VietNamNet Bridge – The yin-yang tile making villages in the northern mountainous province of Lang Son are busy at this time of year.




 

Yin-yang tiles are traditional materials in building houses on stilts of the Tay and Nung people in Lang Son. 

 

 

 

The soil for making yin-yang tiles is heavy earth. The soil is kneaded with water and the mixture is left for half a month.

 

 

To have perfect tiles, the soil must be pure, without small pieces of stones or gravel.

 

 

Several households share a kiln.



 

 

Pure earth is put into wooden molds. Each mold can produce two tiles.

 

 

Mr. Duong Van Thach, 30, in Quynh Son commune, Bac Son district of Lang Son province has pursued this job for more than 10 years. All of his family member make tiles during leisure after harvest time.

 

 

After molding, tiles are dried under the sun for 1-2 months before they are burnt in the kiln.

 

 

A kiln can burn about 50,000 tiles, within 10 days. The price for a tile is VND1,500 ($0.06).



 

 

Houses in Quynh Son Commune are all roofed by yin-yang tiles. 
Photo: VNE



Linh Nhat