A young woman born in the 1990s breathes life into traditional Vietnamese opera masks.

Drawing on a family tradition, a young woman in her 20s from Da Nang City is bringing Tuong (Vietnamese classical opera) masks closer to tourists by combining handicrafts with cultural experiences.

From the dream of teaching to the journey of preserving the soul of Tuong (Vietnamese classical opera) masks.

Born into a family with a tradition of making handicrafts, Hien Trang grew up surrounded by the colorful workshop of her father, artisan Nguyen Hung.

The lanterns, lion heads, and simple Tuong (Vietnamese traditional opera) mask blanks... have become a part of her childhood memories.

Instead of stepping onto the giảng platform as she dreamed of since childhood, Hien Trang now tells stories about culture using colorful Tuong (Vietnamese classical opera) masks. Pham Huy.

The path Hien Trang once envisioned was unrelated to traditional professions. Like many girls her age, she dreamed of becoming a teacher, standing on the podium and dedicating herself to the teaching profession. However, her love for painting and her natural connection to her family's work gradually led her into the profession without her even realizing it.

"Back then, I intended to go to school to become a teacher, but then I saw my family's business, and coupled with my existing love for painting, I ended up sticking with this profession," Trang recalled.

From the age of 14, while many of her peers were still carefree playing, Hien Trang began practicing with a brush, learning how to mix colors and meticulously perfecting every small detail on masks – an extremely important prop in Tuong (Vietnamese classical opera).

The work demands patience, meticulousness, and the artist's emotional sensitivity. Over time, her brushstrokes have become softer and more soulful, helping her gradually establish her own unique style in each product.

Instead of following a fixed pattern, Hien Trang creates masks that bear her own unique mark in every detail. Photo: Pham Huy.

To date, she has been involved in the craft for over two decades, and she and her family continue to diligently preserve traditional values. For Hien Trang, each mask is not simply a piece of handicraft, but also contains stories of folk culture, Tuong (Vietnamese classical opera) art, and the dedication of the artisan.

She soon realized that if she only stuck to the old ways, traditional crafts would struggle to survive in the modern world. From that realization, Hien Trang began seeking a new direction by combining handicrafts with experiential tourism .

Instead of just staying in her workshop, she brought Tuong masks closer to tourists through resorts, hotels, and tourist attractions. There, she directly demonstrated the mask-painting techniques and guided tourists to experience each step of the process firsthand.

Many foreign tourists expressed delight at being able to experience traditional Vietnamese art in such an intimate way for the first time. After just a few hours of experience, many were able to complete their own masks.

"There are foreign tourists who are experiencing Vietnamese culture for the first time, but they are very enthusiastic. They like it because each product is unique; no two are exactly alike," Ms. Trang shared.

What makes Hien Trang's products special is the uniqueness in every detail. Even with the same design, each mask possesses its own distinct character, depending on the artist's emotions and expression at the time of creation. In particular, the eyes – considered the "soul" of the mask – are not hollowed out but painted with a brush to create expressive depth and a unique appeal.

For Hien Trang, each mask is a unique work of art created from the emotions of the artisan. Photo: Pham Huy.

Currently, Hien Trang's products are not only sold retail to tourists but also appear at many major tourist destinations such as Ba Na Hills, which welcomes thousands of domestic and international tourists every day. Therefore, the traditional Vietnamese opera masks have the opportunity to reach a wider international audience.

The price of each product ranges from a few hundred thousand to millions of dong depending on size, material, and craftsmanship. But for Hien Trang, the most important thing is not the material value, but helping tourists understand more about traditional Vietnamese culture through each pattern and color.

"What makes me happiest is seeing tourists love Vietnamese culture. Some people even take the masks back home as a special souvenir from their trip to Vietnam," she said.

From a girl who once missed her chance to become a teacher, Hien Trang has now become a "storyteller" using colors and lines to "breathe life" into traditional Vietnamese opera masks. Photo: Pham Huy.

From a girl who once dreamed of becoming a teacher, Hien Trang is now pursuing a different path to spread national cultural values. Instead of standing on a podium, she quietly "teach" a love for traditional art through each Tuong (Vietnamese classical opera) mask she creates with creativity and passion.

Amidst the fast-paced and ever-changing modern life, the journey of this young woman from Da Nang shows that as long as young people have enough dedication, passion, and a willingness to innovate, traditional values ​​can still thrive and spread powerfully in their own unique way.

Source: https://nongnghiepmoitruong.vn/co-gai-9x-thoi-hon-vao-nhung-mat-na-tuong-d813743.html