The Lively Spring Opening Calligraphy Ceremony at Keo Pagoda, Thai Binh.

Attending and witnessing the ceremony were Venerable Thich Thanh Quang – Abbot of Keo Pagoda. On behalf of the District Party Committee, the attendees included: Comrade Lai Truong Son – Permanent Deputy Secretary of the District Party Committee – Chairman of the People’s Council of Vu Thu District; Comrade Pham Thi Nhu Phong – Deputy Secretary of the District Party Committee, Chairman of the People’s Committee of the district; Comrade Nguyen Ba Luc – Member of the District Party Committee, Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee, Head of the Organizing Committee of the Keo Pagoda Spring Festival 2025. Other attendees included members of the Standing Committee of the District Party Committee; members of the Executive Committee of the District Party Committee; leaders of the District People’s Committee; members of the Organizing Committee of the Keo Pagoda Spring Festival; leaders of communes in the region; and a large number of local residents, Buddhist followers, and visitors from all over.

There is a belief that the tradition of the Spring Opening Calligraphy and requesting words first appeared around the 13th century, associated with the image of Teacher Chu Van An – a righteous person who passed the Thai Hoc Sinh exam (equivalent to a Doctorate) but chose not to become an official. Instead, he returned to Chi Linh (Hai Duong) to open a school. It is said that when students visited him, he would often write and give them a meaningful character as a message about the way of life. Those who received these characters felt very fortunate and treasured them, using them as a motivation to strive and rise. Since then, the tradition of opening calligraphy has been passed down, symbolizing not only the love for learning but also the respect for teachers and the reverence of students towards their mentors.

At the event, the delegates, students, and visitors listened to Venerable Thich Thanh Quang share about the significance of the Spring Opening Calligraphy tradition. Two hundred students from Duy Nhat Secondary School (Vu Thu) along with officials from the District Cultural and Sports Center performed a special artistic program and participated in the writing of the characters: “Nam Thien Thanh To / Ly Trieu Quoc Su” (Southern Heavenly Sacred Ancestor / National Master of the Ly Dynasty).

In recognition of the spirit of learning and the outstanding achievements of students in the past academic year, district leaders awarded prizes to 44 students who excelled in provincial-level competitions and 16 students who overcame difficulties to achieve academic success. In addition, all students who participated in the artistic performances received books and pens to mark the beginning of the new spring.