Let's enjoy the Lunar New Year of the Horse together!

"Spring has never been so beautiful, but the heavens and earth, for thousands of years, could not have sent this magnificent spring to the world without the mascot representing the new year - the incredibly strong and kind-hearted horse of the Year of the Horse, bringing with it so much happiness and good fortune"...

That's "A Spring Greeting" from "Enjoying the Year of the Horse" - a special publication from Kim Dong Publishing House, released to young readers on January 18th. The book is a collection of 21 works of poetry, prose, music, and art on the themes of spring and Tet (Vietnamese New Year) by various authors, specifically for young readers and their families to enjoy during the Tet holiday. The book opens up an experience of the bustling and lively spring atmosphere across the country, following in the footsteps of the Horse - the mascot of the new year. Through stories and vivid, whimsical illustrations, young readers can easily discover and learn about many unique and vibrant cultural aspects from ancient times to the present, freely letting their imaginations run wild and enjoying Tet together.

Ms. Nguyen Ngoc Mai (residing in Tran Bien ward) said: “Every Tet holiday, my daughter eagerly awaits the special publication to enjoy during Tet. The Tet holiday is a time for her to rest, gather with family, and it becomes even more meaningful when she gets to read books about the traditional Tet of our nation.”

This book is a true spring gift, with a cover featuring a stylized horse in vibrant, warm colors. Each page is illustrated with pictures full of the spirit of Tet (Vietnamese New Year), such as children enjoying the spring festivities, children wrapping banh chung (traditional rice cakes) with their grandparents, children making ginger jam with their grandmother, and children going to the Tet market. Traditional customs, practices, and dishes of Tet from all over the country, such as visiting temples, receiving calligraphy blessings, playing board games, making banh chung, making pickled vegetables, kumquat trees, apricot blossoms, peach blossoms, swallows... are recreated through bright red background illustrations, highlighting the folk verse: "The cuckoo calls three times / Hurry to Tet, erect the New Year's pole and eat sweet soup / Erect the pole at the beginning of the yard / Leave the yard to sow mustard greens and scatter sesame seeds to eat…"

Throughout the book are works about the mascot of the Year of the Horse. These include stories such as: The Year of the Horse, The Lam Son Divine Horse, The Barefoot Knight in Bac Ha, Butter Horse's Tet Cake, The Winged Horse, and the Unique Horse Dances Across the Country. All of these invite young readers to explore Tet through each page: “Close your eyes and listen to the resounding, rhythmic hoofbeats of horses in the blossoming soil, waiting for the tiny seeds to be sown, in the gentle crackling sounds of the green sprouts opening…”

If the Literature section features gentle yet meaningful stories like "The Stranger on New Year's Eve," "The Coconut Tree Staying Over," "A Cup of Green Tea - A Sweet and Pleasant Tet," then the Poetry section boasts clear and lovely verses: "My age is the year of the horse / But mother, don't be sad / Though mountains and forests separate us / Though rivers and seas separate us / I will find my way back to you / The little horse still remembers the way" (The Year of the Horse - Xuan Quynh). Or truly vibrant and fresh: "The little one skips along / Following the spring to school / A whole sky of love / Spring in the child's eyes" (Spring in the Child's Eyes - Huong Minh Tuyet).

In the Art section, folk artist Ngựa Múp introduces young readers to Northern Vietnamese folk paintings; children's paintings by the renowned artist Nguyễn Tư Nghiêm. Following that, author Phạm Xuân Dũng introduces a timeless musical piece about spring - "A Little Spring" (by the late composer Trần Hoàn): “And every spring, this familiar song, like a beloved swallow, resonates with a poignant feeling, a sharing of trust, and continues to linger as if it will never end...”

The book concludes with stories from the Years of the Horse: From the boy Cung to President Ho Chi Minh . These are the Years of the Horse that marked significant milestones in the nation's history, leading President Ho Chi Minh to make crucial choices that shaped the country's destiny.

"The moment the horses' hooves stop, the earth and sky harmonize, and the joyful song of spring scenery and people, of the vibrant New Year's fireworks, resounds—that is when all the best and most beautiful things will come."

Excerpt from the book "Enjoying the Lunar New Year of the Year of the Horse"

Packed with interesting, novel, and colorful information, "Enjoying the Year of the Horse" is a meaningful spring gift for young readers to savor.
This Tet holiday.

Nhat Ha

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/dong-nai-cuoi-tuan/202601/cung-nham-nhi-tet-binh-ngo-a7d10f6/