Tùng dinh dinh… The Drumbeats That Awaken Childhood!

There is a magical sound that, the moment it echoes through the air, fills us with an undeniable rush of excitement: the beat of the lion dance drum during the Mid-Autumn Festival (Tết Trung thu).

What does the lion dance drum bring back?

There was no need for a grand stage. Just a homemade lion head crafted from bamboo strips and fabric scraps, paired with a big-bellied Ông Địa (the Earth God) waving his areca-leaf fan, was enough to turn the whole neighbourhood upside down with joy. We kids would trail behind the lion dance troupe, running from one end of the alley to the other, drenched in sweat but laughing at the top of our lungs. That rhythmic “tùng dinh dinh, cắc tùng dinh dinh” – how Vietnamese children mimic the drum – was like the very heartbeat of our childhood: jubilant and brimming with life.

Keeping a “piece of the moon” for yourself

The hustle and bustle of adulthood sometimes makes us forget how to cheer with the pure, unrestrained joy of a child.

Thơmore hopes that, no matter your age, whenever you hear the lion drums echoing from a street corner, your heart will still flutter with that same childhood excitement. May you always keep the purest, brightest “piece of the moon” safe within your soul. 🌕

Wishing you a radiant Mid-Autumn season, overflowing with joy!