Tet Trung Nguyen

Tet Trung Nguyen, Wandering Souls Day, the Vietnamese version of the Hungry Ghost Festival is called is also called xa toi vong nhan, which means "forgive the lost souls". This is one of Vietnam's most popular festivals, and the second largest of the year.

The Vietnamese believe that after a person dies, his soul is put on trial. If he is found to have led an evil life, his soul goes to the underworld. But on the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month, these spirits are granted time off to wander through the upper world. They visit their former homes and relatives in search of food, or if they don't have any family, they just roam and hope.

On this day, families make offerings and pray to Lord Buddha in the hope of clearing any false charges which have resulted in an undeserved punishment among the dead, and for the peaceful repose of their souls. The offerings are placed in temples and household altars, and among the roots of banyan trees, which are revered in Vietnam.

Grand buffet tables are spread in the open air, laden with meats, rice, desserts and other delicacies. These feasts are meant not only for their own relatives, but for any wandering soul who happens by. Votive papers and incense are burned as a purification of the dead souls. Whatever food is leftover is given to the poor.

Festival in June (2) - in Hue, Ninh Thuan, Tra Vinh

Traditional festivals in Thua Thien - Hue province: 
Co Bi Village Festival
Time: 23rd day of the fifth lunar month
Location: Co Bi Village, Phong Son Commune, Phong Dien District, Thua Thien-Hue Province.
Objects of worship: God of the opening rice paddies.
Activities: Procession of worship-conferring diploma from Dinh Shrine to the communal house, chess playing, cock fighting.

Traditional festivals in Ninh Thuan province: 
Cau Dao Festival of the Cham
Time: The 18th day of the fifth lunar month or when the drought menaced.
Location: Poklong Garai and Po Rome Towers, Ninh Thuan Province.
Objects of worship: Agriculture Genie.
Activities: The sorcerer and local people go to tower to worship the Agriculture Genie praying for rain and pray gods for good crops. White buffalo is used as the offering to sacrifice to the god.

Traditional festivals in Tra Vinh province: 
My Long Sea Worshipping Festival
Time: From 10th day to the 12th day of the fifth lunar month.
Location: Ba Chua Xu Temple, My Long Town, Cau Ngang District, Tra Vinh Province.
Objects of worship: Ba Chua Xu (the local goddess), Ca Ong (whale).
Activities: The festival of the fishermen in the southern coastal areas. The festival includes rites: welcoming the Lord Whale, procession of Ba Chua Xu, sacrifice to the Agriculture genie. Games: bag jumping (jumping in the bag), tug-of-war, fish catching.

Festival in June (2) - in Hanoi, Hung Yen province

Traditional festivals in Hung Yen province: 
Thanh Sam Festival
Time: The 2nd day of the fifth lunar month.
Location: Kim Dong District, Hung Yen Province.
Objects of worship: Tutelary god Huong Thien, Dao Quang (the reign of Hung Due Vuong), who had merit of fighting Thuc troop.
Activities: The festival recalls the embodied day of tutelary god.

Traditional festivals in Ha Noi city:
Van Khe Communal House Festival
Time: From the 17th to the 18th day of the fifth lunar month.
Location: Nghia Huong Commune, Quoc Oai District, Ha Tay Province.
Objects of worship: Two village's tutelary gods, sons of Lac Long Quan and Au Co.
Activities: Water procession, wrestling, chess playing, to tom diem playing, cheo performance.
 
Vinh Ninh Communal House Festival
Time: 13th day of the fifth lunar month.
Location: Vinh Quynh Commune, Thanh Tri District, Hanoi.
Objects of worship: Nang Tia, general of Hai Ba Trung.
Activities: Worshipping ancestor, traditional procession of god, mock battle performance.

Festival in June (1) - in Vinh Phuc Province

Bo Sao Village Festival

 Time: From the 15th to the 16th day of the fifth lunar month.
Place: Bo Sao Commune, Vinh Tuong District, Vinh Phuc Province.

Objects of worship: Dong Hai Dai Vuong.
Characteristics: Game of farming performance: villagers play in role of ploughman, raking people, rice seeds sowing people… Every year, the Bo Sao Village Festival is held to encourage good crops for local farms.
According to the lunar calendar, it is scheduled for the 15th and 16th of the fifth lunar month. This means that it will happen on June 26th and 27th on the Western calendar. Vietnamese explains that the festival is characterised by a series of performances and games all related to farming. The website notes that locals will dress up and act out various farming activities, such as ploughing, sowing seeds and raking the fields. It all forms part of a procession which takes rice seeds to the Duong Temple. Once at the holy building, they are placed on a tray and blessed, before being taken away to be planted. Anyone who makes the journey to the Bo Sao village will be able to observe the participants in this ceremony as it makes its way through the streets. According to figures from the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, Vietnam produces some 27.6 million tonnes of rice on an annual basis.

Cuu Ap Village Festival

Time: The 10th day of the fifth lunar month.
Place: Lien Chau Commune, Yen Lac District, Vinh Phuc Province.
Objects of worship: Tam Giang Dai Vuong Tho Lenh.
Characteristics: Custom of vying for silk-worms while racing boat: the racing boats start from Chai Communal House to Xuan Vien Village in the other bank of the river then vying for silk-worms for good luck.

It is a celebration dedicated to the silk worm and sees villagers racing to receive the creatures, which are seen as symbol of good luck. Locals take to the river for the race, which begins at the Chai Communal House and ends at Xuan Vien Village.Those competing will challenge for the top spot by racing across the river, with the hope of winning silk worms when they reach the other side.Vietnam's silk industry is still important to the country, with silk weaving, embroidery and painting all carried out by people around the nation. In some parts of the country, silk dying is still carried out by hand, despite the increasing mechanisation of the industry.According to Asia-Art.net, silk painting in Vietnam rose to popularity because artists believe it is "a unique way to create mystique and a charming sense of the mystique in their paintings".