WESTERN TOURISTS ENJOY ASKING FOR CALLIGRAPHY MASTER’S LETTER AT THE VIETNAMESE TET FESTIVAL

The Vietnamese Tet Festival will begin on January 18 in the evening at Le Van Tam Park in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. Right at the main gate on Dien Bien Phu Street are three restored Vietnamese houses, decorated with ancestral altars and Tet feasts from three regions, beckoning visitors to come and experience.

Hugh recorded the experience of asking for a teacher’s letter.

Hugh from the United States told us that he discovered this festival by chance while passing by Le Van Tam Park. He was excited to participate in the festival’s activities because he knew little about traditional Vietnamese Tet culture. The stall asking for Mr. Tu’s handwriting piques American tourists’ interest, and they stay to learn. Hugh’s master suggested that he use the word “fortune” after hearing an explanation of the custom of requesting a new year’s letter.

“I have lived in Saigon for 5 years but have never had the opportunity to celebrate Lunar New Year. This custom of requesting letters at the start of the year is entirely new to me. I feel lucky to be given the gift of this unique handwriting.” , Hugh said.

The American male tourist excitedly “showed off” the gifts he received after experiencing the Vietnamese Tet cultural space.

The American male tourist was impressed by the teacher’s skillful writing style and the meaning behind each word. Hugh’s master explained that the word “fortune” refers to luck, successful work, and a prosperous life. He also hopes to have a smooth start to the new year. Hugh not only requested letters, but he was also invited by the artisans to try banh chung, one of the many specialties introduced at the Central Tet pavilion.

“I really like Vietnamese cuisine and hope to taste many traditional dishes during this festival,” Hugh said, requesting directions to Vietnamese food stalls.

Many other foreign tourists attended the festival and documented activities that recreated Vietnamese Tet customs, expressing both strangeness and excitement. Many foreign visitors were intrigued by the stall displaying to he, the space for wrapping banh chung, and the stalls serving traditional food, and they stopped to take pictures and experience it.

This year’s Vietnamese Tet Festival features approximately 100 stalls selling specialties, crafts from various regions, and traditional dishes. In addition, there are interactive areas where visitors can learn about Tet traditions. Visitors will be able to wrap banh chung and banh tet by themselves without using molds or shaping to he. In addition, there is also a folk games area with games that no longer appear much in urban areas such as tug of war, can throwing, blindfolded pot smashing, mandarin umbrellas, and picking buds in early spring.

Mr. Le Minh Canh, 36, the owner of the Quang noodle stall, stated that in addition to the food serving area, he and his colleagues have set up an additional corner where customers can learn how to make handmade Quang noodles. “The Vietnamese Tet Festival, which is held in Ho Chi Minh City and attracts many tourists, is an opportunity for me to bring local culture closer to domestic and foreign tourists,” Mr. Canh said.

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Dung, Vice Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, the 2024 Vietnamese Tet Festival offers visitors and tourists a chance to immerse themselves in Vietnamese culture and cuisine. Traditional Tet holiday programs in three regions provide cultural experiences for both locals and tourists. The festival also provides an opportunity to promote regional product linking activities, which will help people meet their Tet shopping needs.

Vietnamese Tet Festival 2024 will be open for free for four days, from January 18 to January 21, and is expected to attract over 80,000 visitors. It is expected to be an annual event, attracting tourists by promoting Tet culture and Vietnamese cuisine.