Riverfront^ photo:Scottiebumich,^ AdobeStock^ /Lantern-making^ photo:wooooooojpn,^AdobeStock/^ HuynhVanBaphoto^ by^ theauthorasked Huynh, then making
lanterns for the pagodas, to
come up with a solution.
He designed a mechanism
to allow the globe-like shape to
elongate into a tube that’s easy
to tote. Over the years, he add-
ed a variety of colors and prints,
and started making them in vari-
ous shapes like teardrops and
garlic bulbs. By the mid-2000s,
dozens of shops around Hoi An
were making the lanterns by
hand, with a number of the arti-
sans trained by Huynh.
His staff of 15, mostly family
members, makes about 200 lan-
terns a day on the ground floor of
a narrow building, with an open
room divided into a jumble of
work piles. The 10-step process
includes cutting thin strips of
bamboo for ribs, fastening their
ends to wooden rings, gluing
silk swaths to the bowed slats,
and stringing together tassels
that sway in the breeze.
Several years ago, the lan-
terns were shown mostly dur-
ing the monthly full moonfestival, when businesses’
exterior lights were dimmed.
But with the visitors and lan-
terns multiplying, now, most
every night is a mesmerizing
festival of lights.Patrick Scott is a freelance writer
and tourist of the world based
in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.Hoi An’s tourism industry has flourished, creating economic opportunity for its citizens.
top:
A stroll along the
Ancient Town river-
front can be enchanting –
and packed, as crowds
of tourists often
frequent the area.bottom (2):
Artisans at the Huynh
Van Ba lantern shop
make about 200 of
the silk and bamboo
pieces each day. Owner
Huynh Van Ba (right)
has been recognized
by the Vietnamese gov-
ernment for his work
preserving the craft.68 american craft aug/sept 19