VietNamNet Bridge – The Mid-autumn Festival is coming in two weeks but Vac village, which used to be very famous for making star-shaped lanterns, has no longer produced this kind of traditional lantern.
Vac or Canh Hoach village, around 35km from Hanoi’s hub, is famous nationwide for making handicraft items from bamboo, rattan and papers, including star-shaped lanterns, paper fans, bird cages, etc. Though the Mid-Autumn Festival is coming, villagers are only making bird cages, not star-shaped lanterns.

Mr. Nguyen Van Thich, 85, said Vac village has produced star-shaped lanterns for hundreds of years. His family alone has made this traditional product for five generations.

“In the past, since the 15th day of the 7th lunar month our village began making star-shaped lanterns. From the 10th day of the 8th lunar month we brought star-shaped lanterns to nearby markets. But now, almost all villagers do not make this product anymore,” Mr. Thich said.
He said he has not made star-shaped for five years. “All villagers have turned to bird cages. If I was young, I would have also made bird cages. But I’m weak now; I can make votive papers only”.

Elders in Vac village said that villagers did not produce star-shaped lanterns for the last five years, because earnings from his product are low.

“It is not difficult to make star-shaped lanterns. One craftsman can make 10 lanterns per day. But the price for star-shaped lanterns is only VND2,000-3,000/unit. It is also hard to sell this product. Earnings from bird cages is much higher, from VND100,000 to VND500,000 per day,” Mr. Thich said.

He said villagers only make star-shaped lanterns for their children, not for sales. “This year I’m busy so I do not make lanterns for my grandchildren,” he said.

Mr. Le Van Thang, who was busy making a bird cage, said: “If you want to buy lanterns, you should go to the market at a nearby crossroad. There are many Chinese lanterns there.”

At a grocery in Vac market, Chinese lanterns were displayed in abundance. There was no traditional paper-made lantern there. “I don’t showcase paper-made lanterns. I have only several lanterns of this kind because it is unprofitable,” the seller said.

Nguyen Van Nghe, a famous artisan of Vac village, said: “My family has not made star-shaped lanterns for years. We have to change under the market rules.” His family is one of well-off households in Vac village thanks to producing bird cages.

Dan Vien village, around 10km from Vac Village, used to be known for making lanterns but the village has also stopped producing this traditional item.

Artisan Nguyen Ngoc Ky, who is called “King of lanterns”, the maker of a national record lantern (7m high, 2.6m wide) in 2006, said that the giant lantern ruined because there was no space for it.

Ky said that his family made lanterns for several generations, but like other households in his village, Ky’s family has not producing lanterns anymore. “My villagers have other lucrative jobs,” he said.
Ky only makes lanterns at orders placed by organizers of traditional festivals or hotels and restaurants.

He said he has taught one of his sons how to make lanterns and he hoped his son will follow this job, but the son is busy with his own business now.

Hanoi in these days is very colorful with lanterns, but it is very difficult to find out traditional lanterns made by craft villages.

PV