Seeing "the calligrapher" is seeing Tet

Modern day scholar

"Every year peach blossoms bloom
See the old man again
Display Chinese ink and red paper
On the crowded street..."

The old calligraphers often sat in the market or crowded places to write for hire or give away calligraphy. There was also a time when the image of the calligrapher giving away calligraphy, as in the poem by Vu Dinh Lien, only remained in memory: "This year the peach blossoms bloom again/I don't see the old scholar/Those people from a thousand years ago/Where are their souls now?".

Along with the tradition of learning, the custom of asking for and giving calligraphy at the beginning of the year has been restored. In the past, calligraphers were usually teachers, but today they can do many different jobs, but they share a love for traditional culture and calligraphy.

For more than 10 years now, at the beginning of spring, "calligrapher" Pham Hung has often been present at Mao Dien Temple of Literature (Cam Giang) to write calligraphy. Mr. Hung used to be an "outsider" because his main job was a mechanical engineer. Due to a health incident, he switched to learning how to write and then learned Han Nom calligraphy.

Fascinated by each stroke of the brush like a flying dragon or dancing phoenix, he "sought a teacher to learn from", then studied on his own, and researched more documents... Currently, Mr. Hung is famous as a talented and skillful "calligrapher" in Hai Duong. Thanks to this talent, Mr. Pham Hung was given the important responsibility of writing parallel sentences and words to hang in the harem and displayed at Mao Dien Temple of Literature.

To be given the title of "calligrapher" by everyone, one must not only be able to write calligraphy but also have to mention the knowledge, character, and style when performing his work. Because according to the ancient concept of "calligrapher", people who come to ask for calligraphy, in addition to wanting to receive words corresponding to their wishes, they also want to ask for the virtue and talent of the writer, using words to admonish themselves.

“People who give calligraphy always want to contribute to preserving the culture of their ancestors. Each word they give away also contains wishes for everyone to have a peaceful, happy and joyful new year,” Mr. Pham Hung shared.

Early spring request for calligraphy

When Tet comes, people are busy asking for calligraphy to pray for fortune, wealth and luck. And "calligraphers" are like a cultural symbol of the past, the ones who connect the past and the present.

Although life is increasingly modern, the custom of asking for and giving calligraphy at the beginning of spring is still preserved by many generations of Vietnamese people.

In the cold weather, with a light spring rain, people dress up and go to the temple to ask for calligraphy. At the relics, especially the relics honoring learning in the East such as Mao Dien Temple of Literature, the special relic cluster of Xua Temple - Giam Pagoda - Bia Temple (Cam Giang) or Chu Van An Temple (Chi Linh), there are people giving calligraphy. "Calligraphers" wearing the traditional dress, turbans on their heads, displaying pens, inkstones, and white paper waiting for people to come and ask for calligraphy have become a typical beauty at these relics.

Depending on their wishes for the new year, the person asking for the calligraphy will be given a suitable word. Those who wish for wealth will ask for the words “wealth” and “prosperity”, those who wish for children will ask for the words “blessing”, those who wish for health and longevity will ask for the words “healthy” and “longevity”.

After receiving the calligraphy, many people bring it to the temple or shrine to perform a ceremony and then hang it in their home with the hope that their wishes will come true in the new year. The red color of the paper and the scent of the ink also add color to the traditional Tet holiday.

Mr. Doan Van Tuan in An Ninh Street, Quang Trung Ward (Hai Duong City) regularly maintains and educates his children about the custom of asking for calligraphy for their children and grandchildren. Every 3rd day of Lunar New Year, Mr. Tuan and his children and grandchildren visit Mao Dien Temple of Literature and ask for calligraphy to hang in their house.

“I always ask for a word for myself and guide my children and grandchildren on how to ask for words that match their wishes. The fun part of asking for words is talking to the calligrapher about your wishes and being given the corresponding word,” Mr. Tuan happily said.

Looking at the talented hand of the calligrapher writing like dancing, the light strokes are flying, the bold strokes are firm, and the aroma of Chinese ink makes the traditional Tet holiday more authentic.