A diverse assortment of dragon-shaped piggy banks, including the Tai Loc (Fortune) Dragon, Gold Ingot Dragon, and animated dragon, are injecting a lively and festive atmosphere into the ancient craft village.
These dragon models, made from clay or plaster, are traditionally displayed in homes during the Tet holiday to bring good fortune and luck to households.
They also serve as symbolic containers for storing money as savings.
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| When the Tet holiday approaches, the Lai Thieu piggy bank-making village becomes bustling. Photo: P.Q. / Tuoi Tre |
In Vietnamese culture, the dragon symbolizes luck, intelligence, nobility, and power.
Despite the ongoing economic slowdown, artisans in the southern craft village still stick to their vocation.
They are busy creating unique dragon piggy bank models to meet the demands of customers in the Year of the Dragon.
Although the number of crafting households in the half-century-old village has been decreasing year after year, the beauty and value of making piggy banks have been preserved and kept intact.
The operative households are determined to maintain and promote this traditional craft.
As the 2024 Lunar New Year approaches, the village is bustling with piggy bank-making activities.
Le Hoang Viet, owner of Hoang Thai Piggy Bank Facility, said that his products for the Year of the Dragon are diverse and abundant, with dragon piggy banks in the shapes of ingots and animated characters being the highlights.
According to many workshop owners, these dragon-shaped piggy banks will be shipped to several Mekong Delta provinces such as Tien Giang and An Giang, as well as to Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand.
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| Vuong Anh Dao persistently pursues the traditional piggy bank-making vocation at the Lai Thieu Craft Village in Binh Duong Province, southern Vietnam. The income from selling these piggy banks is sufficient to make ends meet. Photo: P.Q. / Tuoi Tre |
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| Dao’s piggy bank-making workshop specializes in baking and drying dragon-shaped models before sending them to other workshops for coloring. Photo: P.Q. / Tuoi Tre |
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| Thu Suong, an artisan making piggy banks in the Lai Thieu Craft Village in Binh Duong Province, southern Vietnam, says that she will continue to preserve the inherited vocation and bring Tet vibes to everyone through sophisticated products. Photo: P.Q. / Tuoi Tre |
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| Piggy banks in the shape of animated dragons are displayed on a shelf. Photo: P.Q. / Tuoi Tre |
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| Artisans in the village paint dragon-shaped piggy banks in yellow, making them suitable for display during Tet. The color symbolizes luck and fortune, enhancing the auspicious nature of these decorative items. Photo: P.Q. / Tuoi Tre |
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| Cam Ly, who has five years of experience in making piggy banks, is pictured drawing patterns on a yellow piggy bank, a favorite during the Lunar New Year holiday. Photo: P.Q. / Tuoi Tre |
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| A patterned piggy bank is priced at VND15,000 (US$0.6) or higher. Photo: P.Q. / Tuoi Tre |
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