LIGHTING LAMPS OF GRATITUDE – WHEN VU LAN BECOMES A CONTEMPORARY CULTURAL EXPERIENCE
Within the space of Diệu Tướng Am, culture is no longer an academic concept or a story confined to the pages of books, but comes alive in every activity, letting visitors reach out and discover it for themselves.
On the afternoon of August 22nd, the Diệu Tướng Am space in Ho Chi Minh City buzzed with more life than usual as multiple generations gathered for the program "Lighting Lamps of Gratitude." Families with young children, elderly visitors, and young people passionate about traditional culture all arrived with their own reasons, yet found common ground in a shared journey to discover values preserved across generations. Following the opening event in Hanoi on August 15th, the journey continued to reach audiences in the South, carrying with it stories of ancestral roots, gratitude, family memory, and continuity.
Culture Lives Beyond the Pages of Books
One of the most striking aspects of the program is how cultural values are transformed into deeply personal, hands-on experiences. Within the space of Diệu Tướng Am, culture is no longer an academic concept or a story confined to the pages of books, but comes alive in every activity, letting visitors reach out and discover it for themselves.
Some took their time learning about the storied history of dó paper-making; children delighted in dipping the mold into the pulp bath for the first time to "scoop paper" or craft bamboo fans; families gathered together to make offering cakes, enjoy the art of water puppetry, and immerse themselves in traditional folk melodies. Through the patient motions of crafting a simple sheet of paper, or carefully shaping each offering cake steeped in family devotion, these seemingly disparate experiences wove together into a cultural space brimming with emotion. There, each person came not merely to attend, but to touch memory, to share a moment with loved ones, and to rediscover the thread connecting them to their roots.
Where Generations Meet in Gratitude
Behind this deeply moving opening lies a clear vision from Diệu Tướng Am: to build a spiritual space not only for worship, but also as a place where the public can encounter culture, art, and spiritual values in a form that resonates with contemporary life.
A child may step in out of curiosity. A young person may step in for love of the arts. A family may step in seeking a meaningful experience. An international visitor may step in through cultural discovery. And yet, all may find common ground in something profoundly Vietnamese: gratitude and family bonds.
Light a lamp – so that beautiful values may continue to spread. Perhaps the truest meaning of the opening night lies not in how many lamps were lit, but in what each person carried with them after leaving that space. A word left unspoken to one's parents, a call yet to be made, a person one longs to visit, or simply a moment of gratitude that has gone unnamed for far too long.
Vu Lan, then, is not merely a festive season. It may be an occasion for us to slow down, to reflect on the bonds around us, and to realize that amid a city in constant motion, some values still make us want to pause.
The "Lighting Lamps of Gratitude" space at Diệu Tướng Am Ho Chi Minh City will remain open to the public through August 28, 2026. Immediately following, beginning around September 12th, Diệu Tướng Am Ho Chi Minh City will unveil its next chapter, "Lighting Lamps of Reunion," featuring immersive cultural experiences designed especially for families and children.
LIGHTING LAMPS OF GRATITUDE - A MULTI-SENSORY FLORAL EXPERIENCE
