A team from Hoi An City in Quang Nam Province, central Vietnam won the Ocean International Lantern Contest, the first of its kind in the world, which gathered 16 teams and artisans from five countries, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam.

The contest is part of the Oriental Light Festival, which is scheduled for January 18 to March 26 in northern Hung Yen Province.

The festival showcases the best lanterns from the Ocean International Lantern Contest and features the longest lantern street in Vietnam. 

It is considered a 'super festival' with 580 activities, taking place through the 2025 Lunar New Year holiday, which is due on Jaunary 29.

The highlight of the festival is the Ocean International Lantern Contest and China’s Yuyuan Lantern Festival, which UNESCO recognized as intangible cultural heritage.

At the Ocean International Lantern Contest, the first prize was awarded to Hoi An Craft Vietnam for their 'Hon Thieng Dat Viet' (The Sacred Soul of Vietnam) lantern, which is 70 meters long and 20 meters wide.

The latern was completed in over two months by 12 artisans. 

They used paper made from the bark of coconut trees in the Cam Thanh Coconut Forest in Hoi An for this artwork.

“This is what moved the judges,” said Chen Jia, cultural director of Yuyuan INC, a member of China’s Fosun Group and a judge of the contest. 

According to Chen, Hoi An artisans infused the culture and long history of Vietnam into the lantern, using light to convey love and pride for the nation’s history and to honor traditional Vietnamese culture.

The artwork also demonstrated the high creativity of Vietnamese artisans by using environmentally friendly materials. 

With coconut tree bark, the lantern remains a complete piece of fine art during the day. At night, when illuminated, it looks like a sculpture, offering viewers two entirely different experiences.

Chen said she had seen many creative methods in lantern art from around the world, but the creativity of Vietnamese artisans is entirely new to her.

The second prize went to 'The God of Fortune' of South Korea, while the third prizes were awarded to Vietnam’s 'Sac Mau Cuoc Song' (The Colors of Life) and 'Long Phuong Sum Vay' (Dragon and Phoenix Gathering).

Vietnam’s 'Lac Long Quan Tro Ve' (Lac Long Quan Returns), China’s 'Wings of the Future,' and South Korea’s 'Sajik & Nongak Ceremony' earned honorable mentions.

Nguyen Thu Hang, CEO of Vinhomes and a representative of the festival's organizing committee, stated that the Oriental Light Festival is more than just a regular cultural event.

"It's designed to elevate the art of light, blending traditional culture with modern art," she said.

"This festival will draw tourists right at the start of the year, helping to cement Vietnam's place on the world's cultural and tourism map.

"It also showcases Vietnam's capability to host top-tier cultural events."

During the event, the Vietnam Records Organization officially recognized the Ocean International Lantern Contest within the Oriental Light Festival as both the largest international lantern festival in Vietnam and the site of the longest lantern street, adorned with symbols from Vietnamese and international cultures.

Additionally, 'Hon Thieng Dat Viet' was acknowledged as the largest lantern cluster in Vietnam.

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