Keeping the craft of making stone mortars alive in Thoai Son, An Giang.

At the beginning of the Year of the Horse (2016), Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Si - one of the few people still dedicated to the traditional craft of making stone mortars at Sap Mountain (Thoai Son commune, An Giang province) - was busy fulfilling orders to deliver to customers on time.

Báo Tuổi Trẻ•19/02/2026

cối đá - Ảnh 1. — Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Si is making stone mortars to deliver to customers - Photo: NGOC KHAI

On February 19th (the 3rd day of the Lunar New Year of the Horse), Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Si (44 years old, residing in Tay Son hamlet, Thoai Son commune, An Giang province) said he was busy making about 300 sets of stone mortars to deliver to customers at the beginning of the Year of the Horse.

He shared that about 40 years ago, his father, Mr. Si, had been making stone mortars in Sap Mountain, and at that time, many people in the area practiced this trade.

Around the year 2000, many people stopped working in the profession because quarrying was banned in the Sap Mountain area, leading to a shortage of raw materials and consequently fewer people were still practicing the trade.

To date, only about 5-6 people in the area still make stone mortars. Among them, Mr. Si has been involved in his father's craft for about 20 years.

According to Mr. Si, previously, making stone mortars was entirely manual, with a worker only producing a maximum of two mortars per day. Now, with the help of machinery, productivity can increase to 5-6 mortars per day.

Those who make these mortars need to be proficient with tools such as chisels, hammers, and some machinery. He selects high-quality stone from quarries in Hon Soc (formerly Kien Giang province) to make the mortars.

The process of finishing a mortar involves many steps, with the smoothing of the mortar being the most difficult. "Poor craftsmanship will result in a rough product, unlike that of a professional," he said.

Besides, this profession is inherently dangerous, as accidents can happen such as broken blades, chisels snapping, or flying pieces of rock hitting people. Mr. Si himself once had to have many stitches because a piece of a cutting machine blade hit him.

The price of a stone mortar and pestle set usually ranges from several hundred thousand dong, depending on the size, features, and smoothness of the product as requested by the customer. Some popular types favored by customers have a diameter of 16-22cm.

A large mortar with a diameter of 60cm (weighing approximately 300kg) costs around 6 million VND per set (excluding shipping fees). The largest one Mr. Si has ever made has a diameter of 1m (weighing 600-700kg) and costs nearly 10 million VND per set (excluding shipping fees).

"Some customers order large mortars, a pair of round and square ones, to display in their homes, placed on either side of the staircase to symbolize the auspicious combination of square and circle representing happiness," this skilled craftsman shared.

Mr. Si added that he will continue in the profession for the long term and hopes to pass it on to the next generation. Currently, his younger brother, Nguyen Phuc Hau, has been in the profession for about two years and has become a skilled craftsman.

"Some people prefer using stone mortars, praising their beauty and durability. I consider this a motivation to continue developing the craft, creating even more beautiful and higher-quality designs for consumers," he expressed.