The excited chatter of children in the corner of the house does not make Mrs Ton Nu Minh Trang miss a beat as she gently shakes the tray of cakes. She smiles knowingly: “They’ll break everything if they rush around! Making phuc linh cakes can’t be hurried or done carelessly!”

Wanting to personally prepare meticulous Tet gifts, while “subtly showing off” their dexterity, many young people are making their own candied fruits and sweet treats for their families, for relatives and friends, or for small-scale sales.

As “blackened teeth” have faded from daily life, the craft of making tooth-blackening powder, once closely tied to that custom, has also gradually faded away… In Hue, Mr. Dinh Bao An (63 years old, residing on Chi Lang Street) and his wife are the last keepers of the family formula for this powder, a fragment of the memories of Hue smiles in the past.

From her journey to revive the craft of making dó (poonah) paper in the raw material area in the North, Ms. Tran Hong Nhung, the founder of Zó Project, has brought the story of dó paper and beeswax to Hue through hands-on experiences. Here, the craftsmanship techniques of the Dao Tien people are introduced and tested for integration into contemporary life.

Quiet workshop sessions have become a popular destination for many young people during the New Year holiday. These workshops offer not only hands-on experiences in making handicrafts but also moments for young participants to slow down emotionally and freely express themselves through colors that bear their own personal imprint.

On the morning of January 4, at Ngu Ha Vien, the project “Reviving Chuon village traditional scroll (lien) making craft” was officially launched to the public, marking an emotional milestone in the journey to rediscover and restore a part of cultural memory that was once on the brink of extinction.

Among the approximately 70 traditional villages living on practicing crafts in Hue, the craft of making parasols is a special one. Beyond the meticulous craftsmanship required in the crafting process, this craft is also special because the finished products carry profound symbolic value in the local cultural life. Far exceeding their practical function of shielding from sun and rain, the parasols serve as markers of order, ritual, and reverence.

From familiar cover versions to the aspiration of writing their own songs, young artists in Hue are gradually making their mark with music that carries a modern vibe while preserving their distinctive style.

The recent floods caused severe damage not only in lowland areas but also in mountainous regions. Local authorities are making every effort to repair infrastructure and supply food and clean water to isolated communities.

Against the challenges caused by natural disasters, climate change, and human impact, Hue is making great efforts to implement both structural and non-structural solutions, combining technology to build itself into a heritage, green, and smart city.