The Paper Offerings Craft Amid Modern Currents

The craft village of Hien Da (Hung Viet Commune, Cam Khe District), which once thrived and became well-known across the province for its intricate handmade paper offerings, has faced a decline in recent years. The younger generation has shown little interest in continuing the traditional craft, while many older artisans have lost enthusiasm for it. Those who remain dedicated to the craft are increasingly concerned about its potential disappearance.

As Tet 2025 approaches, the Hien Da craft village is quieter than before, lacking the bustle it once had in the days leading up to the holiday.

More than a decade ago, the village streets were filled with people working on tasks such as bamboo cutting, frame building, and paper gluing. At that time, the craft of making paper offerings flourished and provided stable livelihoods for many families.

Recognized as an official craft village in 2011, the production of paper offerings was not only a vital part of the local spiritual culture but also a primary source of income for hundreds of households. These families did not produce paper offerings seasonally but worked year-round, with three peak production periods: the 15th day of the 7th lunar month, just before the Lunar New Year, and in the first lunar month.

In 2018, the traditional craft village had more than 100 households engaged in the production and sale of paper offerings such as horses, dragons, clothes, and gold bars, serving the spiritual needs of the local people. In recent years, however, the craft village has lost its vibrancy. The number of households maintaining the craft has sharply declined, from over 100 to just about a dozen remaining.

To meet the changing preferences of consumers, many households in the village have shifted to importing paper offerings from larger factories in provinces like Bac Giang, Bac Ninh, and Hanoi. These factories produce paper offerings through industrial assembly lines, which save time and offer more diverse, attractive designs compared to the handmade products from the traditional village. As a result, paper offerings from the village are finding it increasingly difficult to compete in the market. Unfortunately, this has caused a portion of traditional artisans to fall behind.

Explaining the reasons behind this shift, Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan, the head of the Hien Da paper offerings craft village, mentioned that the income from selling products no longer justifies the time and effort invested, leading many to grow disheartened with the craft. Over time, many artisans have been forced to turn to other jobs to make a living. This has resulted in the younger generation drifting further away from the traditional craft.

Preserving a craft village is not just about protecting the livelihoods of its people, but also about safeguarding the cultural values passed down by ancestors. There is hope that, with the support of local authorities and people who appreciate traditional culture, the Hien Da paper offerings craft village will find a new direction to continue thriving and developing in the future.

Nhu Quynh - Bao Thoa