Careful with every stroke

As the Thai Hoa Palace restoration project enters a rush phase to meet the deadline, the team of workers from Hue Monuments Restoration Joint Stock Company has to work overtime continuously. In a space filled with the smell of paint, Phan Minh Vu, a young employee, patiently examines every detail on the horizontal lacquered panel “Thai Hoa Palace”.

He carefully touched up any imperfections before the work was hung back in its original position. Only when each gold plate shone evenly under the light, up to standard, did Vu allow himself to breathe a sigh of relief. “The moment the horizontal painting was returned to its original place, we were all moved. It was a sense of pride because the collective effort had contributed to restoring the majesty of the royal symbol,” Vu said.

On that occasion, he and 78 other artisans and skilled workers were honored by the Hue Monuments Conservation Center. For Vu, the first certificate of merit in his 10-year career is a worthy recognition for the days of "eating and sleeping" with the project, even working late at night to revive the heritage.

In the gilding team of more than 40 people, Vu is the youngest. Next to him is an experienced colleague - Dang Tan, who has been in the profession for more than 20 years. Tan's familiar job is to separate each thin 24k gold leaf to stick onto the wooden structure. Each movement requires precision, because just a small mistake can ruin the entire gilding. "This is real gold, so we have to save every millimeter and keep the project's inherent majesty," he shared.

According to Tan, the lacquer and gold leaf profession seems simple, but in fact it is a series of processes that require patience and high skills. The craftsman must understand each stage, from choosing materials, surface treatment, primer to gilding and finishing. Each relic and each structure has its own requirements. Therefore, in addition to skillful craftsmanship, the craftsman also needs to be dedicated to the heritage to preserve the architectural spirit.

“This job cannot be learned in a day or two, but is a continuous journey of improvement. The craftsman must have both skills, heart and vision. Because the lacquer and gold plating not only beautify but also play an important role in the overall architecture of the royal palace,” Vu expressed.

From the sparkling golden light of each thin leaf, one can not only see the talent of the artisans' hands, but also feel the silent pride of those who have devoted their lives to preserving the ancient golden light of Hue.

While artisans restore relics and preserve heritage by hand, artists preserve the national soul through stage and performing arts. At the Hue Royal Traditional Arts Theatre, every day, Meritorious Artist La Thanh Hung regularly guides young people through each drum beat, each dance, and each line of Tuong mask. “Each stroke on the mask, each line on the artist’s face is not only an aesthetic value, but also a continuation of a story hundreds of years old,” he said. For Meritorious Artist La Thanh Hung, the Tuong stage is not only a place for performance, but also a journey to pass on memories, so that royal art continues to exist in today’s life.

Director of the Hue Monuments Conservation Center Hoang Viet Trung said: “Heritage conservation is not simply a matter of restoring a building, but a journey to honor history and inspire culture for future generations. Craftsmen, artisans, conservation officers and artists are the links connecting the past with the present, helping heritage move forward into the future.”

32 years since the Complex of Hue Monuments was recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage, hundreds of items have been restored: from Ngo Mon, Hien Lam Cac to The Mieu, Kien Trung Palace, Thai Hoa Palace... Each of these achievements contains the knowledge, sweat and dedication of people who persistently maintain the profession.

Article and photos: Lien Minh

Source: https://huengaynay.vn/van-hoa-nghe-thuat/giu-hon-dan-toc-giua-long-di-san-157129.html