200 years of Lung Ri village with yin-yang tile roofs.

Nestled amidst the towering rocky mountains of Cao Bang province, Lung Ri tile-making village in Hanh Phuc commune appears like an ancient painting with its moss-covered, gray stilt houses.

The artisans who make yin-yang roof tiles in Lung Ri believe that the "traditional" craft of their ancestors needs to be preserved and developed - Photo: TRAN NHAN QUYEN

And notably, these traditional craft products are still sought after in many distant markets. They possess a very unique and distinctive value, proving that not everything old is outdated...

Here, the kilns have burned brightly for over 200 years, and the diligent hands of the Nung An people continue to mold the land into the shape of this heritage site.

Occasionally, I hear about places here and there, in Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai, Hanoi , or Ha Long, where they're using our village's roof tiles. They're used for roofing houses, villa gates, and decorative elements in luxurious buildings. It sounds really nice. Lung Ri tiles, a traditional product of our people, are well-received in many places.

MAC VAN HOA

Experience the transformation of earth, water, wind, and fire.

To reach Lung Ri village, I had to overcome a long, steep slope with sharp bends, where trees and low-lying stilt houses obscured the view.

But upon reaching the summit, a vast expanse unfolds, revealing lush green cornfields and tiled roofs nestled between two ranges of deep green rocky mountains.

I rolled up my sleeves and tried my hand at being a "tile maker" at Mr. Mac Van Hoa's tile factory in the middle of the village. The first sensation upon stepping into the water-soaked clay pit was the cool, sticky feeling of the fine earth pressed between my toes.

The clay is so heavy that with each step, one feels a strong pull from the earth; that's when the craftsman senses the "ripeness" and cohesion of the material.

When I placed the clay strip onto the round wooden mold and started turning the potter's wheel, I understood the hardship of the craft. My hands had to be both gentle enough not to deform the tile and strong enough to flatten the surface; even a moment of carelessness would cause the tile to crack during drying.

The owner of the kiln, Mac Van Hoa, is a skilled tile maker. He smiled and told me, "This requires meticulous attention to detail." Because without meticulousness, skill, and expertise, it would be difficult to control the interplay of earth, water, wind, and fire.

Mr. Hoa recounted that occasionally the village would welcome groups of Western tourists from France, Germany, Belgium, England, the Netherlands, and other countries who came to experience the culture. They thoroughly enjoyed making roof tiles themselves.

There are beautiful young girls whose hands are stained with mud, but their eyes light up when they see the smooth, beautiful tiles they have made. These visitors are the ambassadors, helping to promote the yin-yang tile-making craft of the Nung An people to the whole world .

The most satisfying feeling comes from using a thin wire to "cut" the clay tube in half, separating the tiles from the mold like opening a newly completed gift.

And best of all is hearing the crisp, metallic sound when two standard roof tiles are struck together – a delightful auditory reward after days of working tirelessly beside the blazing kiln.

Tile maker Mac Van Hoa and the tiles being dried - Photo: THAI LOC

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Traditional craft villages

The craft of making yin-yang roof tiles in Lung Ri has a history of over 200 years, passed down through many generations. For the Nung An people, roof tiles are not only for protection from rain and sun, keeping stilt houses cool in summer and warm in winter, but also a symbol of the harmony between yin and yang, earth and sky.

Mr. Mac Van Hoa shared that this profession has been in his blood since he was 16 years old, learned from his father and grandfather by observing and then doing it himself.

The process of making roof tiles is quite elaborate. The most difficult part is selecting the clay. The craftsman must find a type of pliable, soft clay; then, he has buffaloes trample it for many days until it is smooth before molding it into large mounds.

The "pebble-filtering" process is also very meticulous: the craftsman cuts thin slices of earth, throws them forcefully into the mound to expose the pebbles, and then picks them out. This process of "slicing, throwing, slicing, throwing" continues until the earth is completely clean before molding it into rectangular shapes. A skilled craftsman can filter enough earth each day to make 300-400 roof tiles.

According to craftsman Lam Van Bach, the Lung Ri tile-making industry is facing many difficulties. The source of good quality clay in the area has almost run out, forcing kiln owners to travel forty or fifty kilometers to buy clay.

Firewood for firing is also a significant economic burden, as each kiln requires approximately 20 cubic meters of firewood, costing up to 14-15 million VND. Therefore, out of over 40 households previously engaged in this craft, only about 22 households remain in Lung Ri.

The people here still live a life of "agricultural leisure," and although they consider tile making their main source of income, they still have to cultivate rice and other crops like corn and potatoes to ensure food security.

A diligent tile maker earns around 5-6 million VND per month. After deducting expenses for firewood, land, and labor costs for loading tiles, the actual profit is very little, causing the craft village to gradually shrink.

Soil filtering is the most important step in the Lung Ri tile-making process - Photo: THAI LOC

Lung Ri roof tiles travel far and wide.

Despite the difficulties, the Lung Ri tile brand has quietly affirmed its position. Not confined to the village, Lung Ri tiles have now "descended from the mountains," reaching throughout Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, Hanoi, Ninh Binh, Ho Chi Minh City, and more.

Mr. Lam Van Bach proudly stated that in the village there are people like Mr. Luc Van Thanh who specialize in connecting and transporting roof tiles to distant markets.

Interestingly, Lung Ri has professional "tile-laying teams." When a construction project requires yin-yang tiles, a single phone call is all it takes for 5-6 men from the village to hop in their vehicles and head out. They travel everywhere, from Hanoi and Bac Giang to central Vietnam like Ha Tinh and Nghe An.

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Lung Ri roof tiles are even used on landscape architecture or as decorative elements on luxury buildings, villa gates, and resorts in Ho Chi Minh City, Lam Dong, Dong Nai, Hanoi, and Ha Long...

With a daily wage of around 500,000 VND, these roofers not only work to make a living but also bring with them the unique technique of laying yin-yang tiles – where each square meter requires about 70-80 tiles stacked face up and face down.

Their travels are a way of showcasing and promoting the cultural beauty of the Nung An people to many regions across the country.

Whenever they hear that roof tiles from their village are being used on large construction projects, craftsmen like Mr. Bach and Mr. Hoa feel a warmth in their hearts.

Because those roof tiles are not just clay fired in a kiln, but also contain the "soul" of the people of the rocky plateau, contributing to preserving traditional beauty amidst modern life.

To better understand the enduring nature of the craft, each brick kiln, which takes 15 days and nights to fire, can be likened to a "childbirth" for the earth.

From shapeless lumps of clay, molded by the feet, sharpened by steel wire, and heated by firewood, roof tiles are born, carrying the resounding sound of metal, ready to protect houses through countless seasons of rain and sunshine.

THAI LOC

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/200-nam-lang-ngoi-am-duong-lung-ri-20260615104538032.htm