With skillful meticulousness, the artisans in Thach Xa commune (Thach That district, Hanoi) have been using bamboo to make dragonflies. Their artworks have become special items, flying to all parts of the country, and now present in a number of European countries.
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| Connecting parts to form a dragonfly. (Photo: Pham Sy/Dai Doan Ket) |
Thach Xa commune is famous for bamboo dragonfly products. To make such a creation, craftsmen have to complete many stages.
This is a job that sounds simple, but requires diligence and hard work.
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| (Photo: Pham Sy/Dai Doan Ket) |
The very first bamboo dragonflies were very monotonous and bamboo for making the products was mainly taken locally. When facing the challenge of modern toys, craftmen have to improve the design, import bamboo from other provinces (Hoa Binh, Ha Giang), color the dragonflies with oil paint and emulsion borders to make them more attractive.
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| The work requires the meticulousness of workers.(Photo: Pham Sy/Dai Doan Ket) |
The village make dragronflies in different colors and sizes. Patterns and textures are always created by craftsmen with their own appeal. It feels like these dragonflies of all colors are perching on a tree branch and can fly away at any time.
Having nearly 20 years experience in making bamboo dragonflies, artisan Do Van Lien (56 years old) shared: “In the past, bamboo dragonflies were very popular among tourists visiting Tay Phuong Pagoda. Because my family used to make products from bamboo and rattan, my wife and I decided to learn how to make bamboo dragonflies and we keep doing the work until now.”
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| Thach Xa bamboo dragonfly can balance on its pointed beaks. (Photo: Pham Sy/Dai Doan Ket) |
Thach Xa bamboo dragonfly can balance on its pointed beaks. The principle of balance lays on 3 points: beak, wings and tail. These 3 points must be equal, and the weight of the dragonfly must fall in the middle. The center among these three points must be exactly on the beak of the dragonfly.
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| The principle of balance lays on 3 points: beak, wings and tail. (Photo: Pham Sy/Dai Doan Ket) |
Seeing the whole process when the artisans in Thach Xa village make bamboo dragonflies, has to admire the perseverance, meticulousness and hard work that craftmen need when creating a work of art.
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| After being painted, the dragonflies will be dried.(Photo: Pham Sy/Dai Doan Ket) |
Craftsmen in the village shared that before the Covid-19 pandemic, many tourists visited and learner how to make a dragonfly. That has helped to introduce bamboo dragonflies and other products made from bamboo to many customers, even in foreign markets specifically the US, Japan, Austria…
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| Currently, the artisans here also create many products from bamboo such as birds, butterflies, etc.(Photo: Pham Sy/Dai Doan Ket) |
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| (Photo: Pham Sy/Dai Doan Ket) |
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| (Photo: Pham Sy/Dai Doan Ket) |
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| The finished dragonflies are ready to be delivered to the customer.(Photo: Pham Sy/Dai Doan Ket) |
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| Bamboo dragonflies in Thach Xa fly to every corner. (Photo: Pham Sy/Dai Doan Ket) |
Now that the world is recovering from the Covid-19 epidemic and many tourists are traveling, dragonflies here are expected to reach out to more customers. Thach Xa village is also expected to attract more tourists to visit./.
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