The Hue Flower Village Passed Down Through the Ages
Thanh Tien paper flower village in Hue preserves its traditional craft across generations, using natural materials and handed-down handmade techniques.
Hue is seen as a cradle of history, a place that preserves many timeless beauties from one generation to the next. In particular, many craft villages here pass down the exquisite techniques that create beautiful products. Among them one must mention Thanh Tien paper flower village, a village devoted to making Hue's Thanh Tien paper flowers.
The origins of Thanh Tien paper village
Thanh Tien paper flower village lies in Phu Mau commune, Phu Vang district, only 10 km from the city centre. The village was once known by another name, Tan Lan. Thanks to the creativity of its forebears in making paper flowers, the village gradually came to be renamed Thanh Tien.
In Hue, with its harsh weather - a drenching rainy season and a sunny season heavy with the Lao wind - using fresh flowers for prolonged worship during festivals and Tet was not feasible. From that starting point, the villagers created paper flowers to worship their ancestors. They could be kept for a long time and, moreover, were decorated in many eye-catching colours.
Gradually, these flowers became beloved by the villagers and were always used for worship. The craft village then grew and grew, becoming the place that specialises in Hue's Thanh Tien paper flowers. It became famous throughout Hue and spread to many provinces during festivals and Tet.
There was also a time when the secret formula for crafting high-quality paper flowers was lost. In that period the flowers were used only for the royal court and the nobility. Later, the villagers researched and restored the formula to create paper flowers of very high quality.
Thanh Tien paper flower village - keeper of a famous Hue craft
Thanh Tien paper flower village has always preserved the most ancient traditional secrets of paper-flower making. In particular, there are many techniques for making bong lung and bong bup - flowers familiar on the altars of old Hue.
With creative, artistic minds and skilful hands, the villagers of the Thanh Tien flower craft have produced many beautiful flowers, such as morning glory, double chrysanthemum, tuong vi rose, single chrysanthemum, sunflower and lotus, regarded as works of art. The flowers were made in the farming off-season and used to worship ancestors and in the rite to the Land God.
Usually the flowers are used most at Tet. The lotus is used for decoration all year round. The five-colour flowers are used by the people from the tenth month, both for altar worship and for offering incense at the pagoda. Besides, the five-colour flowers are widely used in cafes, bookstores and even private homes for decoration. This is a fresh beauty of Thanh Tien paper flowers, now used for many purposes.
Creating the products is a whole process
In Thanh Tien flower village, young and old alike preserve the traditional beauty with the secret of making superb paper flowers. But making beautiful, artistic blooms is no simple matter - it is a whole process carried out entirely by hand. Before the flower-making stage, preparing the materials must be done most carefully and takes many months.
Among these, bamboo is the most important material. Supple lo o bamboo is whittled fine and sun-dried. Coloured paper is cut into flower shapes, then glued and shaped, the stamens assembled and the parts put together to form a bloom.
The most special thing in producing paper flowers is that the artisans of Thanh Tien use only dyes made from leaves, crafted to a handed-down family formula. Each product passes through many stages, demanding the meticulousness and skill of the artisan's hands. Each day, each person in Thanh Tien flower village makes from 15 to 20 blooms.
The flowers most beloved by customers are usually roses, chrysanthemums, orchids, lilies, hibiscus, apricot blossom and gerberas. The lotus, in particular, is the most chosen product. With its delicate, elegant beauty, and since only about 10 households in the village can make it, it stands apart.
Closing words
Thanh Tien flower village creates not only high-quality flower products but also a whole process of preserving and passing on the secret formulas left by its forebears. It produces works used widely for many purposes, most of all for worship. We hope ever more people come to know this flower village, so that it never fades from people's minds - so that each time spring and Tet return, we have yet more beautiful vases to adorn the altar and to use for a long time.
