Busy Production Season Ahead of Mid-Autumn Festival
Papier-mache lion head makers in Hue City, central Vietnam, are stepping up production ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival, with household-run workshops reportedly producing around 1,000 heads a day.
With nearly a month to go before the festival on September 25, workshops producing lion dance heads and other traditional items are entering their busiest period for production and sales.
Footage filmed on Monday shows a shop on Tran Hung Dao Street packed with papier-mache heads in vibrant colours, stacked on shelves as craftsmen add the final details.
A Family Craft Evolving With Modern Trends
At his workshop, Truong Nhu Ken carefully paints intricate patterns onto the lion heads, continuing a tradition passed down through his family.
According to the man, there are only about 10 family workshops left in Hue City that preserve this traditional craft. “My family has been making lion dance heads since 1990. I followed in my father’s footsteps and have been doing this for 10 years now,” Truong noted.
“The tastes in lion dance heads have also changed a lot. Nowadays, we make lion heads with three horns or phoenix heads like the one over there. The designs and painting styles have evolved considerably,” he explained, adding, “We have to adapt to the trends. In the past, we only drew simple things, but now, everything is modern, so the drawing style is more diverse, modern, and eye-catching.”
“Regarding seasonality, we sell the most goods around the beginning of August, but it also varies depending on the economic situation each year,” the craftsman concluded.
Preserving Hue’s Traditional Lion Head Craft
Customer Nguyen Tan Huy noted his appreciation: “This is the first time I’ve bought a lion dance head, and I find the product very beautiful and reasonably priced, making it suitable for young people to buy and play with during the festival.”
Lion head making is a long-established folk craft in Hue, Vietnam’s former imperial capital, with the colourful, lightweight papier-mâché creations taking centre stage in lion dances during Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations.
Craftsmen must balance strength with weight, making each head sturdy enough to withstand energetic performances while remaining light enough for dancers to move freely.
Article by Viory:
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