Calligraphy festival to run during Tet holiday in Hanoi

Le Xuan Kieu, director of the Temple of Literature Cultural and Scientific Centre, said the annual festival aims to welcome the start of the Lunar New Year Festival, promote traditional culture and preserve the calligraphic art.

On red or yellow dó (poonah) papers, calligraphers will write words in Chinese and Nom scripts intended to bring good health, luck, and prosperity for those in attendance.

This year will see 47 calligraphers, all of whom are members of calligraphic clubs and selected from a writing competition, perform the writing.

The calligraphers will don Ao Dai (traditional Vietnamese long dress), sit in bamboo tents and write from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. during the festival.

Along with the calligraphy writing activities, three exhibitions will also get underway, including one to showcase nearly 100 art works produced by famous scholars such as King Le Thanh Tong, teacher Chu Van An, national hero Nguyen Trai, and poet Nguyen Du to honour the tradition of learning and to show respect for teachers.

Furthermore, 50 photographs selected from Vietnam Heritage Photo Awards will be exhibited, to introduce Vietnam’s landscapes and the daily lives of local people.

An exhibition featuring 77 paintings of 75 Vietnamese painters living in Vietnam and abroad will be held. Moving into the lunar year of snake, the exhibition will bring interesting stories about the animal to audiences through paintings. 

An exhibition of traditional crafts such as pottery, paper making, and embroidery will also be held on this occasion.

Visitors will also have the chance to enjoy a festive atmosphere through various art performances like chèo (traditional operetta), quan họ (duet singing), and ca trù (ceremonial singing).

Folk games will be available for children to explore the traditional culture of the country during Tet.