Students attend the pen-brush opening ceremony at the temple dedicated to Nguyen Binh Khiem in Nguyen Binh Khiem commune, Hai Phong city, February 22, 2026.

The ceremony included a lion dance, an incense offering ceremony in tribute to Nguyen Binh Khiem, and a presentation by artisans on the significance of the early spring pen-brush opening tradition. Chu Van Hieu of A Sao commune in Hung Yen province came to the temple to ask for a calligraphic letter for his daughter.

“I’ve brought my daughter here at the start of the year to offer incense and pray that she will study well and uphold Vietnam’s long-standing tradition of valuing education. Besides seeking blessings from Nguyen Binh Khiem, she is also performing the pen-brush opening ritual, hoping for good luck in her studies,” said Hieu.

Students write their first words of the new lunar year.

In the first three days of the Lunar New Year, the temple, a Special National Relic Site, welcomed more than 225,000 visitors.