The old soldier with the star-shaped lanterns adorned with pictures of President Ho Chi Minh.
In the small house of Mr. Truong Viet Dung (born in 1950, residing in Thanh Sen ward, Ha Tinh province), the space is illuminated by the shimmering colors of star-shaped lanterns, carp-shaped lanterns, and rabbit-shaped lanterns… The sound of scissors cutting paper, the tapping of bamboo frames, interspersed with his gentle smile, makes this place seem like a "corner of childhood" still remaining in the heart of the bustling city.
Traditional handcrafted Mid-Autumn Festival lanterns shimmer in vibrant colors in front of Mr. Dung's house.
For those of us in the 80s generation, the vibrant memories of Mid-Autumn Festival lantern processions remain vivid. Children, dressed in their finest clothes, held sparkling cellophane star-shaped lanterns, singing the lantern procession song as they walked. The procession stretched from the beginning of the village to the end of the alley, then gathered in front of the cultural center for the feast. Sweets, fruits, and cakes were laid out everywhere, and there was always a picture of President Ho Chi Minh on the table. The bright full moon illuminated our sweet childhood memories…
Those memories suddenly flooded back when I heard Mr. Dung call out, "Look at this lamp I made, isn't it beautiful?" I exclaimed with delight, "It's gorgeous, sir!" The old craftsman's eyes lit up with indescribable joy. For so many years, he had poured his soul into each lamp with such care and affection.
The star-shaped lanterns that Mr. Dung makes all have a picture of President Ho Chi Minh in the center.
Few people know that before becoming a lamp maker, Mr. Dung was an intelligence officer in the General Department 2, participating in the fierce battles in Quang Tri during the final days of 1973. He was wounded in a bombing raid and still suffers from the lingering effects of the war to this day.
After peace was restored, he was discharged from the army, learned to drive, and worked at Construction Company No. 4 in Ha Tinh. In 1990, he retired due to ill health. From then on, fate led him to the craft of making handmade Mid-Autumn Festival lanterns – a seemingly simple profession but one that demands meticulousness, patience, and a great love for traditional culture.
Mr. Dung carefully and meticulously crafted all the lamps...
"In the past, children were very excited; every Mid-Autumn Festival, the whole village would go out carrying lanterns and enjoying the feast. But now, with the proliferation of video games, this craft is gradually fading away. I'm not preserving this craft for a living, but because I want to pass on a beautiful cultural tradition to future generations," Mr. Dung confided.
To complete a star-shaped lantern, the craftsman must go through many steps: splitting bamboo, bending the frame, gluing colored paper, and attaching taut, glossy nylon. "Making star-shaped lanterns requires keeping the room closed so the wind doesn't wrinkle the nylon. Most importantly, there must be an image of President Ho Chi Minh in the center of the star to truly capture its meaning," Mr. Dung said.
For his lanterns shaped like mascots, he also utilizes plastic waste such as straws, cake boxes, bottle caps, etc. With his skillful hands, he transforms discarded materials into colorful carp, rabbits, or peacocks. He says that through each lantern, he wants to send a message to children about protecting the environment, appreciating and recycling the small things around them.
...with skillful hands using materials such as cardboard and scrap paper.
As he gets older and his health declines, due to illness requiring monthly treatment in Hanoi , he only accepted orders for about 70 lanterns this Mid-Autumn Festival, having to refuse the rest despite many customers' earnest requests. Most of his customers are government agencies, schools, and families. Some buy them once to use for many years, because his lanterns are sturdy, meticulously crafted, durable, and beautiful.
Mr. Nguyen Van Tuan (residing in Thanh Sen ward), a customer who came to buy lanterns, shared: “Mr. Dung's lanterns are very soulful and durable. Every year I order them to decorate for my children to play with during the Mid-Autumn Festival. I want my children to understand the value of traditional culture.”
Extending the cultural heritage
For Mr. Truong Viet Dung, making Mid-Autumn Festival lanterns is more than just a simple joy for children. Behind each bamboo frame and cellophane sheet lies a rich cultural heritage, preserved and extended from family to community. Despite his advanced age and declining health, he continues this craft to this day because of his father, Mr. Truong Quang Lien, a former official of the Ha Tinh Provincial Department of Culture.
Mr. Dung carefully preserves his father's certificates and medals, placing them respectfully on the altar.
He said that his father had been awarded the Medal for the Cause of Preserving National Culture by the State. In his memory, the image of his father's dedication to preserving heritage instilled in him the belief that culture is the root, the key to unlocking the spiritual strength of the nation.
"My father was a cultural figure. As his son, I must continue his legacy and preserve a part of the Vietnamese spirit. A Mid-Autumn Festival lantern is not just for playing; it represents memories, history, and the roots of our national culture," Mr. Dung said.
Perhaps that's why, for many years, he has maintained the habit of wearing his old military uniform while sitting at his lantern-making table. He says that it's not only a nostalgic reminder of a time of war, but also a silent message to future generations: to have these vibrant Mid-Autumn Festival nights, countless fathers and brothers have fallen on the battlefield; and even at this very moment, on the distant borders and islands, soldiers are still guarding the peace day and night so that children can carry lanterns under the moonlight.
For all these years, Mr. Dung has proudly worn his soldier's uniform, standing beside the glittering star-shaped lanterns.
Returning from the battlefield, having experienced the ups and downs of military and civilian life, Mr. Dung still diligently works with bamboo, colored paper, and small candles. For him, the craft of making lanterns is not about calculating profit, but about preserving a part of the Vietnamese soul, holding onto childhood memories for generations in a modern life that is sweeping away so many values.
Every Mid-Autumn Festival, the small house at the end of the alley in Thanh Sen ward glows brightly with the colors of lanterns. In that warm atmosphere, every morning, a few elderly neighbors stop by the porch, gathering around a pot of green tea, sipping the sweet and bitter beverage while chatting over the star-shaped lanterns drying on the wall.
The Mid-Autumn Festival lanterns he made most often were star-shaped lanterns with pictures of President Ho Chi Minh attached.
Speaking with the Culture Newspaper, Ms. Tran Thi Thuy Nga, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Thanh Sen Ward, said that Mr. Truong Viet Dung is one of the few artisans still dedicated to the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival lantern-making craft in the area.
“In a market flooded with mass-produced toys, traditional Mid-Autumn Festival lanterns are a way to remind the community, especially the younger generation, of the beauty of traditional culture. The perseverance of artisan Truong Viet Dung not only preserves a craft but also contributes to fostering pride, a sense of appreciation, and the continuation of national cultural values from the smallest things,” shared the Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Thanh Sen Ward.
The small alley off Ly Tu Trong Street is bustling with people coming and going these days. Mr. Dung's neighbors often drop by, as if to relive the colorful memories of their childhood on the Mid-Autumn Festival night.
Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/van-hoa/nguoi-nghe-nhan-giu-hon-van-hoa-trong-nhung-chiec-den-trung-thu-172672.html
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