Taking home a piece of Hoi An; the production of the iconic lanterns

Hoi An is considered the tailoring mecca of Vietnam; beautiful fabrics adorn the doorways of traditional markets, whilst the bustling noises of the factories upstairs ring through the street. Upon arrival I discovered my ‘backpacker‘ friends had spent the past four days inside the tailoring market, designing elegant (though somewhat extravagant) suits, belts, coats, ties, shirts and leather bags. 

The ancient town is a shoppers paradise; as well as reasonably priced tailor made clothes, there are loose leaf Vietnamese tea stalls, freshly ground coffee, Ali Baba patterned pants, notebooks, bags, bracelets, coconut shell bowls, and a plethora of art galleries with hand painted canvas’. It was worth waking up early and riding our bikes through the old town, just across the famous Japanese bridge. By starting up conversations whilst the local people set up their stalls, we were able to politely haggle and rode away with cheaper souvenirs than the ones sold on the main street.

 

The Craft of Hoi An

Lanterns are a beautiful masterpiece of Hoi An and have been lighting up the city for over 400 years. They hang from building to building, shop windows and float leisurely next to gondolas on the Thu Bõn River. It is widely believed that if you place a lantern outside your house, you’ll be blessed with happiness and wealth. And of course, every other shop will sell different styles so that you can take a little good luck charm back home with you.

In an attempt to not totally spend my time consuming (almost two days were dedicated to shopping), I wanted to experience the other side of the shopping culture – the craftsmanship behind it. Tucked away down one of the yellow streets, was De Yang’s shop; lanterns of different shapes and sizes hung on the door, forcing you to duck down and enter her fabric lined grotto. The floor was covered with beautiful materials and bamboo skeletons.

Getting a bit of a head start, by having the frames prepared, it was up to us to carefully attach the delicate Vietnamese silk. It took some skill in placing the glue on the thin bamboo bends and tightly pulling the fabric around the wood to make a pleasing round shape. Then we finely trimmed the edges and attached the hanging tassels.

It was sticky business and there is clearly a lot of skill in making the flawless-looking end products. But it was a great experience to watch and assist in the craft of these beautiful lanterns. For only $7 we had spent the morning in the the family-owned shop, learned the captivating way of lantern production and walked away with a little piece of Hoi An’s great heritage.