The First Full Moon Festival is the first major celebration after the Tet Lunar New Year. Held on the 15th day of the first lunar month, it is a time for people to worship their ancestors at home and pray for good fortune in the year ahead
Hoa Cuong wholesale market in Danang City was bustling early this morning as people flocked to buy large quantities of fish.
The market stalls mainly offer eels, catfish, and loaches. According to vendors, prices have remained essentially unchanged compared to regular days. Eels are priced at VND220,000 per kilogramme, loaches at VND120,000 per kilogramme, and small catfish at VND80,000 per kilogramme.
Nguyen Thi Ngoc from Cam Le District said she regularly releases fish during the First Full Moon and Ghost Festival.
Dang Thi Thua, a Hoa Cuong wholesale market trader, stocked around 700 kilogrammes of catfish, loaches, and eels for this year’s First Full Moon Festival, twice the usual amount. Thua said that customers began arriving as early as 5:30 am to purchase fish.
Traders said that most people who buy fish for release at the First Full Moon Festival rarely bargain. Customers are still happy with their purchases, even at slightly higher prices than usual.
Releasing fish is a revered Vietnamese tradition deeply rooted in cultural and spiritual beliefs. Many people thoughtfully choose auspicious dates and times for the ritual, hoping to attract health, peace, and prosperity blessings.
