A visitor looks at old books on Nguyen Du and the Tale of Kieu.

The event, entitled “Who remembers To Nhu?”, referring to Nguyen Du’s pen name, is hosted by the book publisher MaiHaBooks.

The exhibition features a collection of calligraphy works and paintings on Nguyen Du and the Tale of Kieu as well as books and documents criticising his most famous work through the ages.

Visitors can also appreciate 40 paintings of Kieu by many famous artists in the early 20th century, such as Le Pho, Nguyen Tuong Lan, Nguyen Gia Tri and Tran Van Can, who graduated from the famed Indochina College of Fine Arts.

A calligraphy performance at the event. A collection of paintings on the Tale of Kieu republished by MaiHaBooks.

As part of the three-day event that opened on October 29, there are also recitals of the Tale of Kieu, a calligraphy performance, and a discussion on the Tale of Kieu with the participation of experts in the literary and arts circles.

On the occasion, MaiHaBooks unveiled re-prints of three books featuring works on the Tale of Kieu published in the 20th century. NDO

The celebrated pen of Nguyen Du

It’s customary for Vietnamese people to commemorate the ancestors, related or not, on the anniversary of their death. Not to mourn their passing, but to celebrate their life.

Great poet Nguyen Du’s death anniversary to be commemorated in France

Vietnam’s Permanent Mission to the UNESCO in collaboration with the central province of Ha Tinh will organise a ceremony to commemorate the 200th death anniversary of great poet Nguyen Du at the UNESCO’s headquarters in Paris in March.