The full moon of the seventh lunar month: Vu Lan and Tết Trung nguyên
The full moon of the seventh lunar month is Vu Lan, a day of gratitude to parents, also called Tết Trung nguyên. Its meaning, the usual rites at home and at the pagoda, and the next three dates.
The full moon of the seventh lunar month goes by two familiar names: Buddhism calls it Vu Lan, and folk custom calls it Tết Trung nguyên.
When it falls
Vu Lan is the 15th day of the seventh lunar month. The next three dates, in Vietnam time:
| Lunar year | Lunar date | Solar date |
|---|---|---|
| Đinh Mùi | 15/7 | Monday, 16 August 2027 |
| Mậu Thân | 15/7 | Sunday, 3 September 2028 |
| Kỷ Dậu | 15/7 | Friday, 24 August 2029 |
How the full-moon day is worked out is covered in Rằm and mùng một.
Meaning
- Gratitude to parents. In Buddhism, Vu Lan is a time to remember what we owe our parents and ancestors.
- Pardon for the dead. Folk custom also calls this day xá tội vong nhân, the day the souls of the dead are pardoned.
Common customs
- Offerings to the ancestors at home.
- Going to the pagoda. Pagodas hold a Vu Lan ceremony and chant sutras.
- Offerings to wandering souls (cúng chúng sinh, cúng cô hồn). Many households set out a small tray in the late afternoon or evening for souls with no one to care for them.
The sources we compared do not agree on offerings, so this post does not list a specific tray. Follow your own family’s ways.
Festivals in Qelunai
The month view in Qelunai shows the lunar date and solar term of every day, worked out in Vietnam time right on your phone. In the next update, the calendar will mark traditional festivals, with a Festival section in Day details and an optional reminder one day before (off by default). To look up the lunar date of any day, use the Lunar calendar page.
Sources
Articles are cultural reference, not professional advice. Illustrations drawn by AI.