The workshop of artisan Nguyen Hung, specializing in making lion and dragon head masks, is bustling with activity during the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Preserving folk knowledge
In ancient Hoi An, the Mid-Autumn Festival was associated with a unique tradition: the "heavenly dog" dance – a performance depicting a mythical creature spitting out the moon, signaling a bountiful harvest and a peaceful life. This folk performance has existed for a long time and flourished since the beginning of the 20th century. Driven by his love for the "heavenly dog" dance during each full moon, Mr. Nguyen Hung (Hoi An Tay ward, Da Nang city - formerly Cam Ha commune, Hoi An city) studied under artisan Khuu Diem and has persistently practiced the craft for over 30 years.
Despite producing only one or two celestial dog figurines in some years, Hung's family workshop is one of the few in Hoi An that still maintains and makes a living from the craft. Crafting celestial dog figurines in Hoi An is not only a traditional handicraft but also considered a form of art. However, fewer artisans pursue this craft now, partly because the performance techniques are difficult, leading to its gradual decline. In recent years, lion dances have become the main focus of Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations.
In terms of design, the celestial dog has a large head made of rattan, bamboo, or paper, painted in the five basic colors of the five elements, with red being the dominant color. All parts are large, with ridges and veins creating a fierce appearance, suitable for its function of warding off evil spirits. The tail is about 5 meters long, sewn of red fabric with a multi-colored mane; 2-4 people control the tail during performances. The craftsmanship of the celestial dog is complex, time-consuming, and requires more materials than making a lion's head, so fewer and fewer people are skilled in the craft and passionate about it.
Mr. Hung explained that the entire process is done manually in four basic steps: creating the frame; gluing fabric and paper; drawing and painting; and adding feathers, decorative patterns, and colored borders to create accents. The most difficult step, and the one that determines the overall look of the celestial dog head, is making the frame using bamboo and rattan. Right after the Lunar New Year, Mr. Hung began preparing the materials for the Mid-Autumn Festival. After completing the frame, he then applied paper and glued fabric; waited for the glue to dry, and then applied a thin layer of paper. Once the paper was dry, he continued to paint the details of the eyes, nose, mouth, etc.
Because they are handcrafted, each celestial dog head is a unique work of art, reflecting the artist's spirit and emotions, especially in the eyes. The process of drawing and painting these details requires patience, skill, and almost complete dedication to breathe life into the mythical creature.
Celestial Dog Dance Performance in Hoi An
Preserving the craft amidst the whirlwind of decline.
In 2023, the People's Committee of Quang Nam province (formerly) officially recognized Mr. Nguyen Hung as an artisan in the field of lion head and mask making – a milestone acknowledging more than 30 years of dedicated service to the craft.
For him, every line and every color on the lion and celestial dog heads is not just a handcrafted product, but also a treasure trove of memories, a bridge connecting the past and the present. In modern life, when traditional crafts are less popular, Mr. Hung remains steadfast in preserving his craft. In particular, the celestial dog head – a unique symbol in Hoi An's folk performing arts – is increasingly rarely commissioned.
However, whenever he has the opportunity to create, he pours all his heart into it, seeing it as a way to introduce and promote Hoi An culture to tourists and the community. Every full moon, Hung's small house comes alive with a vibrant atmosphere. More than 300-400 large lion heads, along with hundreds of smaller masks and lion heads, are made to serve the nationwide market. These products appear in lion dance troupes, martial arts schools, and major festivals in Hoi An, evoking vivid childhood memories for generations.
In particular, since 2023, when the Hoi An Mid-Autumn Festival was recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage, his craft has taken on even greater significance: both preserving and reviving a unique cultural aspect of the nation. Hung's greatest joy is not only the title of Artisan, but also the fact that his two daughters have inherited his passion and mastered the family craft. They have mastered many stages such as drawing, paper mache, fabric gluing, and finishing the products…
Besides that, several young people are now seeking to learn the craft, and during peak seasons, he usually hires an additional 15-20 seasonal workers. This is both a production solution and a way to cultivate passion and spread cultural identity to future generations. Not stopping at lion heads and masks, after the Mid-Autumn Festival, Hung's workshop continues to create many other handcrafted products such as lanterns, kites, and masks. He has experimented with making mini mascots for hotels, restaurants, and souvenir shops in Hoi An, both to meet modern tastes and to bring the products closer to tourists.
In this journey of keeping the flame alive, artisan Nguyen Hung is the storyteller through the forms of lions, dragons, and celestial dogs – symbols of joy and community spirit. And from his small house in Hoi An, his love for his craft is daily illuminating and contributing to preserving a part of the soul of Vietnamese folk culture.
The Mid-Autumn Festival of the Year of the Snake - Hoi An 2025 will be held in Hoi An Ancient Town from October 3-6 with many attractive and unique activities such as: the Mid-Autumn Festival Night art program; Music and Moon Space; Reenactment of Hoi An Ancient Town at the beginning of the 20th century; decoration and display of Mid-Autumn Festival feast trays, folk games… Especially, there will be performances of the "Heavenly Dog" dance, the Mid-Autumn Lantern Procession… Along with that, there will be exhibitions of the "Heavenly Dog" dance; experience drawing and decorating "Heavenly Dog" and paper masks for visitors.
Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/van-hoa/giu-lua-nghe-thuat-dan-gian-171587.html
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