Vietnamese Lanterns: History, Heritage, and Cultural Legacy

Vietnamese Lanterns are a symbol of light, hope, and craftsmanship that spans centuries

In the soft hush of twilight, the streets of Hội An begin to glow. Not from electricity, but from paper lanterns—hundreds of them—suspended in doorways, clustered in trees, and drifting gently along the Thu Bồn River. Their light is warm, honeyed, and impossibly soft, casting the ancient town in a spell of flickering color.

To see Vietnamese lanterns at night is to witness a tradition that is at once personal and cosmic. It’s a practice rooted in Buddhist philosophy, artisan heritage, and centuries of cultural exchange. Whether illuminating temple steps or carrying whispered wishes downriver, these lanterns do more than light the night. They connect the seen and unseen, the old and the new, the solitary and the communal.

Where Light Meets Legacy: The History of Vietnamese Paper Lanterns

While lanterns can be found across East and Southeast Asia, Vietnamese lanterns have their own distinct form and story—a blend of indigenous belief, foreign influence, and local craft. Their history traces back more than four centuries, when Hội An was a bustling port along maritime trade routes. Traders from Japan and China brought their lantern traditions with them, and the designs evolved alongside the architecture and fabric of the town itself.

Early on, lanterns were reserved for temples and noble households, signifying good fortune and spiritual protection. Over time, their use expanded, appearing in tea houses, festivals, and street corners. In Buddhism, light represents enlightenment, clarity, and the act of moving through darkness with grace. And in Vietnamese folk belief, lanterns are said to carry one’s intentions—prayers for health, fortune, or remembrance—into the sky or water.

How Lanterns Are Made

Traditional Vietnamese paper lanterns begin with a frame of bamboo, bent and tied into geometric forms: spheres, lotuses, diamonds, and teardrops. Artisans then stretch silk or rice paper across the frame, hand-dyeing the surface in saffron, indigo, crimson, or jade—each color chosen for its symbolism.

The construction is delicate but purposeful. A small wooden base and candleholder rest in the center, though electric bulbs are now common in modern adaptations. But the soul of the lantern remains the same: a luminous bloom, handmade by skilled craftspeople in family-run workshops that have passed their methods down for generations.

In Hội An, you can still walk into these workshops, where the scent of bamboo shavings hangs in the air, and the rhythmic tapping of artisans at work creates a quiet kind of music. You’ll find yourself surrounded by walls of vibrant silk and glowing orbs, suspended like fruit in a sun-drenched orchard.

The Lantern Experience on Our Vietnam Trips

On Day 6 of our Vietnam itinerary, we visit Hội An and spend time in the home of a master lantern-maker to learn about the history of their craft. After, we step into the city during its most poetic hour: dusk, when lanterns begin to flicker to life, and the town hums with anticipation. We gather along the riverbank, each person given a paper lantern and a small slip of rice paper on which to write a wish, a memory, a prayer.

There’s something both intimate and universal about the moment: the hush before the release, the hope in the flicker of flame, the soft splash as the lanterns drift out into the water. Children laugh in the distance. A vendor ladles steaming noodles into bowls. The scent of grilled lemongrass and river wind mingles in the air.

As your lantern joins the constellation moving downriver, the scene becomes a quiet meditation on impermanence—how light floats on darkness, how even a fleeting glow can feel eternal.

Lunar New Year Lanterns, Festivals and Local Rituals

While Hội An is most famous for its lantern traditions, other parts of Vietnam also celebrate with light. The Tết Nguyên Đán (Lunar New Year) and Tết Trung Thu (Mid-Autumn Festival) both feature lanterns prominently—often carried by children in evening parades, shaped like stars, fish, or mythical creatures.

These lanterns serve as tools of storytelling, ways to pass on folklore and shared memory. In the north, red lanterns are often used to ward off misfortune. In the south, families light lanterns to honor ancestors or mark spiritual milestones, creating impromptu altars on doorsteps and balconies.

More Than Decor: What Does A Lantern Symbolize?

To see lanterns only as decoration is to miss their deeper resonance. In Vietnam, they carry layers of meaning: light as a wish, as a blessing, as a bridge between worlds.

The lanterns in Hội An don’t just float; they listen. They carry the laughter of children, the hopes of elders, the dreams of travelers, and the prayers of generations.

And for the traveler walking beneath their glow, they offer a quiet revelation: beauty doesn’t need to be permanent to matter.

Join Us in Vietnam

From steaming bowls of pho at dawn to riverside lanterns at dusk, Vietnam offers a rich sensory journey, where every detail—from street food to silk lanterns—tells a story. Our Vietnam trips invite you to immerse yourself in the full texture of Vietnamese culture, through cooking classes, market visits, and moments like these—writing a wish on a lantern and letting it drift downstream, carrying a piece of you with it.

Discover our upcoming trips to Vietnam.