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Lantern work in Hoi An

December 06, 2007          1106 views

In past and now, when mention to Hoi An trade village, it is always said to Thanh Ha pottery, Kim Bong carpenter village and hardly to the lantern work.

Years recently, Hoi An lantern work has developed greatly and attracted many labors, because out of the rules of committee town all families light lantern in the night of ancient city (monthly 14th lunar calendar), all tourists buy a lantern as a souvenir. So it is surprising that over 30,000 units exported to Australia in 2 times besides selling to Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh Cities.
Hoi An lantern is various size and shape, from normal lantern to dragon lantern or fish lantern with full of color. Hoi An people highly pride on their lantern. It is very simple and easy to do only with hard-work .In past, there was no "night of ancient city". On the altar of each Hoi An family all hang two big lanterns with the beautiful Chinese words on two big lanterns with the beautiful Chinese words on, that is the name of each clan. How Hoi An lantern to be done? Mr. Truong Cong Ly, a 75 years old, says: a Man, Xa Duong, was considered as the ancestor of lantern work in Hoi An. He was called Ma worker (horse worker), specialized in producing dragonhead and lantern in some important case of night festivals, "Xao" competitions, and lantern contests. His father was a lantern produced expert and he took over it till now. At the moment, a couple of lantern with Chinese and decorative draws on is worth VND 250,000-280,000. It seems so

expensive but according to him worker spends much labor on it. They have to use the old bamboo soaking ten-day in salt water against wormhole and moth then drying it and sharpening it as the size of lantern. Cloth must be silken or nylon cloth, enough toughs for stretching and stretching worker need good technique to do it. To be done a couple of lantern requires 4-work day and 3 decorative works. So it accounts for VND 30,000 each work except for materials. For he, that is the pleasant work in old age besides getting benefit. What about the present lanterns selling on a large scale, he advises me to see Mr. Tran Van Thien in Cam Ho Group. Mr. Thien is producing small lanterns to deliver customers. He told to me that the making lantern is industrialized. At first, He and 3 descendants specialize in making the frame and give it to other family gluing cloth and then the stick-bulb worker to finish making lanterns. He can make 15 units of handle lantern and benefits VND 60,000. There are 30 families like that in Hoi An. This work attracts over 100 labors on 3-4 people each family, they are mostly the poor health labors, retired labors or women and youth unemployed... It is happier that over 100 labors get a stable work with VND 1,000,000 benefit a month than beside the recurrent night of ancient city, holidays, tet holiday with multi- color lantern on very roads. It make everybody feel a happier and more lovely Hoi An.

Source Vietnamgateway

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