Young people take photos in the lantern street (Photo: SGGP)
Luong Nhu Hoc Lantern Street is one of the main streets located in the heart of Cho Lon. Every year, on the occasion of the 8th lunar month when the Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival or Mooncake Festival, a traditional festival celebrated in Chinese culture takes place, business households along Luong Nhu Hoc street and Hong Bang street will hang and sell lanterns which include traditional to modern kinds, from large to small, all make up the features of the Mid-Autumn Festival.
From traditional handmade lanterns to electronic lanterns, many shapes such as paper lanterns, round lanterns, fillings, and diamond patterns are available in various designs for young people and parents to choose a lantern for their children. Although electronic lanterns are popular because of their modern designs, traditional lanterns have also returned to the market in recent years and many young people opted for traditional lanterns to play Mid-Autumn Festival. Moreover, they took photographs with lanterns.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Hien, 31 years old, in Tan Binh District said that she really likes the traditional star-shaped lanterns, or carp lights because they keep the atmosphere of the Mid-Autumn Festival when she was a child. The prices of small lanterns range from VND25,000-VND30,000 a piece and large lanterns from VND200,000-VND300,000 a piece.
Do Quang Huy, owner of a lantern stall, said that the price of lanterns this year will be VND5,000-VND15,000 higher than in previous years due to the post-Covid-19 impact of market fluctuations.
On the National Day holidays of September 2, which are also close to the Mid-Autumn Festival, the lantern street has attracted a large number of visitors and shoppers. Business households are also comfortable for people to take pictures without having to buy lanterns.
While young people come to the lantern street for taking photographs with the lovely lanterns, parents buy electronic lanterns with many unique and diverse designs and models for their children. Children are photographed by their parents, young people were dressed in clothes like comic characters posing next to lanterns on the street.
Ms. Truong Tieu Hue, owner of a lantern business right at the beginning of Luong Nhu Hoc street, said that although the Mid-Autumn Festival has not yet come, a large number of tourists have shopped and taken photos with colorful lanterns more than last year because the epidemic was under control.
Shoppers and visitors can walk around the area in addition to taking pictures. The lantern street also has many shops selling food and drinks with typical dishes such as dumplings, fried rice, and Chinese tea. The image of the busy and bustling Luong Nhu Hoc lantern street over the years adds to the rhythm of life in the city with many cultural identities in the southern largest city.
