Ho Chi Minh City to host Tet calligraphy markets

The calligraphy market at the Ho Chi Minh City Youth Cultural House in District 1 has become a must-visit attraction for residents and visitors for taking photos and buying calligraphy works for Tet (Lunar New Year).

A visitor buys calligraphy works to wish for luck, happiness and prosperity in Tet (Photo: VNA)

The calligraphy market at the Ho Chi Minh City Youth Cultural House in District 1 has become a must-visit attraction for residents and visitors for taking photos and buying calligraphy works for Tet (Lunar New Year).

Having opened two weeks before Tet, the market is decorated with mai (ochna) and dao (peach blossom) trees set up along Pham Ngoc Thach and Nguyen Thi Minh Khai streets and inside the Youth Cultural House.

More than 50 ‘ong do’ (calligraphers), including men and women of varying ages, from calligraphy clubs in the city and neighbouring provinces are joining the event.
The artists, dressed in ao dai (Vietnamese traditional dress), sit on mats arranged in an oval shape symbolising peace, similar to calligraphy markets in the past.

They are selling calligraphy works and lucky money envelopes in black and yellow ink on red paper, priced from 10,000 VND to 200,000 VND (0.4-8.6 USD), depending on the craftsmanship, size and materials. Larger works cost 500,000 VND (21.5 USD) or more.

People traditionally hang the lucky money envelopes and small calligraphy works mai trees to wish for luck, happiness and prosperity.

The market will remain open until January 23 (one day before Lunar New Year’s Eve)./.