The Hanoi cultural department will organise the 2016 Calligraphy Writing Festival at the Literature Lake in Hanoi's Temple of Literature from February 2-15.

A calligrapher (R) and a visitor at the 2014 festival. (Photo: VNA)

Measures have been taken to enhance the quality of calligraphy at this year's festival, according to Truong Minh Tien, Vice Director of the Hanoi Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

The organisers - senior calligraphers and researchers of Nom calligraphy and Vietnamese romanised language script - evaluated the qualification of calligraphers through a test that took place earlier this month.

The contestants needed to write beautifully and correctly with good composition. Their performance must be able to showcase writers' ideas in calligraphy.

Calligraphers will be set up around Literature Lake after passing this test.

The Calligraphy Writing Festival 2016 will attract nearly 140 calligraphers from Hanoi and other provinces.

Calligraphy is considered an art that is appealing to all ages. In addition to senior calligraphers, many young ones with a passion for the art are qualified to write at the festival.

At the festival, one or two calligraphers will be seated in each booth in traditional clothes, and they will write and sell images of auspicious words to customers wishing for health, prosperity and good luck throughout the new year.

Along with the calligraphy writing activities, an exhibition with the theme "While drinking water, remember its source" will showcase nearly 100 art works by famous calligraphers. After the festival, the best ones will receive awards.

These calligraphers will write from 8.30am to 8pm during the festival, except for February 7 – the Lunar New Year's Eve – at which time they will write until 2am the following day.

This is the second time the festival will be held at the Literature Lake instead of along the sidewalks outside the Temple in order to ensure order along the street and maintain the beauty of the monument.

Writing calligraphy is popular for local people during Tet. The festival aims to welcome the New Year as well as promote the Vietnamese tradition.

VNA