From simple coconuts and melons, with the skillful hands of craftsmen, they have 'breathed life' into unique works of art, adding to the beauty of Tet.
"Breathing soul" into each work
Selecting each coconut, cutting it to keep the beautiful coconut stem, then meticulously drawing each line on the rough coconut… This job has become familiar to Ms. Ly Thi Thanh Nga in An Thuong commune (Hai Duong city) every time the Lunar New Year approaches.
Ms. Nga is an art teacher at Tan Binh Secondary School (Hai Duong City). In 2018, when she saw rough coconuts being "transformed" into works of art, she was excited and tried to make them. At first, she only wanted to give them to relatives and friends during Tet... But when she saw that the unique coconuts were popular, she painted them in large quantities to sell. Now, every time this happens, Ms. Nga is busy decorating the coconuts to deliver them to customers. Normally, every Tet, she paints more than 1,000 coconuts to sell on the market.
“Breathing life” into raw coconuts is also a lot of work, from finding a gardener to buy coconuts, then selecting the coconuts. Coconuts are often displayed in the house for about a month or more, so Ms. Nga often chooses coconuts from the age of 100 and up, round, beautiful, without scratches, bumps, or dents. “Usually, each bunch of coconuts can only choose a few satisfactory ones, but the whole bunch must be bought. The satisfactory coconuts will be covered with a base coat, then dried in the sun and then painted with many diverse designs. Coconuts are painted in pairs or individually. If in pairs, the coconuts must be balanced and harmonious to create a uniform work. It takes several hours to create a complete coconut work,” Ms. Nga said.
Sharing the same passion and interest in art, Ms. Vu Thi Hang in An Phu commune (Nam Sach) is also passionate about drawing calligraphy on coconuts. This is the 8th consecutive year she has done this job. Her customers are not only local people but also spread to neighboring provinces and cities such as Hanoi, Hai Phong, Bac Ninh, Bac Giang... and some provinces in the Central region. At this time, she has to work continuously to meet the needs of customers.
This job not only helps Ms. Hang earn extra income but also helps her satisfy her passion for painting and sculpture. Especially, when the works made by her own hands are cherished and appreciated by customers, she feels happier. In addition to drawing calligraphy on coconuts, she also carves words on watermelons.
Ms. Hang said: “Compared to writing calligraphy on coconut, watermelon has higher requirements and takes less time to draw. The watermelon must be ripe and have a black skin, so that when carved and scraped, the image will be sharp and the background will not be green. A qualified work must ensure the criteria of a round, plump and beautiful fruit, the strokes must be delicate and flexible, the layout must be balanced, and the colors must be harmonious.”
Unique
In recent years, golden coconuts and watermelons engraved with words are no longer strange to the people of Hai Duong.
From familiar fruits, under the talented hands of craftsmen, they have become unique works of art displayed during Tet. Looking at coconuts and melons with calligraphy drawings such as "Phuc - Loc", "Tai - Loc" or "Van Su Nhu Y"... decorated with apricot and peach branches, we feel happy and excited when Tet comes, spring comes.
Mr. Nguyen Xuan Loi, a lecturer at Hai Duong College of Tourism and Industry, a watermelon carving specialist, said that to have a satisfactory work, the craftsman must spend a lot of time to complete it. Therefore, the price of each engraved coconut or watermelon depends on the sophistication of the craftsman. Each pair of coconuts costs from 350,000 - 500,000 VND or more. Watermelons also depend on the type, there are elaborate works that require a lot of effort and cost up to a million VND/fruit. "Although the selling price is high, because it goes through many stages and takes time, the income from this job is not high. However, being awaited and welcomed by everyone makes me feel very happy," Mr. Loi added.
In addition to hand-carving, many establishments also offer modern laser engraving services during Tet. However, although machine engraving is sophisticated and diverse, it is not as durable as hand-carving because the watermelon rind often wilts and shrinks after a few days of exposure to heat. These watermelons are also more affordable than hand-crafted products.
Ms. Bui Thi Thuy in Thanh Binh Ward (Hai Duong City) said that in addition to the five-fruit tray, every year she also displays a pair of golden calligraphy coconuts. These elaborately decorated coconuts help make the house more brilliant and cozy. “Under the skillful hands of the craftsman, each pair of coconuts is not only a work of art but also carries a message of wishing for a peaceful and prosperous new year,” Ms. Thuy said.
With their skillful hands, artisans and workers have enriched the Tet market, "breathing life" into their works to make Tet more joyful and brilliant.
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