery and kindness to three fairies disguised as beggars.
Each year, people in Vietnam parade through the streets with brightly colored lanterns, hoping to catch the attention of these three heroes. Meanwhile, bands of skilled dancers dress up in decorative lion costumes and perform lively stunt shows to grant luck and prosperity for all who watch. Families also pay homage to their ancestors with five-fruit tray offerings before munching on bánh dẻo and bánh nướng, sweet and savory pastry treats called mooncakes (like the ones featured in today’s Doodle!).
Trung thu vui vẻ! Happy Mid-Autumn Festival, Vietnam!
Check out the behind-the-scenes process for
today’s Doodle artwork by Doodler Olivia When
Behind the scenes of painting, and stop-motion, replacement animation
Early tests on a claymation version
Alternate illustration version showing the making process
Where this Doodle appeared
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