In the first days of the new year, not only Vietnamese people but also many foreign tourists come to Hanoi’s Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam or Temple of Literature - the first university in Vietnam, to ask for letters and pray for a good new year.

Having a calligraphic work written on red paper to display during the Lunar New Year (Tet) festival, Vietnam’s biggest traditional event is a local tradition to pray for good things. The calligraphers write letters meaning prosperity, longevity, and happiness.

Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam often holds the Spring Calligraphy Festival, hosting exhibitions of excellent calligraphic works, culinary delights, folk games, traditional music performances, water puppet shows, or activities to introduce handicraft works.

Many international tourists come to visit the Temple of Literature on Tet days and enjoy asking for letters at the beginning of the year. Photo: Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam

Austrian tourists are being introduced to the character sets as well as the meaning of the custom of asking for letters at the beginning of the year. Photo: To Quoc Newspaper

From the elderly... Photo: Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam

...to young people... Photo: Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam

... even children ask for letters at the beginning of the year. Photo: Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam

The handwriting is written by calligraphers or calligraphy masters, dressed in ao dai, a Vietnamese traditional dress, on Do or Diep paper. Photo: Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam

Cindea GiGi from Romania felt extremely excited and excited when he was able to celebrate Tet for the first time and ask for the first word of the new year at the Temple of Literature - Quoc Tu Giam.

He shared that he likes the tradition of asking for words and giving words in Vietnam. Through it he learns many more profound and meaningful wishes. He asked for the letter 'An' to hope that peace will come to everyone in this new year and he wishes Vietnam will increasingly develop and spread good cultural values to contemporary generations.

GiGi and Thomas from Romania were excited about their calligraphy work. Photo: Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam

The joy of foreign tourists after getting the first letter of the year. Photo: Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam

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