New records set by Ha Noi flower festival

Update: 31/12/2009
Three new Viet Nam Guinness records will be presented at the second Ha Noi Flower Festival which will be kicked off tonight at the capital’s Ly Thai To Square.

The records, including the longest train on an ao dai (traditional dress), the biggest rattan vase of lotus flowers and the biggest shell-inlaid wooden block presenting a royal proclamation by King Ly Thai To.

Up to 1,000 flowers were used to form the 10m-long train on the traditional dress. Floral artisan Nguyen Manh Hung will beautify the train of the dress with a flower picture depicting four seasons. The unique dress will be on display together with many festive drums made by craftsmen from the Lam Yen traditional village in the central province of Quang Nam.

The 6.5m-high rattan vase of lotus flowers made by artisan Nguyen Phuong Quang from Ha Noi’s Chuong My District will also be on display. Quang spent more than two years on the vase, which depicts Ha Noi’s Literature Temple, One-Pillar Pagoda and Tortoise Tower.

The 1.9m-high and 1.3m-wide royal proclamation was completed by veteran artisan Tran Ba Nam from Ha Noi’s Phu Xuyen Village, who spent three years on the task. The royal proclamation made by King Ly in 1010 stated that the county’s capital would be relocated from Hoa Lu to Thang Long (the former name of Ha Noi).

During the five-day event, which is one of 80 events in the city organised by its Cultural, Sports and Tourism Department to celebrate the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long-Ha Noi next year, different kinds of flowers will be on show along with 22,000 tulips donated by the Netherlands.

The flower festival’s opening ceremony will be broadcast on VTV2 and VTV4.

Source: Vietnam News