To he is a traditional toy for Vietnamese children made from glutinous rice powder and shaped into edible figurines such as animals, flowers or characters from folk stories. In the past, to he were made and sold only during festivals, especially Tet (lunar New Year) and the Full Moon Festival, both favorites of children.
Nowadays, the toy is available at almost all traditional festivals and in public places like parks or gardens. The price for a figurine sold in Hanoi varies from VND2-15,000.
Since to he is one of the rare surviving traditional toys, those skilled in the art of to he are considered cultural ambassadors. Some artisans have been invited to the US and South Korea to demonstrate making to he.
To create a to he figurine, a craftsperson needs a mixture of glutinous and ordinary rice powders that can be easily kneaded into edible shapes, plus bamboo sticks for the to he and to use for graphics. Modeled by hand, the to he are often shaped like animals, flowers and characters in folk stories like “Ton Ngo Khong,” or the Monkey King from “Journey to the West”.
The seven basic colours are green, sea blue, red, purple, yellow, white and black, now made from food dyes that are used to replace colours made from trees or ashes.
In the past, to he was steamed after being kneaded, but today the figurines are made directly from pre-boiled paste so that it takes less time to make. The paste, made from glutinous and ordinary rice powders, is kneaded with fresh water before being boiled for one hour and then dyed with food colouring.
To he making requires utmost patience, but almost all to he makers are men and there is an unwritten law in families of to he craftsmen that the to he secrets be passed from father to son and not to daughters. There are no lessons in to he-making and sons learn the skill from their father by watching. Today handicapped women and men study to he so that they can make a living.
Traditionally, to he artisans had a compact set of tools so that in just one day they could go to several communal spots like markets, temples and especially local festivals where children often gathered to play or accompanied their parents. According to the elder generation of to he artists, the origins of to he making date to the 17th century.
In Xuan La village along the outskirts of Hanoi, about 200 people earn their living by making and selling to he. Facing competition from modern toys and entertainment, to he artisans must become more and more creative so that their figurines will attract children. Some figurines today are modeled after characters from international films and cartoons such as Doraemon, Pikachu and Sailor Moon.
Another positive sign for to he is that the Ministry of Culture and Information has paid more attention in preserving and propagating this traditional art. One to he craftsman from Thai Binh province was presented with a medal from the Vietnam Folk Literature and Art Association for his effort to preserve to he and to he is also frequently introduced at cultural festivals.
To he is brought to poor northern Vietnamese children who cannot afford to buy toys, plus they are given instructions on how to make simple forms of to he figurines.
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To he for Thang Long-Hanoi’s 1000th anniversary. |
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Saint Giong and spiritual characters. |
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Literary and historical characters. |
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Xuan La’s to he makers. |
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Materials for producing to he. |
