Life
Numerous visitors gather Temple of Literature to have meaningful words written in calligraphy
On the occasion of the Lunar New Year, the Van Mieu – Quoc Tu Giam Cultural and Scientific Centre is holding the 2017 Spring Calligraphy Festival at Literature Lake (Ho Van) at Van Mieu – Quoc Tu Giam (the Temple of Literature) in Hanoi from January 21 to February 11.
It has been a tradition for Hanoians when visiting the Temple of Literature to have meaningful words written in calligraphy during Tet festival.
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It has been a tradition for Hanoians when visiting the Temple of Literature to have meaningful words written in calligraphy, with the hope of attracting good luck in the New Year.
This year’s event includes two main activities: a calligraphy exhibition and calligraphy writing activities on the first days of the Lunar New Year.
The exhibition, themed Ton su trong dao (“Respect the Teacher, Value Morality”), features nealry 30 calligraphy works that were selected from over 70 submitted from dozens of calligraphy clubs in Hanoi.
The exhibits were composed under a variety of materials in a variety of styles, recording famous sayings, lines of poetry, proverbs and folk verses featuring the tradition of respecting the teacher and valuing morality over the historical eras.
According to Hanoi’s Culture and Sports, the exhibition not only aims to educate younger generations to preserve and promote the beautiful traditions of the nation, but also to contribute to helping the public to better enjoy calligraphy.
This year, more than 100 calligraphers selected from clubs and writing competitions will participate in the activity. Experienced calligraphers like Cung Khac Luoc, Nguyen The Anh and Nguyen The Luc will also participate in the event.
On red or yellow do (poonah) papers, calligraphers write words in traditional script such as Phuc (Happiness), Loc (Prosperity) and Tho (Longevity) along with other sayings intended to bring good health, luck and prosperity for those in attendance.
Director of the centre Le Xuan Kieu said the calligraphers, wearing ao dai (long robes), will sit in 50 bamboo tents following traditional manners of the past.
“We select the calligraphers carefully. Only those who pass a qualifying test are eligible to join the activity, which will be strictly monitored by the organiser to ensure visitors are overcharged.”
In the framework of the festival, an exhibition of calligraphic works and traditional crafts such as pottery, paper making, embroidery, wood carving and bronze casting will be organised.
At the opening ceremony, the organising board presented two first, two second and two consolation prizes to calligraphers having the most outstanding works at the exhibition.
Besides, many cultural activities introducing the value of Vietnamese traditional folk culture will also be held during the festival such as a reproduction of an ancient house in the South’s villages, an area used to display products from trade villages in Hanoi and an area for folk paintings.
From the night of January 27 (New Year’s Eve) to January 29 (the second day of the first Lunar month), calligraphers will write and sell calligraphy for Tet as requested by visitors.
The Economic and Urban Newspaper introduces some pictures of the reporter at the opening ceremony of 2017 Spring Calligraphy Festival:
At the opening ceremony of festival
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On red or yellow do (poonah) papers, calligraphers write words in traditional script such as Phuc (Happiness), Loc (Prosperity) and Tho (Longevity).
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Various visitors attend the festival.
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Participants at the festival.
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A visitor waits to have meaningful words written in calligraphy at the festival.
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