Preserving the art of “to he” - Vietnamese folk toys

  • A set of toy figurines made by artisan Dang Van Hau, inspired by Mid-autumn festival parades. VNA Photo: Khánh Hòa
    A set of toy figurines made by artisan Dang Van Hau, inspired by Mid-autumn festival parades. VNA Photo: Khánh Hòa
  • Artisan Dang Van Hau (from Xuan La village, Phu Xuyen district, Hanoi) is a pioneer in preserving and restoring the different styles of to he craftsmanship. He has identified and restored two styles:
    Artisan Dang Van Hau (from Xuan La village, Phu Xuyen district, Hanoi) is a pioneer in preserving and restoring the different styles of to he craftsmanship. He has identified and restored two styles: "Dong Xuan" toy figurines, "Pho Khach" toy figurines, which was created by ethnic Hoa craftsmen in the capital's Old Quarter streets of Hang Buom and Ma May, while simultaneously preserving his village’s Phu Xuyen style. VNA Photo: Khánh Hoà
  • Toy figurines captivate children's attention with their cute designs and colourful details. VNA Photo: Khánh Hòa
    Toy figurines captivate children's attention with their cute designs and colourful details. VNA Photo: Khánh Hòa
  • Each to he figurine carries an essence of its craftsman. VNA Photo: Khánh Hòa
    Each to he figurine carries an essence of its craftsman. VNA Photo: Khánh Hòa
  • To he toys open up a colourful world where children can see characters from history, movies and cartoons. VNA Photo: Khánh Hòa
    To he toys open up a colourful world where children can see characters from history, movies and cartoons. VNA Photo: Khánh Hòa
  • Toy figurines captivate children's attention with their cute designs and colourful details. VNA Photo: Khánh Hòa
    Toy figurines captivate children's attention with their cute designs and colourful details. VNA Photo: Khánh Hòa
  • Toy figurines captivate children's attentions with their cute designs and colourful details. VNA Photo: Khánh Hòa
    Toy figurines captivate children's attentions with their cute designs and colourful details. VNA Photo: Khánh Hòa
  • Artisan make figurines on-demand for young customers, demonstrating their skills and experience. VNA Photo: Khánh Hòa
    Artisan make figurines on-demand for young customers, demonstrating their skills and experience. VNA Photo: Khánh Hòa
  • Toy figurines of girls inspired by Hang Trong painting named
    Toy figurines of girls inspired by Hang Trong painting named "To nu” (virgin girls). VNA Photo: Khánh Hòa
  • Toy figurines have three varieties, one of them is animals of Pho Khach (Chinese resided streets in the past) that were around the Hanoi ancient quarter. These animals are shaped after mythical creatures, like dragon, unicorn, turtle and phoenix. VNA Photo: Khánh Hòa
    Toy figurines have three varieties, one of them is animals of Pho Khach (Chinese resided streets in the past) that were around the Hanoi ancient quarter. These animals are shaped after mythical creatures, like dragon, unicorn, turtle and phoenix. VNA Photo: Khánh Hòa

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Preserving the art of “to he” - Vietnamese folk toys
12/11/2023 08:57 | TTXVN |
To he (toy figurines) are folk toys of Vietnam, which are small, colourful figurines made from glutinous rice powder. To he figurines are made based on the familiar images such as Vietnamese women in traditional costumes, cattle in rural areas and the four holy animals. To make the toys, the craftsman first grinds rice into fine powder, then pours water into the powder and mixes it until he achieves a sticky lump. He places the lump in a pot of water, brings the water to a boil, and cooks the paste for an hour. When the lump rises to the water’s surface, dips, and rises again, the craftsman removes it from the pot. Then he applies seven colours: white, black, green, yellow, violet, pink, and red. The lump are then combined together to make colourful, eye-catching figurines for children. VNA Photo: Khánh Hòa

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