Đông Hồ woodblock print “Gà Dạ Xướng” – The rooster that crows at night | Artisan Nguyễn Hữu Đạo

Standing on one leg, the rooster lets out its crow: a proud and lucky image.

History and symbolism

The inscription 夜唱五更和 ("Dạ xướng ngũ canh hòa") means "it crows at night, regular at each of the five watches". Before clocks, the rooster's crow marked the rhythm of the night in the countryside: it became a symbol of reliability and keeping one's word, and it was said to drive away evil spirits to welcome the light. The rooster also embodies five virtues: culture, bravery, courage, benevolence, and loyalty.

Craftsmanship

Everything is handmade by Nguyễn Hữu Đạo, a fifteenth-generation Đông Hồ printmaker: dó paper coated with shell powder (điệp), natural pigments, and a block engraved for each color. This craftsmanship has been inscribed since 2025 on the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding. Artisan's seal. Hand-printed: slight variations from one copy to another.

Decoration & gift idea

Colorful and vertical, it livens up an entrance, kitchen, or office. A perfect gift for someone born under the sign of the Rooster.

Đông Hồ print in brief

A Vietnamese heritage nearly five centuries old, the Đông Hồ popular print was born in the village of the same name, in Thuận Thành (Bắc Ninh province). Each image there is entirely handmade, from the drawing and block engraving to printing, and its themes – wishes for happiness, scenes of daily life, history, and worship – have made it the traditional image of Têt, the Lunar New Year. In December 2025, UNESCO inscribed this craftsmanship, which is still perpetuated by only a few families, on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.

Characteristics

• Format: 27 × 36 cm
• Orientation: Portrait (vertical)
• Technique: woodblock print (wood engraving), hand-printed
• Support: dó paper coated with shell powder (điệp)
• Natural pigments
• Signed with the seal of artisan Nguyễn Hữu Đạo
• Sold without frame – the framing visible in the lifestyle photos is shown for illustrative purposes only
• Origin: Đông Hồ village, Thuận Thành, Bắc Ninh province, Vietnam