Xăm Hường (Crimson Fortune) 2025

“Xăm Hường” might sound strange to many people and especially young people; however, it is a very familiar tradition with the people of Hue. Under the Nguyen Dynasty, Xăm Hường was often played in palaces, for concubines, royalty and respected nobles in court; then passed down to the common people and is still preserved today in this ancient capital.

“Hường” is alternate way to say the word ‘pink’, because the enunciation of the word ‘pink’, ‘Hồng”, a part of “Hồng Nhậm”, a sacred name of King Tự Đức. in the word Hong Nham (which is the nickname of King Tu Duc). In folk belief, pink and red are colors that resemble great fortune in the new year.

Xăm Hường is played by rolling six dice, with a shared goal to earn special tablets engraved with red letters, representing academic degrees in the ancient examination system included: Baccalaureate; bachelor, doctor, first laureate, first doctoral candidate, and so on. This is the real life dream of students pursuing academic career achievements — an encouragement to further education accomplishments, all in hopes to support the nation.

RuNam’s ”Tablets of Fortune” is the collaboration of RuNam’s creative team and artist Phan Thanh Nam (Ấm Chè), with traditional Vietnamese costumes echoing the Nguyen Dynasty's court clothes, stylized in a more contemporary perspective.

The image of the character “Trạng Nguyên” wearing a dynastic costume with a robe and bonnet, or the characters of Hội Nguyên and Thám Hoa with costumes including a court costume, and hats of Văn Công and Đông Pha. Áo dài, turbans are costumes of the Doctor and Bachelor. The image of Tú Tài are portrayed more idyllic, closer to that of ordinary people.