Hanoi’s Vibrant Mid-Autumn Festival: A Century-Old Tradition
The stunning photographs of Hanoi’s Mid-Autumn Festival, captured by photographer Leon Busy, offer a unique glimpse into the city’s rich cultural heritage and vibrant traditions. The images are part of a larger collection, totaling 1,382 photographs of Vietnam, currently exhibited at the Albert Kahn Museum in France. Hang Gai Street in 1915, bustling with a toy shop filled with Mid-Autumn Festival delights. Sponsored by French entrepreneur Albert Kahn, Leon Busy embarked on a journey to Vietnam from 1914 to 1917. His mission was to capture the essence of daily life in northern Vietnam, and he certainly delivered. Beyond the historic streets of Hanoi, such as Hang Luoc and the tranquil setting of Tran Quoc Pagoda, Busy’s lens focused on the festive atmosphere of Hang Gai Street. There, a mid-autumn toy shop displayed its colorful wares in 1915. These photographs are believed to be the earliest colored images of Hanoi, made possible through autochrome color photograp...