Situated on the southern bank of the Huong (Perfume) River, Thanh Tien Village in Phu Mau Commune, Phu Vang District, Thua Thien-Hue Province is famous for making paper flowers.

Various kinds of paper flowers with different colors make the entire village in the central Vietnamese province a kaleidoscope of colors.

The village was recognized as a traditional craft village in 2013 by the Thua Thien-Hue government.

A bunch of paper lotus flowers, which are considered a signature product of Thanh Tien Village. Petals of the flowers are shaped carefully before being glued together to bamboo branches. Photo: Nguyen Trung Au / Tuoi Tre  

According to local artisans, the art of making paper flowers stemmed from local worship tradition.

Due to the unfavorable weather in the central region, fresh flowers cannot be kept for a long period of time so local residents created paper flowers.

Paper flowers can meet the demand of worship and decoration during the Lunar New Year, or Tet, holiday and other festivals.

Nowadays, paper flowers also appear in hotels, restaurants, and exhibition centers, and even at large festivals in Thua Thien-Hue, such as the Hue Festival, craft village festival, ao dai (Vietnam's national costume) festival, and many other cultural events.

Young girls in ao dai holding bunches of paper flowers have become an iconic image of Hue.

All of the steps to make paper flowers are completed manually, which is time-consuming. It requires the meticulous skills of artisans to make the flowers lifelike.

An artisan introduces her paper flower products in Thanh Tien Village, Thua Thien-Hue Province, Vietnam. Photo: Nguyen Trung Au / Tuoi Tre

In addition, materials must be prepared carefully. Branches are made of bamboo before being split into small sticks and dried.

Petals and stamens are dyed carefully to keep the color vibrant for a long time and dyes are all made from natural materials, such as resins and leaves.

Materials are prepared to make paper flowers in Thanh Tien Village, Thua Thien-Hue Province, Vietnam. Photo: Nguyen Trung Au / Tuoi Tre

Paper flowers have a diverse range of colors, sizes, and types and are used for various purposes. They are all colorful and eye-catching. Photo: Nguyen Trung Au / Tuoi Tre

In addition to well-known tourist sites, the Thanh Tien paper flower village has become a must-visit destination for domestic and foreign tourists when visiting Thua Thien-Hue.

Paper flowers are ordered throughout the year, especially before the Tet holiday and festivals. Photo: Nguyen Trung Au / Tuoi Tre

Artisans in the village are friendly and hospitable. They are willing to instruct visitors to make paper flowers and share their stories during the journey of making paper flowers. Photo: Nguyen Trung Au / Tuoi Tre

Handmade paper flowers are seen in Thanh Tien Village, Thua Thien-Hue Province, Vietnam. Photo: Nguyen Trung Au / Tuoi Tre

Artisans in the village are friendly and hospitable. They are willing to instruct visitors to make paper flowers and share their stories during the journey of making paper flowers. Photo: Nguyen Trung Au / Tuoi Tre

Handmade paper flowers are seen in Thanh Tien Village, Thua Thien-Hue Province, Vietnam. Photo: Nguyen Trung Au / Tuoi Tre

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Thanh Ha – Nguyen Trung Au / Tuoi Tre News