VOV.VN - Known as Thach Xa bamboo dragonfly-making village, the ancient craft village near Hanoi’s Tay Phuong Pagoda is famed for its unique handmade toys, especially popular during the Mid-Autumn Festival.
A dragonfly is a familiar image to children, from books to everyday life. That is why bamboo dragonflies have long been cherished as a simple, rustic toy of childhood.
Nguyen Van Tai (pictured), owner of Tai Tan bamboo dragonfly workshop and the first to introduce the craft to the village, shares that the locality once had no tradition of bamboo dragonfly making, while he himself used to work as a service photographer.
Over 20 families in the village pursue the craft after three decades
Making bamboo dragonflies requires meticulous skills, with finer craftsmanship resulting in more beautiful, well-balanced, and lively toys that better capture children’s attention.
To make such lifelike bamboo dragonflies that can balance and perch on anything, craftsmen have to go through different processes requiring meticulosity.
The dragonflies are then coated with colourful paints and vivid patterns.
To ensure the products’ durability, Thach Xa villagers must choose thin and solid bamboo.
Balancing the bamboo dragonflies is the final step in the stage of shaping the form.
The process of painting dragonflies requires skillfulness and meticulousness to create colorful birds with beautiful patterns.
The products' motifs are inspired by the Vietnamese countryside.
Bamboo dragonflies are painted in different colors.
Tai says that each day, each artisan can complete 200-300 products depending on size and design.
Each product costs around VND20,000–30,000, with larger ones often used as garden hangings or interior decorations.
Nowadays, they have made diverse bamboo items such as peacocks, pigeons, butterflies, turtles. All are gifts suitable for relatives and friends of all ages.
Từ khóa: Thach Xa, Hanoi, Thach Xa, bamboo dragonfly making village,Mid-Autumn Festival