Paper mask workshops are bustling during Tet (Lunar New Year).

(Dan Tri Newspaper) - Masks with fierce expressions in Hoi An (Da Nang) are popular with tourists, who choose to display them in their homes with the idea of ​​bringing peace to their families in the new year.

In the days leading up to the Lunar New Year, the paper mask production workshop of Ms. Huyen Trang (35 years old) in Hoi An ward, Da Nang city, is operating at full capacity to supply hundreds of products to the market in time.

This year, Trang's workshop has proactively reduced the production of large-sized masks, focusing instead on smaller, more compact designs.

Ms. Huyen Trang with her face mask product (Photo: Huyen My).

According to Ms. Trang, the small masks are not only affordable but also convenient for tourists to buy as souvenirs. The larger masks are mainly used for display, adding a focal point to the store's space.

The paper masks at Ms. Trang's workshop come in a wide variety of designs, from indigenous figures and deities to fierce-looking masks and stylized designs for children. All are meticulously handcrafted, from creating the frames with paper, bamboo, and rattan to hand-painting. Depending on the level of intricacy, each product ranges in price from 250,000 VND to several million VND.

Ms. Trang said that in recent days, most of the customers at the workshop have been international tourists. Many families are also excited to let their children experience face painting directly at the workshop.

Notably, masks with fierce designs are the most popular, as according to folk beliefs, they symbolize the power to ward off evil spirits and bring peace to the home in the new year.

The eyes of the mask are always painted black to create a powerful effect (Photo: Huyen My).

Sharing about how she got into the profession, Ms. Trang said that her father is artisan Nguyen Hung, who has been involved in making masks, lion heads, and celestial dog heads in Hoi An for over 30 years. From a young age, she grew up surrounded by the smell of paper and bamboo and learned the craft from her father.

According to Ms. Trang, Hoi An used to mainly feature traditional opera performances, but later, masks were developed for use in these performances. Her father was one of the first people to make plain white masks to sell on order to opera performers.

Later, the family began to perfect the products themselves, mainly painting them to order for theaters, sometimes up to hundreds of pieces to give to guests after each performance.

The large mask is displayed by Ms. Trang at her shop (Photo: Huyen My).

Regarding the painting technique, Ms. Trang explained that the masks usually don't have the eyes cut out but are painted directly, based on the belief that "painting the eyes gives the mask spirit and soul." In particular, the eyes are always painted black to create a powerful and captivating effect. Each mask is also a work of art reflecting the emotions of the craftsman.

"If my mood isn't stable, I can't paint. So, even if a customer orders hundreds of pieces, no two are ever painted alike," Trang shared.

Huyen My

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/tet/xuong-mat-na-giay-soi-dong-dip-tet-20260206173426597.htm