For 26 years, 93-year-old Khmer man Mai Huyen has poured his time, savings and faith into a 20-meter tower in southern Vietnam, filling it with thousands of Buddhist statues, many made by his own hands.

A young couple in southern Vietnam are turning bamboo chopsticks, cardboard and discarded beer cans into remarkably lifelike miniature homes, recreating childhood memories for customers at home and abroad while earning nearly $19,000 a year.

At first glance, they look like ceramic flower vases or miniature villages. Look closer, and these intricate works of Vietnamese art turn out to be mooncakes.

In the highland village of Chung Pa A in Tuyen Quang Province, the sound of the khen played by Meritorious Artisan Vang Cha Thao resonates far beyond festivals. It has become a symbol of cultural preservation and community transformation.

From rough, gnarly agarwood logs, artisans in Van Thang (Khanh Hoa) patiently carve the wood, preserving the precious resin inside, to craft bracelets and decorative pieces, valued from several hundred thousand to millions of VND.

Administrative boundaries may have changed after the reorganization of villages and hamlets, but the "village soul" of the Central Highlands has been preserved by the people through culture, memories, and community bonds.

For generations, the flute of the Bru Van Kieu people has carried both music and spiritual meaning. Village elder Ho Ai is ensuring the tradition continues by passing it on to younger generations.

In a remote mountain village, a husband and wife have spent decades ensuring the Ca Dong community's songs, dances and craftsmanship continue to inspire younger generations.

At the age of 83, Meritorious Artist Ho Van Dinh still silently preserves the distinct cultural values of the Ca Dong people. His eyes still gleam with passion whenever he mentions village festivals or the gongs ringing across the vast forests.

For generations, the K'toang drum of Vietnam's Cham H'roi community was played only by men. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Huong changed that tradition and is now inspiring young women to preserve the art.

High in Vietnam's northern mountains, an elderly artisan continues to transform plain hemp cloth into works of cultural heritage using a centuries-old beeswax technique.

Amid the Truong Son mountains, artisan Ho Van Vat, better known as Pa Hoi, spends decades tuning traditional lutes and panpipes.

Deep in the mountains of central Vietnam, an elderly artisan is dedicating his life to ensuring that future generations do not forget their cultural roots.

For decades, artisan Pa Hoi has dedicated his life to preserving the Ta Lu lute and Khen Be panpipe, safeguarding the cultural soul of the Bru Van Kieu people.

A young woman in Lam Dong transforms dry leaves into delicate embroidery pieces, turning a chance discovery into a source of income.

For more than 50 years, Ama H’Loan has quietly preserved the cultural soul of his village, holding together traditions at risk of fading amid modern change.

In a quiet workshop by the Thu Bon River, one artisan preserves not just woodcraft, but the soul of a centuries-old tradition.

A young artisan from Ninh Binh recreates traditional northern Vietnamese houses in detailed miniature models.

Amid the rush of Lunar New Year (Tet) shopping, a small stall in Tan Dinh Market echoes with steady hammering, where a veteran artisan preserves a timeless craft.