Calligraphy - an ancient Tet art

QuynH cHI

Invoking good luck through calligraphy is a cultural practice that reflects Vietnamese people’s high regard for scholarship.

Tet calligraphy reflects the importance of knowledge and people’s expectations for a prosperous year and happy life. People choose a word that represents their desire for the new year ahead. Older people tend to choose words such as “Health”, “Longevity” and “Happiness” while younger ones prefer words like “wealth”, “Love” or “Success”. Depending on the purpose and age of the recipients, the calligraphers will advise them on appropriate words.

every year from the second day of the New Year, the Spring Calligraphy Festival is held, and hordes of people visit Van Mieu – Quoc Tu Giam (The Temple of Literature) to ask a

calligrapher to scribe special words for them. Here, visitors can also see images of Tet in Vietnam from the past.

Calligraphers wear traditional long gowns and prepare brushes, ink and red paper. Red is chosen as it is the most vibrant colour and in Vietnam is perceived as the colour of life and rebirth and a symbol of life and luck. Besides traditional materials such as wood, stone, bamboo and silk, sometimes orange and gold-coloured paper is used for calligraphy. Calligraphers will display the words, in both Vietnamese and Han script (Chinese) for people to choose. Their hands move gently and carefully to create skillful handwriting like dragons flying and phoenixes dancing on the red paper. Strokes vary from thin to thick, some vertical, and are always clear, strong and graceful. when printing the characters, calligraphers explain the meaning of each letter for receivers to ensure they fully understand. each word embodies the soul, knowledge, and personality of calligraphers, who are usually knowledgeable people. The recipients hope that through their work they will enjoy good luck.

Beside single words, people often ask for the writing of a pair of sentences which must contain parallel sentences (cau doi). Hanging vertically in the living room of every family, the parallel sentences on red papers are inscribed with wishes like happiness, prosperity and longevity. The writers of such parallel sentences have to follow a complex set of rules concerning the tone and meaning of the corresponding words.

As well as the Temple of Literature in Hanoi, a “Calligrapher Street” is also organised in many provinces and cities throughout the country, as part of the spring festivals or at temples and pagodas.