Far from Hue city center about 7 km, Hue Paper flower Thanh Tien village belongs to Phu Mau commune, Phu Vang district, Thua Thien Hue province. This village had tradition of making paper flower about more than 300 years ago; it also received title of traditional trade village.

The job of making paper flower of Thanh Tien village began from folk belief. Hue is well-known as the place where many celebrations have; so the job of making votive paper, flower paper and incense develop so much to service the worship need. Annually, on the lunar October, villagers prepare everything to produce paper flower. On the middle of December, each family is full of colorful flower.  This kind of flower was became the culture in Hue people’s folk belief for a long time ago. Nowadays, paper flower of Thanh Tien village not only has significance for worship but also has aesthetic value as well as cultural one.   

There are many kinds of paper flower such as lotus, orchid, apricot blossom, daisy, rose, gerbera, dahlia…The workman have to work many clever different steps to make flower. For example they put the chosen colored paper together and then using chisel to make petals; that is the reason why petals have same size.  The step of joining the flower to branch flower is also interesting. Normally, each of branches has about 9 to 10 flowers; because following the conception of Hue people, they are lucky numbers which bring good things to everybody. These paper flower branches are arranged together on “a flower” around 300- 500 branches. This flower of Thanh Tien village spreads all over streets of Hue and near areas in every spring.  Even though this job just happens about some months in the end of year, villager already prepared during whole year. In the sunny days, they make raw materials ready for instance cutting off the bamboo, dry bamboo, color bamboo and paper…then they will use those materials to produce paper flower on the rainy days for selling in Lunar New Year holiday. 

Paper lotus is the salient product which is famous with Vietnamese and foreigners among of paper flower in Thanh Tien village. Making this lotus is so skilful; lotus petals made from paper and the peduncle made from dried rattan. The dyeing for lotus petals is most meticulous as we have to dye to make petal from dark pink color to light pink and white…The paper lotus expresses the talent of workman in Thanh Tien village. There are 17 families specializing in making paper flower and 4 families make paper lotus among them.

Before, this kind of paper only use for worship; in nowadays it appeared in the artist life of Hue. In Festival Hue 2010, in the traditional garden house of painter named Than Van Huy at Thanh Tien village, the country festival named “Thanh Tien village color” brought to visitors party which was full of lotus color. Travelers not only contemplate the tranquil space of colorful lotus but also learn how to make the original paper lotus of villager with your own eyes.

The title of traditional trade village helps people of Thanh Tien village to take initiative in preservation and proving the famous brand for a long time.