VietNamNet Bridge – Sinh Village in Thua Thien Hue Province has made folk paintings for the central region for more than 400 years. The paintings are made by farmers during crop intervals. Sinh Village has become a popular tourist destination.

Sinh Village, also known as Lai An Village, is located in Phu Mau Commune, Phu Vang District, about 9 km east of Hue City. Sinh folk paintings are somewhat like the Dong Ho folk paintings of Bac Ninh Province and the Hang Trong folk paintings of Hanoi. Local elders say that the craft of making folk paintings was first introduced in the region by Mr. Ky Huu Hoa during the Nguyen dynasty. The paintings are used for worshiping and other rituals. Woodblocks are used to make the paintings. Huu Phuoc is a famous artisan in Sinh Village: “Each place has its own tradition and religion. In Sai Gon, they also have votive papers and paintings but they are smaller. Sinh votive paintings are now also popular in Ho Chi Minh City because they are beautiful. Sinh paintings are mostly used during the traditional lunar New Year festival and in some special worshipping ceremonies. The peak season of Sinh folk paintings is from the 10th lunar month to the following February”.

The woodblocks are used as moulds for color printing. Some other colors are painted by the artists themselves. Therefore, Sinh paintings are always different. Each of them reflects the skills and attributes of its author. The colors used are made from natural ingredients like leaves, flowers, vegetables, ashes of rice straws, and brick powder. Phuoc says that while Dong Ho folk paintings have just four or five main colors, Sinh paintings have more, limited only by the artist’s imagination: “Sinh paintings are handmade. After printing, we color the paintings. We have to color five times for five colors. The five main colors of Sinh paintings are represent the five elements: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth”.

Papers used to make the paintings are made from clam shells taken from Tam Giang lagoon. The shells are ground into powder, mixed with glue, and then pasted on paper to make shell paper. Decorative patterns on Sinh papers vary to appeal to different tastes. Folk games and landscapes are among the main themes of Sinh paintings which are often used to make calendars. Visitors to Sinh village can make their own painting, from printing to hand coloring. Le Mai Huong is a tourist from Quang Ninh Province: “I come here to learn about the traditional crafts of Hue, especially Sinh paintings. Everything is natural. The papers, the color powder are made of natural ingredients.  The process of making paintings is also interesting”.

Each painting is rolled up in a bamboo tube to protect it. The names of the village and the artist are engraved on the bamboo tube. Sinh paintings are the favorite souvenirs of tourists who come to Hue.

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