 |
| Many steps in the kite-making process require Mr. Trinh Xuan Hien to do everything by hand. |
Kites of Childhood
Born in 1999 into a farming family, Hien loved kites from a young age, so from the 4th grade, he learned to make kites to play with.
Hien shared: "Back then, I only made single flutes and gong flutes. On sunny afternoons, the kids in our neighborhood would take the buffaloes to the fields. The buffaloes would graze, while my friends and I flew kites, our laughter echoing across the sky. Sometimes I would lie on the grass, watching the clouds drift lazily by, listening to the sound of the kite flutes, letting my imagination run wild. The joys of those days were so simple; just having friends by my side, a wide field, and the sound of the kite flutes was enough to see the whole world . Now that I'm older, I'm sure everyone has a childhood memory like that."
After graduating from high school, Hien did not pursue vocational training; instead, his family encouraged him to work as a factory worker in an industrial zone. In early 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, Hien quit his job after two years as a factory worker.
With more time at home, Hien continued to learn more about kite flutes. Since more people were staying home and had time to play kite flutes, Hien decided to focus on making products to supply to the market.
Hien said: Making kite flutes not only fulfills his personal passion, but each finished product also gives him another opportunity to preserve Vietnamese culture. To make these kite flutes, Hien utilizes readily available materials in his hometown such as the trunks of the ebony tree, apricot tree, jackfruit wood, mulberry wood, and milkwood.
 |
| Mr. Trinh Xuan Hien introduces different types of kite flutes to customers. |
Through participating in kite-making exchanges in many provinces and cities across the country, many people with the same passion have contacted Hien to place orders.
Word spread quickly, and through Facebook and phone calls, many customers, from students to civil servants and kite-making shops, contacted Hien to place orders. Based on these orders, Hien researched and diversified his product range, offering items from affordable to high-end to satisfy the passion of kite enthusiasts .
When we arrived at Hien's house, we weren't surprised to see tools and materials everywhere. In the workshop, there were usually 2-3 people diligently working with drills, milling machines, lathes, boring machines, paint brushes, and air compressors. Hien had even invested in a CNC machine – an automated mechanical processing device that operates based on computer programs to precisely cut, mill, drill, and turn various materials.
Hien explained that when he first started making kite flutes, he used readily available tools like knives, chisels, and planes. This manual production process was time-consuming, and the products lacked sophistication. Once the product gained a foothold in the market and many people placed orders, Hien decided to invest in modern machinery to reduce manual labor and increase accuracy and precision. To create the sound, Hien researched the conventions of musical intervals that produce sound. Through dedicated research, Hien perfected many flute melodies.
Hien Hien is considered an "expert" in making kite flutes in Phu Binh, producing many types of flutes with beautiful and unique sounds such as: bell sounds, whistle sounds, saw sounds, train whistles, harmonies, horn harmonies, musical harmonies, cow sounds, etc.
 |
| After many years of research, Mr. Trinh Xuan Hien has produced many different types of products. |
The price of kite flutes varies depending on size and type of wood used. Currently, a basic set of 15 flutes (D50) ranges from 1.8 to 2 million VND. The most expensive sets can cost up to 15 to 17 million VND. High-priced kite flutes are usually made from jackfruit wood with beautiful grain and color; more affordable sets are made from other types of wood such as milkwood or mulberry.
Bringing kite flutes to the world.
Initially, the number of kite flutes he made wasn't large. Besides selling them locally, through exchanges with clubs nationwide, Hien's products became known to many people. Then, with the support of many enthusiasts, Hien posted his products on social media to promote them and regularly uploaded videos of himself making kite flutes to YouTube.
As a result, more and more people are coming to Hien to place orders. Word spread, and Hien's high-quality, reasonably priced kite flutes sold out as soon as they were produced. From 2020 to the present, Hien has supplied over 12,000 products to domestic and international markets.
 |
| Many people who saw Hien's Facebook page placed orders online and even came to his house to pick up their products. |
As a loyal customer of Hien, Mr. Duong Van Tuyen, residing in Bien Hoa ward ( Dong Nai province ), shared: "My hometown is Phu Binh, and I've been living and working in the South for over 20 years. Whenever I think about my childhood, the image of kites made from flutes is the first thing that comes to mind. That's why when I learned that Hien makes kites , I placed an order. In my free time, I often go to a spacious, secluded area to fly kites. The melodious, resonant sound of the flutes takes me back to memories of my childhood, my peaceful and tranquil village."
Besides supplying individual customers like Mr. Tuyen, many souvenir shops at tourist destinations nationwide order kites from Hien to resell. Notably, quite a few Vietnamese people studying and working in countries like Japan, South Korea, and Malaysia order kites from Hien to play with and as gifts for their foreign friends and business partners.
As he bid us farewell, Hien spoke as if sharing his thoughts: "The hobby of flying kites is now enjoyed by many, contributing to the promotion of our nation's cultural beauty. However, many people lack awareness when flying kites in densely populated areas, near roads, or where there are power lines... which can easily lead to dangerous accidents. I hope that kite enthusiasts will choose suitable locations and times to both satisfy their passion and ensure the safety of those around them."
Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/van-hoa/202605/giu-hon-que-trong-tieng-sao-dieu-eac2d8b/
Comment (0)