Often seen as the heart of Central Vietnam, Huế is the birthing ground for many traditional crafts. Artisan products from the ancient city often exude its inhabitants' elegance and rustic quality. Among them, the handmade lion’s heads from Huế carry distinctive slivers of beauty within them.
A lion dance equipment shop on Trần Hưng Đạo Street, Huế.
Lion dance, or múa lân, is an indispensable performance art every Trung Thu and Lunar New Year celebration. The lion, or lân in Vietnamese, symbolizes strength, authority, luck, and prosperity. Along with the dance, the craftsmanship behind the making of lion heads is also well-preserved in many localities across the country. In Huế, lion heads were once just simple toys created by adults to entertain local children, but over time, as people’s livelihood improved, the increase in demand for lion dance brought about the growth of commercial lion head productions. Since then, Huế’s lion head craft has greatly diversified with many styles, colors, and appearances.
Lion heads can spot many different designs and patterns.
I arrived in Huế in the early days of the 8th lunar month; on the precipice of autumn, the sun was still searingly hot. The placid Hương River was like a silk scarf hugging the sleepy town. Rows of heritage trees stood silent in the afternoon sun. Trần Hưng Đạo Street, which runs alongside the northern bank of the river, became especially more colorful than any other time of the year thanks to the mosaic of lion heads and mid-autumn decorations on display for sale. Older vendors manned the kiosks while young artisans were hard at work crafting wares.
The alley leading to Trương Như Rem's home workshop.
Shadows painted the worn walls of a small alley where a cluster of lân makers live. From the entrance to the exit, lion heads filled the ceilings of local homes, bathing the landscape in shades of green, red, and sparkling gold. This is home to the lion head workshop of Trương Như Rem, a local craftsman. Amid the thickness of the heat, everyone was racing against time to fulfill orders, drenched from head to toes in sweat. Their hands carefully went through each brushstroke and thread. Their heads barely jutted out from a sea of textile, paper, coloring agents. The closer to Trung Thu it was, the more urgent the atmosphere got.
“I can’t take breaks. Some days we have to work through the night to meet the demand of bulk orders. Several customers even visit from very far away to find their favorite lân,” Rem told me.
Trương Như Rem is the third generation of his family in the trade.
“I’ve been making lân for over 30 years. Every day I work from morning until late night. It’s a very strenuous trade,” he explained. Every year, his workshop supplies the market with around 500 lion heads and 10,000 festive items, including drums, masks, fans, etc. Just like other craft families in town, they have to start production many months before the full moon of Trung Thu to keep up with early orders. “Some years we only get a month of break after mid-autumn before beginning a new cycle of production for next year’s festival,” Rem shared with me.
The “scaffolding” of bamboo strips and papier-mâché.
According to Rem, each lion head takes five to six days to complete, if the weather is mostly sunny. Basic steps include: making the mold, pasting the fabric on, painting, and sewing the lion tail. The lion head is a highly detailed item requiring a harmonious color palette, balanced structure, and various materials. Each one is the only copy of its kind. No lân looks like its friends because each is entirely handmade; the manifestation of its maker’s feeling, care, and conceptualization. Lion heads have various designs to accommodate different functions.
After the paint job is done, workers start embellishing the heads with tiny details to make them shine.
The flame is a common decorative motif on lion heads.
Lion heads are made from many materials, including paper, bamboo, fabric, etc.
There are two ways to shape the head frames: either papier-mâché is pasted on a mold or onto a frame made out of bamboo strips. After the frame is created, workers stick layers of paper and textile onto it before leaving it to dry. Each layer must be precisely attached to ensure its surface is smooth and crink-free. Then, once the shape is set, workers begin painting the head. Oftentimes, fire motifs are used to depict ferocity. Lastly, other details like lashes and fur are taken care of. The eyes are the most important component, as they determine the personality of the lân.
Lion heads from Huế radiate the majesty and power of their ancestors. To keep up with increasing demand for more unique designs, workers are always researching and experimenting with new patterns, besides time-honored color schemes and elements. Every part of the lion, from tongue to ears, is securely attached to the head so they can survive the rambunctious movements of lion dances.
Beside lion heads, Rem's family also makes lion dance costumes, drums, masks, etc.
Trương Như Rem belongs to the third generation of lion head artisans in his family. Growing up with the rainbow of lân at home, Rem was taught by his father and began his journey with the family trade when he was just 12. He believes that lân makers must be extremely passionate and persevering, as the process requires a lot of time and experience. These are the qualities his family cultivated in him since he was little. Still, as this is very much a seasonal career, his household is amongst the few in Huế that are still making lion heads.
Lion heads and other Trung Thu decorations on sale on Trần Hưng Đạo Street.
Just like that, over decades, the nimble fingers of Huế artisans have played a significant part in giving life to lion heads, and sending them to every corner of Vietnam — a source of inextinguishable joy for local children during Trung Thu.
