For generations, the traditional craft of lantern making has lit up the streets of Vietnam during the Mid-Autumn Festival, which takes place on the 14th night of the eighth lunar month, when the moon is at its fullest.
In HCMC, a few dedicated artisans in Phu Binh continue this tradition. Phu Binh is a residential area on Lac Long Quan Street in Binh Thoi Ward (formerly part of District 11).
The story of this area goes back to the 1950s when migrants from Bao Dap Village in Nam Dinh Province (now Ninh Binh Province) settled in Saigon, bringing their cherished craft with them. During its peak, Phu Binh was a lively center of lantern production, with hundreds of households making thousands of lanterns for markets throughout central and southern regions.
Today, the craft faces a tough challenge from mass-produced industrial lanterns. Still, a few families keep the tradition alive. Despite obstacles, they find ways to earn a living, carrying on the legacy their ancestors passed down.
