Immersed in the vibrant red glow of lantern displays and the rhythmic beat of festive drums echoing through the streets, Ho Chi Minh City Open University has officially kicked off an inspiring festive season with the volunteer campaign “Vầng Trăng Hòa Sắc” (Harmonious Moon). In Vietnamese, the Mid-Autumn Festival is not only the Reunion Festival for family gatherings, but also Children’s Day – an occasion brimming with affection and care dedicated to the younger generation. Embracing this spirit of giving, numerous international students studying at the university eagerly immersed themselves in Vietnamese traditions: hand-crafting folk figurine toys (Tò he) to prepare heartfelt, rustic gifts for underprivileged children this full-moon season.
When International Students Touch the Essence of the Mid-Autumn Festival
For many international students, this marked their very first time experiencing the traditional Mid-Autumn celebration in Vietnam firsthand. Moving beyond the passive lens of a casual observer, the companionship of local peers and faculty members within the shared home of HCMCOU unveiled the profound humanitarian values of the season in an authentic, relatable way.
“In my home country of Cambodia, we celebrate the Moon Festival (Ok Om Bok) to express gratitude to nature after the harvest season, which usually takes place a month later than in Vietnam. When coming here, I was truly astonished by how Vietnamese people celebrate the moon: the streets light up with radiant energy, and adults shower children with complete love, protection, and festive treats. Getting together to prepare these gifts for the kids made the August full-moon season feel genuinely heartwarming, just like home.” – Lim Mey Mey, international student from Cambodia
Tò He – Resonance of the Harvest and an Intriguing Tale of Phonetics
In preparation for this volunteer mission, the international students could hardly conceal their fascination when working with fully natural modeling materials. The art of Tò he connects these young minds directly to the ancestral wet-rice civilization through soft, fragrant blocks of glutinous rice dough subtly infused with natural pandan aromas.
International students make traditional Vietnamese toys – Tò he together.
Clementine Louise, an international student from the Philippines, excitedly shared: “At first, I thought Tò he was sculpted from synthetic clay. When my hands touched the soft, warm dough that carried the rich scent of sticky rice, I was completely amazed by its ingenious and rustic charm.”
Tracing history back over 300 years to the traditional craft village of Xuân La (Hanoi), this folk toy was originally known as “bánh chim cò” (bird-and-animal cake). In ancient times, artisans cleverly attached a tiny reed whistle to the base of each figurine, applying a dab of sticky dough as a reed flap. Whenever children blew into it, the whistle resonated with a cheerful, high-pitched chirp: “tò-te… tò-te”. Over generations of daily colloquial speech, the sound /t/ gradually shifted to /h/, turning the familiar call of “tò-te” into the beloved folk name “tò-he.”
Molded from the finest grains of freshly harvested sticky rice and dyed naturally with local plants, Tò he was originally an altar offering to express gratitude toward heaven and earth, as well as an edible childhood delight savored after the lantern parade. While modern artisans occasionally adopt synthetic modeling clay for convenience and longevity, time-honored silhouettes—such as the carp leaping over the dragon gate, the peaceful jade rabbit, or the miniature five-fruit tray—continue to carry intact wishes of prosperity, peace, and abundance.
An Emotional Launchpad for the Volunteer Campaign “Vầng Trăng Hòa Sắc”
Every gentle, meticulous touch shaping the colorful rice figurines was more than just a memorable cultural immersion; it stood as thoughtful preparation by the international student community for the extracurricular activities organized by the OU Help To bBe Helped Club (Foreign Student Support Club) under HCMCOU.
Ahead of the field trip, anticipation ran high as excitement shone brightly in the eyes of these foreign friends. Everyone was eager to hand-deliver these handcrafted folk figurines and heartfelt gifts to children in need at local shelters.
“I am eagerly counting down the days until our shelter visit. This is my very first time hand-making a traditional Vietnamese gift for children. I cannot wait to meet them, play folk games together, and see their smiles light up when receiving these Tò he figurines.” – Kaung Khant, international student from Myanmar
Through fragrant blocks of glutinous dough and dedicated preparation, barriers of language and geography seemed to dissolve effortlessly. Under the shared roof of HCMCOU, a vibrant bridge connecting young hearts from different corners of the globe has opened—leaving each participant with a deep appreciation for unity, cultural harmony, and genuine compassion.
Writen by: Thảo Anh