While many traditional toy making villages have no longer produced toys, artisans in Bao Dap village in Nam Dinh province still preserve their trade: making star-shaped lanterns.
The village has produced this kind of toy for many generations.
Mrs. Nguyen Thi Hai’s family is very busy now because the Mid-autumn Festival is coming.
The family makes hundreds of lanterns a day to sell to traders from northern provinces.
Hundreds of households in Bao Dap Village do this trade.
Mr. Hoang Van Binh’s family both produces star-shaped lanterns and dyes glazed
papers to supply to other families in the village.
Kids also make star-shaped lanterns.
Nguyen Minh Tuan, 5, is very good at sticking patterns on lanterns.
Mr. Nguyen Van Thanh said he has to work 16 hours a day. “It’s tiring but exciting because
star-shaped lanterns sell quite well,” he said.
Nguyen Duc Hung, a ninth grader, is making a lantern handle.
All lanterns are hand made. The prices are from VND5,000 to VND10,000/unit.
Mr. Thanh’s children play with lanterns.