Since ancient times, our ancestors have valued "one self as a master, half self as a master", considering letters as the foundation of human morality. Every beginning of the year, Confucian scholars often open their pens to pray for academic advancement, fame and success. Today, that custom is no longer associated with exams, but the spirit of studiousness is still continued. Recently, in Thuong Tin commune, a land of "hundred professions", a place that preserves a complex of rich cultural heritage and long-standing academic traditions, the opening ceremony is organized associated with the production of traditional craft villages, creating a very clear message: Learning to be human, learning to be a profession, learning to develop the homeland.
The custom of starting writing, if viewed broadly, is a vivid manifestation of the "lifelong learning" movement being strongly implemented in many localities. In the context of digital transformation, knowledge economy and deep international integration, knowledge is no longer an advantage of a group of people, but has become a vital requirement for all classes. Farmers need to learn new techniques, workers must improve their skills, grassroots officials must update management knowledge, and students need to practice comprehensive skills. Learning society is therefore not just a slogan, but a practical requirement.
From the story of starting writing at the beginning of spring, a thought-provoking approach can be seen: Linking traditional customs with the goal of modern development. The message sent is very clear: Heritage preservation must go hand in hand with thinking innovation; preserving traditional crafts must go hand in hand with learning new technologies, expanding markets, and developing cultural tourism. It is this spirit of continuous learning that helps craft villages not to fall behind.
In many other localities, the lifelong learning movement is concretized by community learning centers, digital skills training classes for people, reading programs, learning promotion, and talent promotion. When the government, schools, families and communities join hands, learning is no longer limited to age or qualifications. Elderly people can still participate in reading clubs, workers can learn online, and children are encouraged to nurture the habit of self-study. That is the spirit of a society that appreciates knowledge.
Starting writing at the beginning of spring, therefore, is not only a cultural beauty, but also a reminder to each of us about the responsibility of self-study and self-improvement. In an era where knowledge changes every day, anyone who stops studying will lose their opportunity. A handwriting at the beginning of the year may be small, but if nurtured by determination and specific actions, it will become a long-term motivation.
Preserving the custom of starting writing is also a way for the younger generation to understand that learning is not a pressure, but a source of pride, a tradition passed down through many generations. When tradition and modernity meet in a lifelong learning spirit, it is a precious soft resource for each locality and for the whole country on the long journey.
