Hanoi, the capital of votive paper offerings, is bustling ahead of the Lunar New Year of the Horse 2026.

Located less than 20 km from the center of Hanoi , Phuc Am village (Hong Van commune, Hanoi) is known as the "capital" of votive paper offerings. In the days leading up to the Lunar New Year , a bustling atmosphere of work permeates all the family-run workshops.

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It's not uncommon to see long rows of paper horses and elephants of all sizes and vibrant colors drying along pathways and alleyways, waiting to be shipped out.

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In preparation for the Lunar New Year of the Horse 2026, Ms. Truong Thi Tuyet's family has completed many paper horse figurines to serve the needs of people going to temples and pagodas. According to Ms. Tuyet, it takes at least one day to make one paper horse figurine about 2 meters tall. The selling price of the figurines ranges from 200,000 to 500,000 VND depending on the size.

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To fulfill orders requiring meticulous detail, Mr. Nguyen Van Thang had to mobilize family members and hire additional workers to race against time. "Customers order many elaborate designs, so there are days when my whole family has to work from morning until late at night to meet delivery deadlines," Mr. Thang shared.

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At 90 years old, Mrs. Ta Thi Mac is considered one of the rare "veterans" of Phuc Am village who still preserves the craft. On this occasion, her skilled hands still nimbly assist her children and grandchildren in shaping the horses and elephants – a process that demands high precision to create beautiful products.

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Specializing in serving the spiritual needs of customers visiting temples, shrines, and pagodas, the artisans of Phuc Am village focus on large-sized products such as effigies of horses, elephants, and the Kitchen God. The meticulousness in each hand-glued detail and the eye-catching colors of the glitter paper create a unique and unmistakable characteristic of the votive paper offerings from this craft village.

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Mr. Nguyen Duc Manh often travels to Phuc Am village to buy votive offerings for the Lunar New Year . "For offerings to my ancestors, I only trust Phuc Am village. The votive offerings here are famous for their exquisite craftsmanship, and since they are items offered to my ancestors, I believe I must choose the most beautiful and best quality to show my sincerity," Mr. Manh said.

PHOTO: QUANG HUY

Thanhnien.vn

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/thu-phu-vang-ma-ha-noi-tat-bat-truc-tet-nguyen-dan-binh-ngo-2026-185260205155610063.htm