Sinh village, a traditional craft village producing paper pictures forritual ornamental purposes in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue, isstarting production ahead of Tet (Lunar New Year).
First artisans create black and white wood-block prints, which theythen paint with various colours. "Many wholesalers in other centralprovinces have sent us orders," said Ky Huu Phuoc, one of the artisansin the village.
Built in the 15th century on thebank of the Perfume River, Sinh village has been well-known for thetraditional craft of folk woodblock painting with plain glyphs andtraditional colours of red, green, yellow and black, reflecting people’sinnermost feelings, wishes and simple dreams.
As isthe belief of Hue residents, each person has their own fate and theyare protected and helped by each year’s genies. Therefore, people wantto worship to drive away the bad and welcome the good that leads to thebirth of the craft.
Many Vietnamese have an altarfor the kitchen god in the kitchen. They also keep the old tradition ofMau (Mother) worshipping and devote an altar to this purpose. Picturesof Mau, like other ritual pictures, are replaced once a year on thethreshold of Tet.
Sinh painting is printed fromfolk woodblock painting for worshipping in Hue. The difference betweenSinh painting and Dong Ho, Hang Trong painting is its function. The DongHo painting is hang for decoration while the Sinh painting will beburnt after worship.
The paintings are made usingjust one printing-board which is created from jack wood. It is durable,worm resistant and easy to carve to create the drawing lines and blackshapes. After being printed in black, the work is sometimes completedwith embellishments made with colourful lines. Some paintings are stillprinted on rustic paper.
The paintings of Sinhvillage focus on mainly 50 different themes which reflect the ancientcredence and three main topics groups: Pictures of characters includingfemale statues, kitchen statues, and baby pictures; those of animalsprinting 12 zodiac animals; and those of objects drawing different kindsof clothes, utensils, arrows or things to worship such as female coats,male coats, soldier coats.
Ky Huu Phuoc and 50other families will devote themselves to the craft from now until Tet,which occurs on January 31. The pictures will replace older ones onaltars of the chicken god, male god and female god.
Despite its ups and downs, the painting school is still preserved anddeveloped in Hue with more diverse themes, such as nature, houses,streets and daily activities, making a contribution to reflecting thespiritual life, cultural value and aspiration for a happy, well-off andpeaceful life.-VNA
First artisans create black and white wood-block prints, which theythen paint with various colours. "Many wholesalers in other centralprovinces have sent us orders," said Ky Huu Phuoc, one of the artisansin the village.
Built in the 15th century on thebank of the Perfume River, Sinh village has been well-known for thetraditional craft of folk woodblock painting with plain glyphs andtraditional colours of red, green, yellow and black, reflecting people’sinnermost feelings, wishes and simple dreams.
As isthe belief of Hue residents, each person has their own fate and theyare protected and helped by each year’s genies. Therefore, people wantto worship to drive away the bad and welcome the good that leads to thebirth of the craft.
Many Vietnamese have an altarfor the kitchen god in the kitchen. They also keep the old tradition ofMau (Mother) worshipping and devote an altar to this purpose. Picturesof Mau, like other ritual pictures, are replaced once a year on thethreshold of Tet.
Sinh painting is printed fromfolk woodblock painting for worshipping in Hue. The difference betweenSinh painting and Dong Ho, Hang Trong painting is its function. The DongHo painting is hang for decoration while the Sinh painting will beburnt after worship.
The paintings are made usingjust one printing-board which is created from jack wood. It is durable,worm resistant and easy to carve to create the drawing lines and blackshapes. After being printed in black, the work is sometimes completedwith embellishments made with colourful lines. Some paintings are stillprinted on rustic paper.
The paintings of Sinhvillage focus on mainly 50 different themes which reflect the ancientcredence and three main topics groups: Pictures of characters includingfemale statues, kitchen statues, and baby pictures; those of animalsprinting 12 zodiac animals; and those of objects drawing different kindsof clothes, utensils, arrows or things to worship such as female coats,male coats, soldier coats.
Ky Huu Phuoc and 50other families will devote themselves to the craft from now until Tet,which occurs on January 31. The pictures will replace older ones onaltars of the chicken god, male god and female god.
Despite its ups and downs, the painting school is still preserved anddeveloped in Hue with more diverse themes, such as nature, houses,streets and daily activities, making a contribution to reflecting thespiritual life, cultural value and aspiration for a happy, well-off andpeaceful life.-VNA
