Three new Vietnam Guinness records are being presented at the second Hanoi Flower Festival kicked off tonight of December 30 at the Ly Thai To Square.

The records include the longest ao dai (traditional dress), the biggest rattan vase of lotus flowers and the biggest shell-inlaid wooden block presenting a royal proclamation by King Ly Thai To.

Up to 1,000 flowers were used to form the 10m-long traditional dress. Floral artisan Nguyen Manh Hung will beautify the dress with a flower picture depicting four seasons. The unique dress will be on display together with many festive drums made by craftsmen from the Lam Yen traditional village in the central province of Quang Nam.

The 6.5m-high rattan vase of lotus flowers made by artisan Nguyen Phuong Quang from Hanoi’s Chuong My District will also be on display. Quang spent more than two years on the vase, which depicts Hanoi’s Literature Temple, One-Pillar Pagoda and Tortoise Tower.

The 1.9m-high and 1.3m-wide royal proclamation was completed by veteran artisan Tran Ba Nam from Hanoi’s Phu Xuyen Village, who spent three years on the task. The royal proclamation made by King Ly Thai To in 1010 stated that the county’s capital would be relocated from Hoa Lu to Thang Long (the former name of Hanoi).

During the five-day event, which is one of 80 events in the city organised by municipal Department of Cultural, Sports and Tourism to celebrate the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi next year, different kinds of flowers will be on show along with 22,000 tulips donated by the Netherlands.