In the past, the calendars had only three size (small, medium and large) and a simple design with folk verses, proverbs and famous sayings, etc. which were selected perfunctorily. Recently, the calendar manufacturers have paid more attention on the calendars' design and content to meet the demands of the customers. Therefore, the block calendars have gradually become unique cultural works.
In the past, the calendars had only three size (small, medium and large) and a simple design with folk verses, proverbs and famous sayings, etc. which were selected perfunctorily. Recently, the calendar manufacturers have paid more attention on the calendars’ design and content to meet the demands of the customers. Therefore, the block calendars have gradually become unique cultural works.
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| Calendars at Tan Tien Bookstore, Nha Trang City. |
In the 2015 calendar season, An Hao Company released block calendar about the life and career of General Vo Nguyen Giap. In 2016, apart from the extremely super-large-sized calendar of the General, An Hao Company produced another calendar containing 365 drawings about the history of Vietnam from the time of Hung Kings to the open-door period (1986). Spring Calendar Phuong Nam Company has also made some changes to their calendars compared to the past. For example, the company launched a super-large-sized trans-Vietnam block calendar in 2015; an extremely super-large-sized calendar about Vietnam’s national level relics and landscapes which were depicted in many watercolor paintings. In the 2016 calendar season, Spring Calendar Phuong Nam Company issued many block calendars bearing Vietnam’s traditional cultural features, such as water-puppet, traditional food, and landscapes, etc.
The 2017 calendar season continues to see new ideas of the units in producing calendars. An Hao Company has recently launched a block calendar themed about the Tale of Kieu with 365 pictures drawn by painter Huu Hieu in 20 months. Through the excerpts from this immortal work introduced in each page of the calendar, An Hao Company hopes to popularize the Tale of Kieu, which has been widely regarded as a valuable cultural property of Vietnam, among Vietnamese people everywhere.
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| Many people are interested in block calendar about the Tale of Kieu of An Hao Company. |
This year, Spring Calendar Phuong Nam Company released a block calendar about the games in the Southeast Asia and trade villages in Vietnam. Huy Hoa Company issued a block calendar introducing Vietnam’s lullabies associating with the country’s founding, building, protecting, and developing processes, which is integrated with Vietnam’s landscapes.
In addition to the theme on culture and history, the daily life activities, especially foods and health, have also been incorporated into the 2017 calendars. The block calendar of 365 herbal remedies with images, usages, and instructions of An Hao Company was presented first prize at the 2017 spring calendar exhibition held in Ho Chi Minh City. Other calendars of this theme are about nutritious food, fruits of four seasons, the tranquility of soul, and so on. Besides, there are also many beautiful calendars of familiar subjects like flower arranging, drawings, geomancy, silk paintings, and Vietnam’s landscapes, etc.
“When the living conditions are increasingly improved, the customers tend to see the calendars not only as a thing showing days, weeks, and months but also as a decoration or collectible thing. Therefore, the calendar makers and manufacturers have tried to produce more and more unique and meticulous calendars. In the 2017 season of calendar, the units have also promoted the exclusive calendars for the big businesses. Although this kind of calendar has not been popular compared to other ones, it promises to become a tendency in the future,” said Tran Thai Nhan, Deputy Director of Khanh Hoa Book Publishing Joint Stock Company.
Reportedly, this year, the price of calendars increases by 10% compared to last year. Specifically, the colored calendars vary in price (VND40,000; VND70,000; VND240,000; VND350,000; VND650.000) depending on the size. According to Vu Duc Chung, staff of Tan Tien Bookstore, there have not been many people shopping for calendars these days. The peak season of calendar market is the period from late November and early December.
Xuan Thanh
Translated by H.N
