The Vietnamese soul is hidden within the 'masks of time'.

Through countless historical ups and downs, Hoi An still retains its moss-covered roofs, yellow-painted walls, and wooden doors with mysterious peepholes above them. And, in a particular old house, hundreds of papier-mâché masks have created a unique cultural space for the heritage city of Hoi An. This is where artisan Bui Quy Phong creates and showcases papier-mâché masks that he personally painted. He has spent decades making these masks through many stages, from applying plaster or cement, gluing papier-mâché, whitewashing, drying, painting, and coloring… The most challenging part is breathing life into each mask through every brushstroke, making it both vibrant and vividly reflecting the artistic and cultural values ​​of Vietnamese folklore.

Among the tens of thousands of masks that artisan Bui Quy Phong has made, covering various themes such as children's masks, traditional opera masks, and modern masks, his favorites are those depicting the characteristics of traditional Vietnamese opera (tuong). Each of these handcrafted masks has its own story and soul. He calls them "masks of time" because, he explains, looking at them allows one to see layers of cultural meaning bearing the imprint of time in the nation's history.

Artisan Bui Quy Phong always feels proud that his papier-mâché masks are becoming increasingly well-known to domestic and international tourists visiting Hoi An. For him, this is an opportunity to promote Vietnamese culture.

Heritage Magazine