Grand ribbon cutting ceremony and art show at the exhibition.
The exhibition introduces 80 typical documents about the Lunar New Year in the royal court, selected from the Imperial Archives of the Nguyen dynasty – World’s Documentary Heritage, in order to help the public have more knowledge about the traditional Lunar New Year style in the Nguyen dynasty court.
The exhibition includes 3 themes. In particular, the topic “Solemn rituals for celebrating the Lunar New Year Festival” introduces photos and documents to help the public understand more about the preparation for Lunar New Year Festival in the palace which began early. Right from December 1 in the lunar calendar, with a New Year’s Day (Ban Soc Ritual), followed by a ritual to invite the emperors to “celebrate New Year” with the court (Hop Huong Ritual), the ritual signifying the suspension main dynasty work (Phong An Ritual), spring welcoming ritual (Spring Festival, Tien Spring).
The theme “End of the year – seeing off the old year, welcoming the new year” introduces photos of the 30th day of Tet holiday in the imperial palace taking place with sacred ceremonies – Priesthood, Exorcism, Sacrifice with the meaning of seeing off the bad things of the old year to welcome the good of the new year.
The theme “New year welcomes happiness, good spring season and promotes filial duty” with photos and documents on New Year’s Day, the king personally came to the royal palace to celebrate. After finishing the ceremony, the king resided at Thai Hoa Palace, and the mandarin congratulated him. After the New Year celebration, the king bestowed peace, rewarded the New Year to princes, promoted the literature and martial arts as well as granted grace widely to people.
Some photos at the exhibition.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the exhibition, Mr. Dang Thanh Tung, Director of State Records and Archives Management Department of Vietnam affirmed: The exhibition “Tet holiday celebration in Royal Palace” to introduce the Lunar New Year in the royal court under Nguyen dynasty. This exhibition is part of a series of activities to promote the value of archives of the National Archives Center I in social life to bring documents closer to the people. Through archives and documents, illustrations, the exhibition partially reproduces the painting of Tet holiday of the court of the Nguyen Dynasty, and at the same time shows the connection between the Royal New Year and the New Year of all people. The organizer hopes the exhibition will provide more information on Tet ceremonies in the palace as well as in the people through valuable documentary heritage so that these legacies will be more valuable in Social life.
Representatives of the Organizing Committee said that due to the requirements of securing the archives, the Organizing Committee only showed the versions. The original document is currently preserved at the National Archives Center I, the State Records and Archives Management Department of Vietnam. The Organizing Committee hopes this will be a valuable source of documents and materials for researchers and the public interested in learning about the old Tet holiday in the Nguyen dynasty court.
The exhibition lasts until February 23, 2021 (ie January 12, in lunar calendar), at the Temple of Literature – a special national monument.
Ngoc Ha