The village of red-fired rice paper makers is open year-round.

Amidst the modern lifestyle spreading across rural areas, in the Ruong Lon neighborhood (Bao Vinh ward, Dong Nai province), there is still a special "traditional craft village" that has quietly existed for over 40 years.

Although the traditional craft of making rice paper is hard work, it has provided a stable source of income for many families in the Ruong Lon neighborhood.

The traditional rice paper making workshops of the migrant community from Central Vietnam still burn brightly every day, preserving the traditional flavor, nurturing generations to adulthood, and contributing to the unique character of this land.

The fire blazed from dawn.

Around 3 AM, while most of the residential area is still asleep, the Ruong Lon rice paper village begins its bustling new day. Electric lights illuminate the small houses, the sounds of lighting fires, grinding rice, people calling out to each other, the rhythmic pouring of batter onto the stretched cloth... all create a familiar, regular "symphony" that has been going on for many years.

The bakers have to wake up early to complete all the steps: soaking the rice, grinding the flour, mixing the ingredients, lighting the stove, steaming the rice cakes, and then removing them to place on bamboo drying racks... Around 7 am, when the sun is high and shines brightly across the drying area, the atmosphere becomes lively. The racks of rice cakes are brought out and neatly arranged, stretched out in straight lines under the sun, creating a scene that is both simple and characteristic of a traditional craft village.

The work is urgent and continuous, because each batch of cakes depends on the weather. Just one sudden rain shower, and the workers must quickly gather them up, otherwise the cakes will spoil, and all the morning's work will be wasted.

At 76 years old, Mrs. Dinh Thi Lieu (living in Ruong Lon neighborhood, Bao Vinh ward) still makes rice paper with her children. Photo: An Nhon

Ms. Dinh Thi Lieu (76 years old) is one of the households with many years of experience in making rice paper. Sitting by the blazing oven, making rice paper with her daughter, Ms. Lieu shared: At the end of 1983, she and her family left their poor hometown in Central Vietnam to live here, hoping for a better future. “At that time, things were very difficult; we had no land, no capital, everything was strange and new… But I thought I had to try, I couldn’t go back empty-handed…” – Ms. Lieu shared.

Starting from nothing, Mrs. Lieu's family built a bakery and practiced their traditional craft to make a living. Every day, the cakes were sold to small traders at Long Khanh market. In addition, she also took on odd jobs to earn extra income. Thanks to their hard work and diligence, her family gradually accumulated capital, bought land to grow rice, and at one point owned more than 1 hectare of rice paddies. Although they later had to sell some for various reasons, the remaining land still ensured food security and contributed to the family's economic stability. Now, in her old age and declining health, Mrs. Lieu has passed the trade on to her daughter, seeing it as a way to preserve the family's traditional craft.

Continuing her mother's story, Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong (47 years old, residing in Ruong Lon neighborhood, Bao Vinh ward) said: "Since childhood, I have been familiar with the rhythm of life in the craft village. One part of the day I went to school, the other part I stayed home helping my mother make cakes. I got used to it and fell in love with the craft without even realizing it. Therefore, when I got married, I still decided to stick with this profession for the long term," Ms. Hong confided.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong (from Ruong Lon neighborhood) has been involved in the rice paper making profession for nearly 30 years.

Having been involved in this profession for nearly 30 years, Ms. Hong considers it not just a means of livelihood but also an integral part of her life. Thanks to making rice paper, her family has been able to care for her elderly mother and support her two children's education. "My eldest daughter has graduated from university and has a stable job in Ho Chi Minh City. My younger daughter is in 9th grade and is also very diligent. This job is really hard, but being able to support my children's education makes me happy," Ms. Hong shared.

Not far from Mrs. Lieu's house is the family of Mrs. Do Thi Yen Tuyet (65 years old), who have been involved in the rice paper making profession for nearly 30 years. In their younger years, she and her husband worked tirelessly from morning till night, making rice paper and selling it to supplement their income. "Raising a family of six and sending four children to school wasn't easy. But thanks to this traditional profession, all my children received a good education," Mrs. Tuyet recounted.

Mrs. Tuyet's three eldest children have graduated from university, have families and stable jobs, and her youngest son is studying to become a police officer. When talking about her children, she can't hide her pride.

Sticking to a profession is the way to make a living.

The family of Mr. Le Xuan Anh (64 years old, residing in Ruong Lon neighborhood, Bao Vinh ward) is a prime example of perseverance in the traditional rice paper making craft. Having moved to Dong Nai province in 1988, he tried various jobs, but none were stable, and his life remained precarious. Only when he returned to rice paper making – a family tradition – did he find stability. Initially, he only assisted his mother, but gradually he became proficient and decided to commit to it long-term. "This job is hard work, but it provides year-round work and a more stable income than working for someone else," Mr. Anh confided.

Not stopping there, Mr. Anh also used his income to invest in agricultural production. From his initial 5 acres of rice fields, he improved the land, planted coconut trees, and raised cattle. Thanks to combining various models, his family's economy has become increasingly stable, and he has been able to raise his children well. "Both of my children have grown up, have stable jobs, and their own families. For my wife and me, that is the greatest achievement after many years of hard work," Mr. Anh shared.

Previously, the Ruong Lon rice paper village had over 20 households making rice paper, but now only about 12 remain due to the increasing age and declining health of the workers. Meanwhile, the younger generation, after achieving academic success, often chooses other, easier, more stable jobs with better incomes. Despite this, those who remain persevere in preserving the craft, as a way of holding onto the memories of their homeland.

According to locals, making rice paper doesn't require a large capital investment, but it does require skill, meticulousness, and perseverance to create beautiful designs and delicious quality that satisfy customers. The work is year-round, and although arduous, it's stable. In recent years, people have applied machinery to some stages, such as grinding flour, reducing labor and increasing economic efficiency. However, most of the process still retains its traditional methods.

Despite being handcrafted, the locals always prioritize food safety and hygiene, which is why their products are popular in the market. Currently, the product's output is relatively stable. Traders from Long Khánh come directly to the area to purchase and distribute the products to many places inside and outside the province. Especially during the period leading up to the Lunar New Year, demand increases, and the bakeries operate at full capacity.

Amidst the flow of urbanization, the traditional rice paper-making village of Ruong Lon quietly endures, a testament to the resilience of traditional values. The blazing ovens not only produce the product but also support countless families and nurture the educational dreams of children in the neighborhood. It's not just a story of making a living, but also a story of adaptation, perseverance, and love for a traditional craft.

An Nhon - Thanh Giang

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/phong-su-ky-su/202603/lang-banh-trang-do-lua-quanh-nam-794033c/