Beautiful Vietnam
A street for scholars
  • | dtinews.vn | February 13, 2010 09:29 AM

Tet is fast approaching and the festivities have already begun, but some people are still busy hustling about trying to prepare for the holiday.

One place that has been able to keep a sense of peacefulness in all the Tet chaos is Van Mieu Street. It has long been a special place where many scholars have come to sit on the sidewalk and write calligraphic scripts on paper.

Hundreds of these scripts are often hung up on the wall, outside Van Mieu (the Temple of Literature), making it a very attractive place to visit on the days prior to Tet. The scholars here, both young and old, worked hard to create beautiful calligraphic scripts, just by using their Chinese brush and ink.

Many people, despite all the noise and fuss with the busy preparations for Tet, have made their best effort at trying to come and walk through the street of Van Mieu during this very special occasion. They come to look, admire the beauty of different scripts, and listen to the scholars explanations about calligraphy art, before purchasing some to keep.

Van Mieu street is often called “the street of scholars” in days preceding Tet. Every year, one week before Tet, scholars from all over gather on this street, turning it into an ideal place to experience a fine cultural feature that has long been one of the customs for Tet in Hanoi.



Calligraphic scripts decorate Van Mieu street in the days before Tet



Hundreds of scripts are hung outside the wall at the Temple of Literature



An old scholar



A young male scholar



A young female scholar



Watching a scholar write.



Young people listening and trying to understand the art of calligraphy



Calligraphy on stone



Scholars also draw portraits



Antique items displayed for sale next to calligraphic scripts



A visitor absorbing the culture



Tourist having his portrait drawn

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