Some mothers do ave' em: Visitors admire a painting reflecting a mother's love on display at the show. —VNS Photo

HCM CITY  (VNS)— A painting exhibition featuring mothers is now open at the Pho Quang Pagoda in HCM City, celebrating Vu Lan, the Buddhist holiday.

The festival, held during the seventh lunar month every year, celebrates and pays gratitude to motherly love.

The exhibition includes 50 abstracts in different sizes by monk Thich Phap Hanh of Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province as well as works by Vietnamese-Canadian artists Vi Tran and Luong Quoc Thang.

Although the artists' styles and images were different, they have used to blue to highlight their works because "the colour means love, compassion and sharing", said Hanh.

Over more than 10 years, Hanh has painted some 600 works in different styles and displayed his works at home and abroad, including South Korea, German and the US.

He said Vu Lan was the time for people, especially the youth, to look back and remember their mother's love and sacrifices.

Special events

As in previous years, dozens of professional art troupes around the city are presenting special programmes relating to appreciation of mothers.

At the Dam Sen and Suoi Tien parks, several concerts over the coming days will highlight the sacrifices mothers make for their children to enjoy a secure future.

The Hung Dao Theatre and Phu Nhuan Stage will host several cai luong (reformed theatre) performances during the Vu Lan season.

They have already staged extracts from cai luong operas and plays including Me Mai Trong Doi Con (Mother is in My Mind Forever) and Bong Hong Cai Ao (The Rose on the Shirt). The works are based on traditional legends about mothers.

Last week, hundreds joined the Phat Va Me ( Buddha and Mother) event held at the city's Army Theatre in Tan Binh District. Fans thoroughly enjoyed shows put on by pop singers Nguyen Phi Hung and Giao Linh, and cai luong stars Kim Tu Long and Chau Thanh.

The event also included narration of real life stories by mothers and children who live with difficulties but who have overcome them.

The organisers, the HCM City Buddhist Association and its partners, collected more than VND600 million (US$28,000) from ticket sales and donations to help poor women and children.

Vu Lan shows began last week and will continue until the end of the month.

Young singer and theatre actor Hoa Hiep said: "We're not looking to make a profit from these shows. We hope to encourage young people to love and respect their mothers much more." — VNS