The village produces millions of “unique” bamboo dragonflies in Hanoi

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From the rough bamboo sticks, colorful bamboo dragonflies of Thach Xa commune have been exported everywhere to serve tourists such as America, Italy, China …

Unique craft of making bamboo dragonfly Thach Xa

Keep childhood memories

Bamboo dragonfly craft comes to Thach Xa people (Thach That, Hanoi) like a predestined relationship.

Mr. Do Van Lien, one of the first people who made bamboo dragonflies and still maintains to this day, said: “By chance, when I was near Tay Phuong pagoda, a tourist came here with a child. dragonflies are made of bamboo, I find it very unique and have the craft of making bamboo and rattan in hand, my family started to explore ways to make bamboo dragonflies like today ”.

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A special feature of bamboo dragonfly is made of bamboo. They can stand balance on sharp beaks according to the principle of gravity balance.

In order to create lively dragonflies, the village workers must choose bamboo cakes – bamboo that is not too old or too young, in mountainous areas like Hoa Binh, Ha Giang, Thanh Hoa, where new bamboo is sturdy, long burning.

To complete the rough part of a bamboo dragonfly, the worker has to do nearly 10 steps. The first thing is to scrape off the green outer shell, then dry it, allowing the water in the bamboo to evaporate.

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Mr. Do Van Lien (Thach Xa, Thach That, Hanoi) has been working as a bamboo dragonfly for nearly 20 years.

Next, carry out meticulous, meticulous and precise steps: Cut into small bamboo bars, about 1cm wide to make wings and body parts; Bending the beak with a red hot iron; Assemble the wings on the body and finally paint, paint.

Attaching wings to the dragonfly body is the most important step, because it determines whether or not the dragonfly can maintain its balance.

Workers have to disassemble and assemble several times and check again by placing the dragonflies on the tips of their fingers until they are balanced. This stage must be skillful, meticulous and attentive.

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Dragonflies are dried on “homemade” shelves to dry paint.

After finishing the product in its raw form, the craftsmen will create the “soul” for the dragonfly by painting, decorating motifs with the theme of rural life or at the request of customers.

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In the painting and decoration stage, Mr. Lien often hired young people in the village to do the job. The bamboo dragonflies are covered with colorful paints, becoming a souvenir for visitors, children.

Exporting bamboo dragonflies to America, Italy …

Being charming with a career for nearly 20 years, Mr. Lien still remembers the first days of tinkering and making products.

There was a time when his family wanted to quit the job, because no one bought them: “But because the job is already absorbed in the blood, I am determined to make and find a way for this souvenir product”, Mr. Lien said.

Currently, he has found the output for the product, and even failed because of the large number of orders, Mr. Lien shared: “Currently I have 1 order of 8000 products and 1 order of 2000 products. The dragonflies that my family makes has been exported to China, Italy and in the near future, the US ”.

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Dragonfly when finished rough.

A predestined career, the number of visitors coming to his house to buy dragonflies is increasing. Initially, there were only a few retail customers who bought a few to make toys for their children. donate.

Mr. Lien also revealed: “The next order to export to the US is a bamboo dragonfly decorated with the motif of the US flag very sophisticatedly. Due to the specificity of the product to be done by hand, it takes a lot of time, sometimes I have to work overnight to deliver the goods ”.

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Not only making dragonflies, but Mr. Lien also created other animals such as birds, butterflies, peacocks, turtles …

Bamboo dragonflies are perfected through the hands of generations in the craft village “producing” this intimate toy. Today, from the old to the small children are still diligently, constantly creating to make lively dragonfly wings.

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If the elderly are experienced in choosing bamboo and making rough shapes, the “young bamboo shoots” are sensitive in decorating and painting.

Bamboo dragonflies are packed into packages of 10, with the same texture but different colors or vice versa. Customers who come to buy can choose the colors and motifs they like, the price ranges from 5,000 to 20,000 VND / unit, depending on the size.

Thanks to the profession of making bamboo dragon, each household in Thach Xa has an income of 10-20 million VND per month. 

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From the green bamboo trees symbolizing the tall and indomitable strength of the Vietnamese people, through the skillful hands and creativity of the craftsmen in Thach Xa, there are bamboo dragonflies. Unique can be parked anywhere thanks to the gravity balance principle.

And so, the bamboo dragonflies have reached out from the village bamboo rampart, flying high, flying far and wide across the provinces at home and abroad.

Dân trí

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