Buzz
Each fan holds within it fragments of someone's childhood memories.
I arrived in Chàng Sơn on a day bathed in sunshine.
Venturing off the dusty national highway behind me, I trek along the path leading to the village nestled amidst vast green fields. Lining the village entrance are woodworking workshops, a surprising sight. Yet, I learned that woodworking is also a traditional craft in Chàng Sơn, alongside fan-making.
Woodworking and fan-making go hand in hand in Chàng Sơn to create such artistic masterpieces.
Woodworking in Chàng Sơn is even considered the cradle of the entire Northern region, with numerous notable structures found in major temples and pagodas. However, fan-making proves to be more widespread and attracts more households, partly due to its intricate and meticulous nature, suitable for rural residents accustomed to fieldwork all year round.
Meeting the artisans crafting fans
After strolling around and inquiring for a while, I stopped by the fan-making workshop of artisan Dương Văn Đoàn. Uncle Đoàn is a renowned artisan, who, along with his father, artisan Dương Văn Mơ, created a monumental 15-meter fan displayed during the 1,000th anniversary of Thăng Long - Hanoi. His fans are not just for display or accessories, but true works of art.
The more I learn about the process of making a fan, the more I appreciate its intricacy.
Each fan in Chàng Sơn is a genuine piece of artwork.
Uncle Đoàn mentioned that his workshop is the only one in Chàng Sơn specializing in decorative fans, often large in size and adorned with silk or bamboo. He personally designs the decorations, depicting scenes like Hoàn Kiếm Lake or rural Vietnamese landscapes. He humbly attributes his skill to practice rather than extraordinary talent, yet each of his drawings resembles a painting on paper, exuding soulfulness.
The paintings on these fans reflect the rich essence of traditional Vietnamese culture.
Can you believe that these fan paintings are done entirely by hand?
From the early days, Chàng Sơn fans have showcased intricacy. Uncle Đoàn showed me a traditional fan made by his ancestors. It was truly a masterpiece. Thin ribs, when folded, fit tightly together, especially the type of paper used for applying patterns is remarkable: both tough and delicately thin. The process of making a Chàng Sơn fan is extremely meticulous, from selecting bamboo, soaking it, to choosing decorative paper purchased from Đông Hồ village (Bắc Ninh). However, as an inevitable rule, there was a period when Chàng Sơn fans experienced 'sunless days' due to market fluctuations.
To craft a fan like this, Chàng Sơn artisans must be meticulous in every step.
From bamboo to decorative paper, every component of the fan must be carefully chosen.
Uncle Đoàn is a shining example of creativity and learning. Most of his products are now exported to sophisticated cultural destinations such as France, Japan, and the United States. Additionally, there are fans that... aren't exactly fans, used in spiritual ceremonies, traditional festivals, or even crafted into wedding invitations. The unique Vietnamese fan shape is also present in many upscale restaurants, featuring menus displayed on the fans.
A few small conclusions
Chàng Sơn currently has 2 areas producing different types of fans: woven fans and paper fans. When I visited a woven fan production facility later on, I noticed a diverse range of fan designs, no longer uniform as before, aimed not only at retaining domestic customers but also appealing to international ones. The people of Chàng Sơn are striving every day to enhance the beauty of their homeland's fans to provide stable income for the village residents while promoting and preserving Vietnamese culture to international friends.
This over-200-year-old craft village stands as one of Vietnam's preserved cultures to this day.
After the trip, here are some notes for those planning to visit Chàng Sơn village:
Getting Around:
Author: Mai Minh Duc
*This article is part of the Mytour Golocal program.
Mytour Golocal is a blogging program introducing beautiful destinations across Vietnam. It's a fantastic opportunity to promote local tourism to everyone. For each qualifying article, you'll receive 800,000 VND and a chance to become a contributor with Mytour. For more details about the program, visit: https://www.Mytour/en-vn/golocal
