This year’s Lunar New Year market has recorded a marked diversity in product categories, designs, and origins, ranging from traditional goods to newly launched domestic and imported products.

After nearly two years of restoration and rehabilitation of the remaining structures of Emperor Tu Duc’s Mausoleum, Minh Khiem Hall (an ancient theater) – regarded as a “precious gem” of royal court performing arts – is gradually revealing its original appearance.

A brand is not merely to introduce the name or to prove the origin of a product, but an “identity card” that affirms its credibility and quality to customers. Especially in the context of fierce competition, developing Hue brands is not only an economic challenge but also a way to preserve, honor, and spread the unique values of the former imperial capital.

The establishment and development of Hue Union of Literature and Arts Associations - abbreviated as the “Union” (originating from Thua Thien National Salvation Cultural Association in 1945), marks an important milestone in Hue’s cultural history. For 80 years, the Union has not only organized and gathered creative forces but has also served as a “pivot” connecting heritage with innovation, tradition with modernity, and artists with the public.

The recent export of 18 tons of Hue specialty cakes (including nam cakes (flat rice flour cakes with shrimp topping), loc cakes (tapioca dumplings), and it cakes (glutinous flour round cakes)) to the USA by Hue One Food and Kinh Do Specialty Joint Stock Company, Thuan An, holds significant meaning, acting as a special cultural ambassador of Hue to the world, with the value of cassava plant.

A kite originating from Hue, which has been preserved for nearly 60 years in a museum in the United States, was discovered by a Vietnamese restoration expert. Through numerous accompanying documents, together with a passion for cultural roots, that expert “told the story” about how the kite was ordered in Hue Ancient Capital, then taken all the way to the U.S., and became an artistic artifact, etc…. It was truly fascinating.

As the old saying goes, “vải Trạng cung Diên, nhãn lồng Phụng Tiên” (Trang Lychees from the Cung Dien area; spathe-wrapped longans from Phung Tien, a former royal garden district). Today, Hue’s longan season still preserves its original sweetness, enticing those passing the ancient citadel to pause and savor the taste.

Noticeable was the opening of the oil painting exhibition by Hoang Nhu Thuy An at Lieu Quan Buddhist Cultural Center. Hoang Nhu Thuy An is Hoang Nhu Bua’s pseudonym, born in 1948, originally from Cau Hai (Cao Do) in Phu Loc, Hue, but currently living in Da Lat. The special thing is that all those paintings were painted after his stroke culminating in hemiplegia. He has learnt to paint with his left hand since then.

Amid the quiet walls of the Hue Museum of Fine Arts, the exhibition “The image of family in visual arts” was opened in the early days of June. The gallery is like a heartfelt symphony, pulling the feet of art lovers to stop, to listen to the whispers about origins.

With appealing flavors and unique artistic designs, entremet cakes (a type of dessert originating from France) have gained great attraction and are especially loved by young people, particularly on meaningful celebratory occasions.