Happy Tết Quý Mão to my Vietnamese readers! 2023 is the Year of the Cat, so time to celebrate because a person can never have too many cats in their life.  VNPost’s introduction to the set evokes a nostalgic sense of anticipation for the celebrations:

The weather in the North starts in winter with chilly winds, somewhere the whispers of passersby can be heard. The scent of incense wafts in the air, the voices of the women and girls are bustling. Tết is really coming!

The Vietnamese zodiac differs from the Chinese one, which celebrates the Year of the Rabbit in 2023. Instead a cat takes the rabbit’s place as the fourth animal in the cycle.  The cat should not be confused with the tiger, which appears in both the Vietnamese and Chinese calendars. 

Why a cat instead of a rabbit? Well, there are a number of theories relating to this, ranging from translation errors between words for cat and rabbit to an ancient tale about a fight between the cat and the rat. My grasp on the arguments surrounding possible mistranslations is not strong, so I’m going to pass on offering an explanation, because I don’t wish to misrepresent either cultures or languages.  

Tết begins on January 22, 2023 and runs to February 9, 2024.  The cat symbolises intelligence, ingenuity and agility (“là biểu tượng của sự thông minh, tài trí, nhanh nhẹn” VNPost | Tết Quý Mão 2023 trên tem bưu chính), which aptly describes the average cat.  

Designer Nguyễn Quang Vinh returns for his fourth Tết set. His tigers last year were nothing short of brilliant. His use of the  Vietnamese folk art style Hàng Trống created what could be considered the single most unique Year of the Tiger set of 2022.  The faces on the tigers are pure delight.  The  2023 cats revert to his previous design form with a gentler, more playful, and in VNPost’s own words, “modern style”. 

When you spread Nguyễn’s work out, you begin to see how vibrant and energetic his art is.  His Lunar New Year cycle is a masterpiece.

In the center of the first stamp is the image of the mother cat and two kittens cuddling and frolicking. Mother cats hug and carry kittens on their backs, … as so many mothers in life do: both tolerantly holding their children in their arms, protecting them from storms and turbulence… VNPost

The father cat is depicted as the lone protector of his family. He is “carrying the whole world on his back to protect the peace of his small family” (VNPost). To me, he looks content and happy.  The souvenir sheet pulls the family and celebrations together.  

Symbols of Tết can be seen in the series, especially in the sheet – traditional red envelopes hang among the peach blossoms and apricot flowers. The collection is rounded out with a set of FDCs and maxi cards, complete with more images of a happy family enjoying the celebrations. 

Nguyễn weaves bright colours throughout the pieces, using blues, pinks and yellows to tie the series together.  Interestingly, the cat on the first maxi card echoes the Hàng Trống head positioning and style of the tiger issues, albeit with a modern feel. 

Nguyễn Quang Vinh should be back next year for the dragon, and in some ways, I can’t wait to see what he creates. In the meantime, have a peaceful, and happy New Year. 

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