Young artisan tells folk tales with rice flour figurines

Young artisan Dang Van Hau uses traditional materials to create figurines that tell stories instead of merely simple folk toys.

Born into a family in the traditional craft village of Xuan La (Phu Xuyen district, Hanoi), with several generations practising the craft of making ‘to he’ (rice flour figurines), Dang Van Hau (born in 1988) has been involved in ‘to he’ making from a young age. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

With skilled hands and passion, artisan Dang Van Hau not only keeps the tradition alive and passes on his passion to the younger generation but also elevates the value of the traditional ‘to he’ in modern life. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Hau’s journey to preserve the traditional ‘to he’ craft has not been without challenges, but he always finds ways to overcome them. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Inspired by Dong Ho folk paintings, he recreates the story of "The Mouse Wedding." He firmly believes that each of his works must carry a cultural story. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

The Mid-Autumn Lantern Parade ‘to he’ set vividly recreates the images of the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival in rural North Vietnam. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Dragon figurines are made in two styles: the Ly Dynasty dragon and the Nguyen Dynasty dragon. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

After more than 20 years of working with colored rice flour, Hau has trained many apprentices who have become skilled artisans. But perhaps his greatest joy is that his 8th-grade son is also deeply fascinated by the art of tò he. (Photo: VietnamPlus)