"For the Vietnamese, Tet Trung Thu (Mid-Autumn Festival) is a time to spend with loved ones after a season of hard work, and families welcome the festival by placing trays of fruit and cakes on their ancestral altars and eating mooncakes," it notes.

A kid watches colorful lanterns on sale for the Mid-Autumn Festival on Luong Nhu Hoc Street in Saigon's Chinatown, 2020.

The Mid-Autumn Festival is celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month and it falls on September 10 this year.

Baked mooncake and sticky rice mooncake are typical delicacies in Vietnam, which reflects a heavy Chinese influence. They have a round or rectangular shape which embodies sky and earth together – a symbol of affluence and wholeness.

Baked mooncakes have a golden hue, while sticky rice mooncakes have an ivory-like white color - each carries its distinctive flavors.

While the Chinese perform the dragon dance during this festival, the Vietnamese have their unicorn dance and lion dance, which invite luck, wealth and prosperity.

"On the night of the full moon, a male dancer wearing a round happy-faced mask parades the streets, bringing people joy with his comical gestures.

"The mask is supposed to embody Ong Dia, the God of the Earth who symbolizes prosperity and who serves as a reminder to the people to be thankful for the land’s harvests," SCMP said.

Weeks before the festival, several streets and Chinatown areas in Vietnam are lit with colorful lanterns.

The other four countries on the SCMP list are South Korea, Japan, the Philippines and Thailand.

Hang Ma Street bustles ahead of Mid-autumn festival

Hang Ma Street in Hoang Kiem District, Hanoi, fills with festive ambience as Mid-autumn Festival nears.

President joins orphans in "Going to school festival" in Da Nang city

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc joined teachers and students of Hope School in the central city of Da Nang in their "Going to school festival" on August 26.

Sa Pa Autumn Festival 2022 kicks off

The Sa Pa Town People's Committee opened Sa Pa Autumn Festival 2022 on August 26 under the theme "Sa Pa - Golden season".

Festival honours traditional food of three regions

The Saigontourist Group Culinary Culture, Delicacies Festival opened in Binh Thanh district of Ho Chi Minh City on August 25, featuring more than 300 typical dishes and drinks from all three regions across the country.

Festival to discover Mu Cang Chai terraced fields

Mu Cang Chai district (Yen Bai) will organise a festival to celebrate National Day (September 2) and kick off a series of festival events to discover Mu Cang Chai terraced fields in 2022.

Source: VnExpress