Hai Duong: Khai but ceremony held to remember renowned teacher
Northern Hai Duong province on February 23 hosted a “khai but” ceremony, a Vietnamese tradition of starting a piece of calligraphy or drawing to celebrate the New Year, at a temple dedicated to the nation’s renowned teacher Chu Van An, in Chi Linh township.
Northern Hai Duong province hosts a “khai but” ceremony on February 23 to honour Vietnam's renowned teacher Chu Van An. (Photo: VNA)
Hai Duong (VNA) – Northern Hai Duongprovince on February 23 hosted a “khai but” ceremony, a Vietnamese tradition ofstarting a piece of calligraphy or drawing to celebrate the New Year, at a templededicated to the nation’s renowned teacher Chu Van An, in Chi Linh township.
The ceremony was attended by teachers and students fromuniversities and schools in many northern provinces.
A book fair for the Year of the Dog (Xuan Mau Tuat) 2018was also kicked off following the ceremony. It will run through March 3, or the16th of Lunar January.
“Khai but”, literallytranslated as pen-opening, is practiced annually at the temple to promote thetradition “ton su trong dao” – piety to teacher, an important part ofVietnamese culture.
Teacher Chu Van An was born in Thanh Liet commune, ThanhTri district, Hanoi in 1292, during the reign of the Tran dynasty. In the earlylife, he passed the doctoral examination – “Thai hoc sinh” – but refused tobecome a mandarin.
Instead, An opened a school and began his career as aConfucian teacher. His teaching played an important role in spreadingConfucianism into a Buddhist Vietnam at the time.
Under the reign of Emperor Tran Minh Tong (1314 – 1329),he became a teacher at the imperial academy. Under the reign of Emperor Tran DuTong, he was raised to a high-ranking mandarin. But he later resigned becausethe king refused his petition of beheading seven sycophant mandarins. He thenretreated to Phuong Hoang Mountains in Hai Duong and led the life of a recluse.
Under the pseudonym of Tieu An, whichmeans a secluded lumberjack in the forest, he spent the rest of his lifeteaching local students, compiling poetry, writing books and treating patients.
After he passed away in 1370, King TranNghe Tong ordered a statue of Chu Van An to be built for worship in the Templeof Literature, making him the only man in the country's history to be bestowedwith such an honour.
Phuong Hoang (Phoenix), a cluster of 72mountains, has become a shrine to both teachers and students nationwide. Atemple complex dedicated to him in the mountains has been renovated, drawingthousands of visitors every year.-VNA
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Northern Hai Duong province hosts a “khai but” ceremony on February 23 to honour Vietnam's renowned teacher Chu Van An. (Photo: VNA) 
