Discovering Thanh Tien Paper Flower Village
A famous Hue craft village of over a century, Thanh Tien makes exquisite handmade paper flowers - and welcomes visitors to watch and try the craft.
Hue is regarded as one of the cradles of Vietnamese history, a place that preserves many beauties handed down through the ages. Thanh Tien paper flower village, in particular, is one of the craft villages steeped in traditional culture, astonishing visitors with the beauty it has kept alive.
Thanh Tien paper flower village - the traditional beauty of Hue
Since ancient times, Hue has faced many hardships from its harsh weather and the effects of the Lao wind. Using fresh flowers for worship during festivals was quite difficult. For that reason, the people here long ago created paper flowers to worship their ancestors.
Because these flowers are both beautiful in colour and long-lasting, they grew more popular in Hue, and Thanh Tien came to be regarded as an extremely famous paper-flower village from ages past.
Thanh Tien paper flower village has always held the finest and most ancient secrets of paper-flower making. To create flowers of special colour and form, the artisans put in no small effort.
With their creativity and skilful hands, the villagers have produced many eye-catching paper flowers such as the morning glory, the tuong vi rose, the peony and the lotus. These flowers are usually used for display and to worship ancestors.
Ordinarily these paper flowers are used mainly at Tet. The lotus, however, is displayed and used all year round. The five-colour flowers are usually displayed and used in the tenth month for altar worship and visits to the pagoda.
Besides, the flowers are also used to decorate shops, cafes and bookstores to create a nostalgic atmosphere. This is a beauty of Thanh Tien paper flowers in the present age.
Thanh Tien paper flowers are not merely a work of artistic beauty; hidden within they also symbolise the old Confucian philosophy. Usually a spray comprises three large flowers in the centre and five small ones around, symbolising the Three Bonds and the Five Constants. Thanks to that special spiritual meaning, Thanh Tien paper flowers have kept their soul and their distinctive character to this day.
The flowers not only embody a beauty of the Hue people's old way of life but also serve as a sign that Tet is drawing very near.
How to get to Thanh Tien paper flower village
Thanh Tien is a village about 10 km from the centre of Hue, in Phu Mau commune, Phu Vang district, Thua Thien Hue province. It is a village famed for paper-flower making for more than a century. Travellers wishing to go from the centre of Hue to Thanh Tien can choose private transport such as a motorbike or a car.
The process of making Thanh Tien village paper flowers
Thanh Tien paper flower village has, from ages past until now, firmly kept its traditional beauty with sprays of superb, high-quality paper flowers. Yet making flowers so beautiful and meticulous is no simple matter. The process of producing the flowers is done entirely by hand.
Before reaching the flower-making stage, the craftsperson must prepare the materials extremely carefully, which can take several months. Among these, choosing the bamboo is the most important factor. The bamboo must be supple, whittled fine and dried. Coloured paper is cut into flower shapes and glued, the parts assembled and shaped to obtain the most beautiful bloom.
A special feature of the artisans' paper-flower process is the use of natural dyes. The dyes are all prepared to a handed-down family formula. Each product demands the craftsperson's skill and meticulousness, so each artisan makes an average of 15 to 20 blooms a day.
What to experience at Thanh Tien paper flower village
Travellers who come to Thanh Tien paper flower village will have truly delightful experiences. Visitors immerse themselves in the flower village, watching the artisans' meticulous hands bend bamboo, cut and attach each lovely bloom. The scent of bamboo, dye and paper mingling with the lively atmosphere here is sure to give you the finest experience.
As a familiar and distinctive tourist destination in Hue, visitors here can choose and buy the flowers they wish with their own hands. The price of these flowers is not high, ranging from only 5,000 to 7,000 VND for a simple spray of paper flowers. As for more elaborate decorative blooms, the price ranges from 25,000 to 40,000 VND apiece, depending on the size of the flower.
