Sinh Village in Phu Vang District in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue is famous not only for its traditional wrestling festival, but also for making religious pictures (tranh tho) for worship.
Images of Bodhisattva Kwan Yin and other gods are carved out of wood and then printed on paper with ink made from resin.
Far back in history, Sinh Village was reclaimed from a marshy area (sinh) near the Huong River. It has provided the villages with vegetables, meat and fish for hundreds of years.
During leisure time after harvest, the villagers made wood blocks for religious prints of deities used for worship – and of farm animals to encourage fertility. These prints became so renowned, that they were offered to the Royal Court during national festivals. This patronage led to the village’s artwork becoming highly sought after.
According to village elders, Sinh Village has been making prints for more than 500 years. They are stamped on a special paper named mia. Different resins are mixed to make special colours, according to 61-year-old artisan Ky Huu Phuoc.
"The paintings are considered to be pure, natural and unblemished," Phuoc says, "so, they become the offering itself, which is integral to worship."
Decades of war led to a decline in the art. Some considered the prints as superstition and remnants of a backward society so the equipment used to make them was destroyed. Only seven households managed to uphold the traditional trade, according to 80-year-old artisan Phan Trach Bao.
"In the past, all the people knew how to paint. The trade was passed from father to son, from generation to generation," Bao says, "but now, few people follow the tradition."
Hidden in the cellar
Nine generations in Phuoc’s family have a strong attachment to the traditional trade. Phuoc, his wife Tran Thi Gai, and his sons, Ky Huu Hai and Ky Huu Sang, are skilful artisans.
When Sinh village’s tranh tho was labelled as superstitious, wood blocks, patterns, paper and ink were destroyed. Proud and confident about the future of the art, Phuoc and his family dug an underground hideout beneath their house to hide tools and pictures. Phuoc retreated into the cellar for a month to carve wood blocks and produce the old art.
The biggest difficulty for keeping the art alive is output. And the artisans faced many troubles finding a market for their products, according to Phuoc.
"We sold paintings to intermediate agents in the central provinces of Quang Tri, Quang ngai and Da nang " Phuoc says. "They continue to sell to buyers, especially foreign tourists.
"We rarely have a chance to sell directly to buyers. The wholesale price is just enough for artisans to live on," he said. "That is the reason why many local people move to other jobs."
Sinh Village paintings have been displayed at the Fine Arts Museum in the northern province of Bac Giang, and at a festival for Traditional Village Crafts held last year.
Tranh tho art is not only about representing Buddhist saints and other religious figures. It sometimes features farm animals, such as buffaloes, cows, pigs and chickens. Painting these animals represents a prayer for an abundant crop and healthy animals.
"Supply is now failing to keep up with demand," Phuoc says, "because producing the prints is done by hand alone. It takes a lot of time."
The provincial Office of Industry and Trade has offered to support artisans by investing in modern equipment, such as a paper cutter, to help the workers.
As many of the artisans, such as Phuoc and Bao, are old, training the next generation is important if the craft is to survive. The trade now can be taught to many youngsters, instead of being passed from father to son like before, according to Phuoc.
"At my village, the children can draw even when they are three," Phuoc says. "Just simple images, of course. Thanks to the efforts of the ageing artisans and local administration during the past five years, 32 households are now involved in the religious art form," Phuoc says.
(Source:VNS)
Tag: Festival , Hue Ancient prints for the spiritual world - Sinh Village
*Related News:
Gala Celebrates 20 Years of Miss Viet Nam
Vietnam Airlines to lower extra paymen
Int’l experts gather to preserve Vietnam’s royal music
Second Asian Zither Festival kicks off
Asian Zither Festival enlivens HCM City in September
Exhibit Displays Work of Child Photographers - trip from Ho Chi Minh City to Ha Noi
Royal festivals and dances proposed for UNESCO recognition
Phan Thiet set for three-day festival
Nghinh Ong Festival to take place in Phan Thiet city
Popular Destinations in Viet Nam Presented on Thailand TV - Hoi An ancient town