Trees and grass transform into majestic dragon palanquins to welcome Mid-Autumn Festival in Hanoi

Hook flowers, palm leaves, snake leaves… familiar flowers and grasses suddenly turned into dragon palanquins to welcome Mid-Autumn Festival through the hands of the people of Doi Hai village, Phu Nghia commune (Hanoi).

The whole village carries the dragon palanquin throughout the village - Photo: GIA CHINH

For a long time, making palanquins has become a traditional beauty of the people of Dong Phuong Yen commune (now Phu Nghia commune, Hanoi ) every Mid-Autumn Festival. In the past, every 5 years, all 6 villages of Dong Phuong Yen commune got together to compete in palanquins, showing off their talent from their skillful hands.

Since 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, the making of palm-leaf palanquins for the Mid-Autumn Festival was put on hold. Now, after 10 years, the palm-leaf palanquins have reappeared, making the Mid-Autumn Festival of Phu Nghia commune more bustling.

The most difficult part of making a palanquin is the dragon's head, how to bring out the dragon's majesty and spirit - Photo: GIA CHINH

Making a pickled onion is also very elaborate, from choosing the materials to creating the shape. A week before the Mid-Autumn Festival, people in Doi Hai village were busy preparing to make the pickled onion, which was also the time when storm Bualoi caused heavy rain in the North. Once the rain stopped, people hurriedly searched for materials and gathered together to make the pickled onion.

Doi Hai village is a traditional bamboo and rattan weaving village, and palm-leaf palanquins are also the crystallization of this traditional craft.

Details on the palanquin such as dragon, unicorn, turtle, phoenix, dragon scales, bamboo parasol are made from familiar materials such as sweet potato, grapefruit, longan, tiger tongue leaves, coconut leaves, pineapple, hook flower, dragon fruit, areca flower, eggplant, water lily, lotus flower, papaya...

Every detail is meticulously woven and trimmed - Photo: GIA CHINH

The dragon head is the most difficult step in making a palanquin, because it must be done skillfully to bring out the dragon's spirit.

Mr. Dao Huy Phu (61 years old, Doi Hai village), who directly does this step, said that making the palanquin has no blueprint, but depends entirely on the imagination and hands of the maker.

"The dragon's head is made of fruits and leaves such as areca nuts, longan seeds are used as the dragon's eyes, eyelids are made of pineapple leaves, tongue is made of ornamental banana flowers, ears are made of areca spathe, beard is made of hook flowers...", Mr. Phu shared.

People and tourists surround the dragon palanquin during the festival - Photo: GIA CHINH

This year, the people making the palm-leaf palanquins are not only the village elders but also the young people, everyone attentively follows each stage of shaping.

After nearly a week of implementation, the majestic dragon palanquin made from grass, trees, flowers and leaves was carried by the villagers of Doi Hai village on the Mid-Autumn Festival, the sound of laughter resounded throughout the village.

The palanquin is carried about 2km along the village road, from Quan Chinh Linh Tu at the end of the village to the stadium at the beginning of the village, so that people from everywhere can participate and enjoy the festival atmosphere.

NGUYEN HIEN

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/cay-co-hoa-kieu-rong-uy-nghiem-don-trung-thu-o-ha-noi-20251006185515832.htm