Calligraphers draw temple visitors

Despite noise and choking traffic, the Temple of Literature on Van Mieu Street has seen a sharp rise in visitors during the Tet (Lunar New Year) holidays.
A cheerfully festive atmosphere prevails with the yellow and red of cau doi (traditional hand-scripted characters expressing luck through parallel sentences) and calligraphic works hung out for display on the temple’s mossy walls.
Surprisingly, most visitors to the temple over the holiday were young and foreigners, perhaps more suited to the rush of modern life rather than the ancient Hanoian art of calligraphy.
Kim Bannister from the US said she loses herself in the art, continuously taking photos of old calligraphers bending their backs in awkward position while they paint strokes across the cloth.
"We don’t have this in the US," she said, "I didn’t know this would be happening at a temple. The calligraphic letters are so beautiful even though I don’t understand all of their meanings. I’ll get one done for me, for good luck this lunar year."
Calligraphic artworks vary from VND80,000 (US$4.2) to VND200,000 ($10.6) for larger pieces.
Nguyen Vu Hop, a 65 year-old calligrapher who is also member to the UNESCO Viet Nam Calligraphers’ Club, takes care to before chosing letter for visitors. Letters should suit the age, gender and wishes of the people who commission the piece, he said.
Most young people like the words Dat (Success), Phu (Wealth), Tam (Heart), Nghia (Loyalty) and Tin (Prestige). Older people by contrast, prefer Phuc (Happiness) and Tho (Longevity).
Having studied the hobby for seven years, Hop insisted that today’s calligraphy still strictly follows the ancient art form, in which strokes are viewed as the soul of the letters. This way people may guess at the writer’s character.
Calligraphers must be wise as well as artistic.
According to calligrapher Pham Hai, more young people are studying Chinese and as such, more people have gained an understanding of the art. "Chinese letters can be written in both modern and ancient ways," he said, "While in ancient style, the letter stroke should strictly follow calligraphic rules, modern style permits simplification and creativity."
Whether following ancient or modern style, calligraphers should create vivid letters, with a neat layout and energetic spirit. The work should be as beautiful as a painting and impress its viewers.
Luu Tuan Son, 32, from Nam Dinh Province, came to the temple to ask for a letter to give his girlfriend as a gift for the new year.
"I would like to ask for the letter Dung (Beauty and Tolerance) because I want my girlfriend to be beautiful and tolerant in the new year," he explained.
Nguyen Van Thuan, a resident of Ha Noi’s Hoan Kiem District, comes to the temple every Lunar New Year to ask for calligraphic works to hang at home. This year, he asked for a pair of parallel sentences to hang in his living room.
"Apart from asking for letters promoting good fortune, I ask for letters to help achieve a new goal in the new year," he said. "During the year, I look at the letter and think about it when working. Bearing the letter in mind, I also try and amend my ways when I do something wrong."
Many young calligraphers have also proven popular. Phan Vuong, 22, a student at the Ha Noi Architecture College kept himself busy at work. Vuong has been displaying his work at the temple for three years now and practicing calligraphy for six.
"I have taken the theory on applied layout I learned as an architect to enhance my calligraphic skills," he said.