Published:  15:06 Monday - January 23, 2017

It's this time of the year again when Hanoians have blessings written in calligraphy for them to welcome the Lunar New Year.

It's long been a tradition among Hanoians to visit the Temple of Literature to have meaningful words written for them in calligraphy asking for good luck for the year ahead.

This year, the Spring Calligraphy Festival is welcoming more than 100 artists. The selection process for the artists is pretty tough, said Le Xuan Kieu, an official from the Temple of Literature.

The handwritten symbols represent humanity, beauty and all aspects of a virtuous life, said Tran Quoc Chi, deputy chairman of the UNESCO Club for Vietnamese Calligraphy.

The most sought-after ones are Happiness 福, Longevity 禄, Peace 安 and Love 爱.

On red or yellow do paper, calligraphers write in traditional script using a feather quill to bring good health, luck and prosperity.

The festival also features Vietnamese folk paintings, which combine traditional cultural values with age-old artistic techniques.

People believe the paintings will drive away evil and bring good luck for the coming year. With the Year of the Rooster arriving, most of the artworks are focused on this animal.

Roosters are the theme this year, but there's no harm in throwing a few pigs into the mix

VnExpress