For more than 30 years, Mr. Nguyen Van Bay, 58 years old, made his own mask of singing and then cycled the streets selling his products.

Mr. Bay said, his hometown is in Binh Dinh, the cradle of the art of singing (Tuong singing), so he has a passion for characters like Quan Cong, Cao Cao … since childhood. In Saigon, he found a way to cast masks, draw and sell by himself, considering it as a livelihood and also a way for people not to forget this traditional art.

Initially, he made products from plaster but realized that this material was not durable, easily scratched, fell easily broken. When trying to make wood, the masks often crack after a few hours of traveling with him in the Saigon sun.

After a year of struggling with many materials, he finally found a way to make masks from stone powder mixed with plastic powder, molded with rubber molds. “This material is very durable,” said Mr. Bay.

Casting the raw product is difficult, but the masking process is even more difficult. “Each character has a different personality, so the drawing is also different. The faces remind me of the old singing burden, so I want to work more and more people to know and remember about this art” Mr. Seven thought.

Masks of the characters in the opera are made of two different sizes. With each large face, he worked in about three hours.

Mr. Bay uses oil paint to paint the decoration so the product is highly durable. “I hang it on the bike to sell, it doesn’t matter if it rains,” said Mr. Bay.

In addition to the mask of singing, Mr. Bay also “expanded the business”, made many other types of masks, used to decorate in houses or restaurants.

Each large-sized singing mask is priced at 485,000 VND, and the small one is 185,000 VND. The special shape he sells is a bit higher, 520 thousand dong a piece.

“About ten years ago, my masks sold better thanks to people opening more shops, higher living standards, so the demand for home decoration is also more,” he said.

The man said he could not sell anything a week, but in return he sometimes had wholesale orders for hundreds of souvenirs from the souvenir shops.

“A few years ago, a customer passed by and bought all my goods without paying the price. When I sold it, I saved it for the poor days, so it was enough to pay,” Mr. Bay shared.

Every morning, Mr. Bay cycles more than 8 km from his house on An Nhon, Go Vap streets to Nguyen Dinh Chieu or Truong Dinh, Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, district 3 to sell products.

The masked bike that passed many streets was his way of promoting his products.

“For the past thirty years, I have only worked in this profession. I just worked hard, not rich, but I have the freedom to do things I like, I also have two children to study. My oldest daughter is in her second year. College, “boasted Mr. Bay. Follow Vnexpress