A
series of exhibitions of native Vietnamese flowers is being held in several
cities to identify the people’s choice for the national flower, and the caravan
has now moved to Da Nang.

The week-long
exhibition opened on Tuesday in the central city after an earlier one in Ha Noi
in January when an overwhelming 80 per cent of visitors voted for the lotus.

The latest one,
organised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, has three sections,
one each on the lotus, other flowers, and bamboo.

The lotus section
features the flower, both natural and made of paper and silk, and themes
highlighting its importance in Vietnamese culture, ancestor worship, oriental
and Vietnamese Buddhism, traditional and contemporary arts, and cuisine.

Photos of the lotus,
craftworks made from the flower, and ao dai’s (women’s traditional robes)
decorated with lotuses by designer Lan Huong are also on show.

The “Flowers from All
Parts of the Country” section features the north-west’s plum blossoms, the
yellow ochna from the south, orchids from the Central Highlands, and peach
blossoms from the north.

The final section
features craftworks, tools, and architecture made of bamboo, a common tree in
Viet Nam.

The organisers will
distribute the poll ballots to 3,000 visitors and 12,000 city residents.

The poll can also be
taken on  and
.

To qualify the flower
must be indigenous to the country, found in most provinces, reflect the culture,
ethos, and spirit of the Vietnamese people, have a beautiful shape, colour,
fragrance, and possess commercial value.

Besides, it should be
commonly found, related to important cultural events, mentioned in literary and
artistic works, and celebrated by most people.

A third such
exhibition will be held in HCM City in June.

In the polls so far,
the lotus is followed by the ochna and rice flower.

VietNamNet/Viet
Nam News