Spreading the Art of To He Beyond the Village
Rice powder animal toys or to he figurines – the traditional toys for children have been revived and available in the market thanks to the efforts of artisan Dang Van Hau, 37, from Xuan La Village, Phu Xuyen District, Hanoi. Creativity and variations The to he work entitled ‘Mid-Autumn Lantern Parade’ by artisan Dang Van Hau. Photo: Huy Pham/The Hanoi Times Artisan Dang Van Hau recently won a special prize at the first Hanoi City Craft Village Product Contest held by the municipal People’s Committee. In just a few minutes, his skillful hands transform colorful lumps of dough into unique works of art: storks, truncated cones, the 12 Chinese zodiac animals, five fruit bowls, peacocks, phoenixes, the quarrel of the six beasts, a pair of ancient shoes, money toads, the four holy beasts, and others. Dang Van Hau was born in 1985 and grew up in Xuan La Village, home to a unique craft of making to he, or edible toy figurines made of rice powder. From a young age, he was en...