Thanh Tien paper flower-making village to serve Tet

Villagers make flowers for special occasions such as traditional festivals and Tet (Lunar New Year). Local artisans use bamboo stems for sprigs, colored papers for petals and cassava for pistils. 

Thanh Tien paper flowers are used to decorate altars. The local people pay much attention to the rite of worshiping their ancestors, and for them flowers are one of the four most important and indispensable things in this rite, including incense, flowers, lamps and a bunch of bananas.

However, the weather in Hue, with much rainfall and strong sunlight, make it difficult to rely on natural flowers so the locals use paper flowers to replace fresh flowers and it has gradually become their hobby. 

Thanh Tien village is well known for its 300-year-old craft of making paper flowers. Thanh Tien paper flowers were used for rituals or worship ceremonies, but nowadays.

Every lunar October, Thanh Tien residents begin to prepare materials for making paper flowers. The busiest time of the season for them is from early lunar December till the last day of the lunar year.

Paper flowers are used for decoration and display at most important cultural events, particularly Hue Festival, a special state-level cultural event held every two years in Hue.

Mr. Nguyen Van Hien, 57, said from September in lunar calendar, the residents began to make paper flowers for selling on Tet. In order to make the flowers, artisans have to prepare every stage from months before the rainy season in Hue.

Instead of using industrial glue, Thanh Tien residents cook flour to make glue.

The artisans meticulously paste paper on pieces of bamboo.

Many kinds of flowers can be found among Thanh Tien paper flowers, such as orchids, lilies, roses and daisies.

Paper flowers can be sold for VND7,000 - 10,000 a pair.

The residents wrap paper flowers in straw and nylon and they will be sold in the middle of December in lunar calendar./.