The calligraphy market at the Labour Cultural House is one of two traditional calligraphy markets open in HCM City during the Tet holiday season (Photo: VNA) HCM City (VNA) - Calligraphy markets have begun sales 10 daysbefore Tet (Lunar New Year), the traditional time for opening of the markets.
“As a decade-long Vietnamese tradition, I’ll visit themarkets to look for calligraphy works in hope of bringing happiness, success,wealth and health to my family,” said Tran Minh Anh, a garment worker in Tan Phudistrict.
Two traditional calligraphy markets in HCM City are locatedat the Youth Cultural House and the Labour Cultural House in District 1,attracting more than 50 calligraphers who are members of calligraphy clubs inthe city and neighbouring provinces.
The artists, dressed in Ao dai, including men and women ofvarying ages, are showing their skills and selling calligraphy in black andyellow ink on red paper at the venue.
18-year-old calligrapher Vo Xuan Thanh of HCM City said itwas the fifth time that he had participated in the calligraphy market at theYouth Cultural House.
“I love painting when I was a child. I began teaching myselfcalligraphy at the age of seven,” he said. “I’m very happy to introduce mycalligraphy works to people and wish them a happy new year.”
Each calligraphy work is priced from 30,000 VND to 200,000VND (1.3 - 8.8 USD), depending on the craftsmanship, size and materials. Largeworks are 400,000 VND (17.6 USD) or more.
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The calligraphers are taking requests from visitors forwords to write on red lucky money envelopes as well. The envelopes cost from 30,000VND for a set of five.
Most visitors prefer buying lucky money envelopes and smallcalligraphy pictures to hang on mai (ochna) trees, according to Thanh.
This year, the market has offered products in leather likewallets and handbags. They are painted with images of landscapes, flowers, mascotsand pets, priced from 50,000 VND (2.2 USD).
Apart from looking for calligraphy works, several residentsand foreigners visit the markets for beautiful, colourful photos.
The market is decorated with apricot and peach blossomtrees, while the calligraphers sitting on mats are arranged in an oval shapesymbolising peace, similar to the calligraphy markets in the past.
The calligraphy market is one of the cultural traits duringTet in HCM City, along with the Tao Dan Flower Festival and Nguyen Hue FlowerStreet.
Both markets at the Youth Cultural House and the LabourCultural House will remain open until February 15 (Lunar New Year’s Eve).-VNA
VNA
