Over the past two decades, countless dry, rough bamboo stems have been resurrected into artistic sculptures under the skilled hands of the artist Huynh Phuong Do.
Traveling along the coastline of Cua Dai (Hoi An, Quang Nam), I ventured into a small village in Thinh My ward, Cam An commune. The wind carried a salty sea breeze, and the rhythmic sound of waves resonated continuously. In a small sunny corner, bamboo stems were piled up, scattered on the ground. A middle-aged man, slender in stature, was diligently sawing and trimming each dry bamboo stem. Specks of dust clung to his face, and sweat beads trickled down, lightly falling onto his hands, which worked meticulously. He would concentrate deeply and then burst into laughter as if struck by a new idea. His smiling face, revealing a set of worn teeth, had become a trademark that was unmistakably associated with Hoi An.
This man is Huynh Phuong Do, 50 years old, the mastermind behind the art of sculpting bamboo roots in Hoi An. Hence, the names “Do dien” or “Red Bamboo” have been linked to him for the past 20 years. Over that time, day in and day out, the artist has revived gnarled bamboo roots into works of art. “My work is repetitive every day. However, I don’t find it boring. People might easily get excited about new things, but maintaining joy in the old ones requires patience,” says Do.
YEARS OF UPS AND DOWNS CRAFT THE “RED BAMBOO”
In his workshop in front of his house, Do’s eyes welled up as he remembered a day in 1999. The coastal village struggled through a historic flood. Winds howled, and water rushed. Amidst the rushing waters were logs and debris when Do noticed an “unusual” piece of bamboo. Out of curiosity, he fished it out, took the root, and bored into it while waiting for the water to recede. From that playful moment, he realized, “Ah, it turns out bamboo roots can also be sculpted.” That marked the birth of the first bamboo root sculpture in Hoi An. It was also the serendipity that cemented his bond with this art form till now.
However, everything didn’t come to Do by chance but through a long process intertwined with woodcarving art since his teenage years. At 16, his parents sent him to apprentice at the Kim Bong carpentry village. With an inherent knack for craftsmanship and meticulous guidance from his mentor, Do quickly became proficient. After three years of apprenticeship, he worked for various woodcarving workshops. However, life was challenging, the work was insufficient to sustain himself, so he left the trade, turning to making and selling traditional rice cakes, then peddling around Hoi An’s alleys to earn a living. Reflecting on those ups and downs, the Quang native artist was contemplative, “Without going through that phase, there might not be ‘Red Bamboo’ now,” his eyes sparkled as he looked at the newly completed artworks ready to be displayed. Until now, countless discarded bamboo roots have been “revived” thanks to the hands of the 50-year-old artist.
To create sculptures of historical figures, spiritual symbols, and legends of Vietnam and the world, in addition to carving skills, the artist had to explore and read countless books, newspapers, and documents about history and culture. Do’s artworks convey expressions of different emotions, symbolizing the joys and sorrows of life. Each sculpture is unique because no two bamboo roots are the same. Moreover, the pieces are all handcrafted, imbued with the artist’s soul, making them never repetitive.
THE JOURNEY OF BAMBOO ROOTS BEYOND DEEP FORESTS INTO ARTWORKS
At the display stand by the Hoai River in Hoi An’s ancient town, Do arranged his artworks tirelessly, eagerly saying, “This 85-year-old bamboo root had to travel a long way, thousands of kilometers, from the deep forests of Son La province, then changed hands at several bus stations before arriving in Hoi An. For these old, rare bamboo roots, I personally had to go to the Northwest to find them. It was a tough journey, not just playing around.”
For younger bamboo roots, Do usually finds them in Quang Nam and neighboring provinces. “I wander around rural villages; whenever I see abandoned bamboo roots lying around, I collect and buy them at 15,000 to 20,000 VND each. I recycle natural waste while creating valuable handmade products,” Do expressed. Bamboo roots need to be collected at the right season to ensure quality.
Buying bamboo roots is challenging, and the process of shaping them into artworks demands even more effort. The collected materials are preserved against termites and damage by soaking them in mud for nine months, then sun-drying them for ten days before being sculpted, ensuring cleanliness. In his workshop, Do’s daughter, a college student, helps her father clean the mud off the bamboo roots whenever she’s free from studies.
After cleaning the rough bamboo roots, Do trims off excess details before choosing them for sculpting. This step seems simple, but it isn’t. It requires careful observation to select the right root for the artwork’s intention. “The shape and root thickness need to match the character. For instance, roots with many branches will be carved into characters symbolizing blessings, fortune, longevity, or Truong Tam Phong,” said Do.
Once the right bamboo root is selected for the concept, the artist secures the material with an iron frame and then uses various sized chisels and hammers for different purposes. Large chisels sculpt facial shapes, while smaller ones delicately work on intricate details. The sound of tapping echoes, sometimes loud, sometimes soft. The force applied varies, sometimes strong, sometimes gentle. The seamless coordination serves to prevent the bamboo roots from breaking or the carving lines lacking fluidity. According to Do, the eyes are the most challenging part because they determine whether the sculpture resembles the character or not.
In thirty minutes, the bamboo scraps slowly transform under the chisel, revealing the character’s face. As he works, Do carefully observes, furrowing his brow to reveal wrinkles on the forehead, then unexpectedly bursts into laughter, “The most satisfying feeling is when the character’s face is formed.” Once the sculpting is done, the sculptures will be smoothed to become finished products. On average, the artist spends about three hours to complete a piece.
Although frequently exposed to the sound of saws and sharp iron tools, Do does not feel discomfort. He confided, “That’s the sound of life, of being busy. During the pandemic when the noise of saws and carving decreased, I felt melancholy too.”
“A job should not only bring value to society but also sustain the livelihood of the craftsman. I always think, if my apprentices can’t make ends meet with this craft and leave for other jobs, it’s my own failure,” the Red Bamboo artist earnestly expressed. Therefore, those who have apprenticed under Do and become proficient are provided with stable income and employment opportunities.
Spreading local handicrafts to tourists, making Hoi An’s creative spirit known to more people, is something Do always ponders. In the coming time, he plans to organize workshops on bamboo root sculpting while displaying them, providing space for tourists to experience this
20 nฤm “hแปi sinh” gแปc tre bแป ฤi thร nh tรกc phแบฉm nghแป thuแบญt
Trong hai thแบญp kแปท, khรดng ฤแบฟm xuแป cรณ bao nhiรชu gแปc tre khรด khแปc, sแบงn sรนi ฤรฃ ฤฦฐแปฃc hแปi sinh thร nh cรกc tรกc phแบฉm ฤiรชu khแบฏc nghแป thuแบญt dฦฐแปi bร n tay nghแป nhรขn Huแปณnh Phฦฐฦกng ฤแป.
Theo con ฤฦฐแปng dแปc biแปn Cแปญa ฤแบกi (Hแปi An, Quแบฃng Nam), tรดi tรฌm vร o xรณm nhแป แป khแปi Thแปnh Mแปน, phฦฐแปng Cแบฃm An. Giรณ thแปi tแปซng luแปng mang theo vแป biแปn mแบทn chan chรกt. Tiแบฟng kรชu lรกch ca lรกch cรกch phรกt ra liรชn hแปi. แป mแปt khoแบฃng sรขn nhแป ngแบญp bรณng nแบฏng, gแปc tre chแบฅt thร nh ฤแปng, nแบฑm la liแปt trรชn mแบทt ฤแบฅt. Ngฦฐแปi ฤร n รดng tuแปi trung niรชn, dรกng mแบฃnh khแบฃnh ฤang cแบทm cแปฅi cฦฐa, ฤแบฝo tแปซng gแปc cแปงi khรด. Nhแปฏng mแบฃnh bแปฅi tung tรณe bรกm tแปซng mแบฃng trรชn mรก. Trรกn lแบฅm tแบฅm mแป hรดi, nhแปฏng giแปt nฦฐแปc lฤn nhแบน rแปi rฦกi xuแปng ฤรดi bร n tay ฤang thoฤn thoแบฏt. Anh lรบc ฤฤm chiรชu, tแบญp trung, lรบc bแบญt cฦฐแปi nhฦฐ thแป cรณ mแปt รฝ tฦฐแปng mแปi vแปซa lรณe lรชn. Nแปฅ cฦฐแปi ฤแป lแป hร m rฤng sรบn vแปn ฤรฃ trแป thร nh thฦฐฦกng hiแปu khรดng lแบซn vร o ฤรขu ฤฦฐแปฃc tแบกi Hแปi An.
Anh lร Huแปณnh Phฦฐฦกng ฤแป (50 tuแปi), cha ฤแบป nghแป thuแบญt ฤiรชu khแบฏc gแปc tre Hแปi An. Vรฌ lแบฝ ฤรณ, cรกi tรชn ฤแป ฤiรชn hay ฤแป Tre ฤรฃ gแบฏn liแปn vแปi anh suแปt 20 nฤm nay. Trong ngแบงn แบฅy thแปi gian, ngฦฐแปi nghแป nhรขn ngร y qua ngร y ฤรฃ hแปi sinh nhแปฏng gแปc tre xรน xรฌ thร nh tรกc phแบฉm nghแป thuแบญt. “Cรดng viแปc cแปงa tรดi ngร y nร o cลฉng lแบทp lแบกi nhฦฐ thแบฟ. Nhฦฐng tรดi khรดng thแบฅy nhร m chรกn. Con ngฦฐแปi cรณ thแป dแป hร o hแปฉng vแปi nhแปฏng viแปc mแปi mแบป nhฦฐng ฤแป duy trรฌ niแปm vui vแปi nhแปฏng ฤiแปu cลฉ kฤฉ cแบงn sแปฑ nhแบซn nแบกi”, anh ฤแป nรณi.
NHแปฎNG NฤM THรNG THฤNG TRแบฆM ฤร “Tแบ C” NรN ฤแป TRE
Tแบกi xฦฐแปng chแบฟ tรกc trฦฐแปc nhร , anh ฤแป mแบฏt rฦฐng rฦฐng nhแป lแบกi mแปt ngร y cแปงa nฤm 1999. Xรณm nhแป ven biแปn oแบฑn mรฌnh trong trแบญn lลฉ lแปch sแปญ. Giรณ rรญt tแปซng cฦกn. Nฦฐแปc chแบฃy xiแบฟt. Trong con nฦฐแปc cuแปn trร o lแปn nhแปn cแปงi, rรกc, anh nhรฌn thแบฅy mแปt bแปฅi tre “lร lแบก”. Tรฒ mรฒ, anh ฤแป vแปt bแปฅi tre lรชn, chแบทt lแบฅy gแปc, rแบฃnh tay ฤแปฅc ฤแบฝo trong lรบc chแป nฦฐแปc rรบt. Tแปซ lแบงn ฤแบฝo chฦกi ฤรณ, anh mแปi nghฤฉ: “แป, hรณa ra gแปc tre cลฉng cรณ thแป ฤiรชu khแบฏc ฤฦฐแปฃc”. Tรกc phแบฉm ฤiรชu khแบฏc gแปc tre ฤแบงu tiรชn แป Hแปi An ฤฦฐแปฃc ra ฤแปi nhฦฐ thแบฟ. ฤรณ cลฉng lร cฦก duyรชn ฤฦฐa anh gแบฏn bรณ vแปi mรดn nghแป thuแบญt nร y ฤแบฟn bรขy giแป.
Tuy nhiรชn, mแปi thแปฉ khรดng ฤแบฟn vแปi anh ฤแป mแปt cรกch ngแบซu nhiรชn mร lร mแปt quรก trรฌnh dร i ฤi cรนng nghแป thuแบญt ฤiรชu khแบฏc gแป tแปซ nhแปฏng nฤm thรกng thiแบฟu niรชn. Anh ฤแป kแป, nฤm 16 tuแปi, anh ฤฦฐแปฃc bแป mแบน ฤฦฐa ฤi tแบงm sฦฐ hแปc nghแป แป lร ng mแปc Kim Bแปng. Vแปn cรณ nฤng khiแบฟu thแปง cรดng, lแบกi ฤฦฐแปฃc sแปฑ chแป dแบกy tแบญn tรฌnh cแปงa thแบงy, anh ฤแป nhanh chรณng thร nh thแบกo. Sau 3 nฤm hแปc, anh ฤi lร m thuรช cho cรกc cฦก sแป ฤiรชu khแบฏc gแป. Thแบฟ nhฦฐng, cuแปc sแปng chแบญt vแบญt, cรดng viแปc khรดng ฤแปง ฤแป nuรดi sแปng bแบฃn thรขn, anh ฤแป bแป nghแป, chuyแปn sang nแบฅu bรกnh chฦฐng rแปi ฤแบกp xe khแบฏp ngรต hแบปm Hแปi An bรกn kiแบฟm tiแปn. Giแป nhรฌn lแบกi nhแปฏng nฤm thรกng thฤng trแบงm แบฅy, nghแป nhรขn xแปฉ Quแบฃng vแบซn bแปi hแปi: “Nแบฟu khรดng trแบฃi qua giai ฤoแบกn ฤรณ, chแบฏc khรดng cรณ ฤแป Tre bรขy giแป”, rแปi mแบฏt anh lแบฅp lรกnh niแปm vui khi nhรฌn nhแปฏng tรกc phแบฉm mแปi ฤรฃ ฤฦฐแปฃc xแบฟp ฤแบงy giแป ฤแป chuแบฉn bแป mang ฤi trฦฐng bร y. ฤแบฟn nay, chแบณng thแป ฤแบฟm xuแป bao nhiรชu gแปc tre ngแปก lร cแปงi bแป ฤi ฤรฃ ฤฦฐแปฃc “hแปi sinh” nhแป bร n tay cแปงa ngฦฐแปi nghแป nhรขn 50 tuแปi.
ฤแป tแบกo nรชn nhแปฏng bแปฉc tฦฐแปฃng nhรขn vแบญt lแปch sแปญ, tรขm linh, truyแปn thuyแบฟt cแปงa Viแปt Nam vร thแบฟ giแปi, ngoร i kแปน nฤng ฤiรชu khแบฏc, ngฦฐแปi nghแป nhรขn cรฒn phแบฃi tรฌm tรฒi, ฤแปc khรดng biแบฟt bao nhiรชu trang sรกch bรกo, tร i liแปu vแป lแปch sแปญ, vฤn hรณa. Nhแปฏng tรกc phแบฉm cแปงa anh ฤแป ฤแบทc tแบฃ biแปu cแบฃm khuรดn mแบทt khรกc nhu, tฦฐแปฃng trฦฐng cho hแป nแป รกi แป cแปงa cuแปc ฤแปi. Mแปi bแปฉc ฤiรชu khแบฏc lร ฤแปc bแบฃn, bแปi khรดng gแปc tre nร o giแปng gแปc tre nร o. Chฦฐa kแป, cรกc tรกc phแบฉm ฤแปu ฤฦฐแปฃc tแบกo ra thแปง cรดng, vร gแปญi gแบฏm cรกi hแปn cแปงa ngฦฐแปi nghแป sฤฉ nรชn khรดng bao giแป bแป lแบทp lแบกi.
HรNH TRรNH GแปC TRE VฦฏแปขT RแปชNG SรU ฤแป TRแป THรNH TรC PHแบจM NGHแป THUแบฌT
Tแบกi gian hร ng trฦฐng bร y sแบฃn phแบฉm bรชn sรดng Hoร i แป phแป cแป Hแปi An, anh ฤแป xแบฟp tรกc phแบฉm lรชn khรดng ngฦกi tay, hร o sแบฃng kแป: “Gแปc tre giร 85 tuแปi nร y phแบฃi vฦฐแปฃt hร nh trรฌnh rแบฅt xa lรชn ฤแบฟn hร ng nghรฌn km, tแปซ trong rแปซng sรขu Sฦกn La, sau ฤรณ trung chuyแปn แป vร i bแบฟn xe mแปi vแป tแปi Hแปi An. Vแปi nhแปฏng gแปc tre giร , quรฝ hiแบฟm nร y, tรดi phแบฃi ฤรญch thรขn ฤi Tรขy Bแบฏc ฤแป tรฌm. Gian khแป lแบฏm chแปฉ khรดng phแบฃi giแปกn”.
Nhแปฏng gแปc tre รญt tuแปi hฦกn, anh ฤแป thฦฐแปng tรฌm mua แป Quแบฃng Nam vร cรกc tแปnh lรขn cแบญn. “Mรฌnh lang thang khแบฏp cรกc lร ng quรช, cแปฉ thแบฅy bแปฅi tre nร o ฤรฃ chแบทt cรฒn gแปc nแบฑm vแบฅt vฦฐแปng ra, mรฌnh thu gom vร trแบฃ vแปi giรก 15.000 ฤแบฟn 20.000 ฤแปng mแปi gแปc. Mรฌnh vแปซa tรกi chแบฟ nguแปn phแบฟ liแปu thiรชn nhiรชn, vแปซa tแบกo ra sแบฃn phแบฉm thแปง cรดng cรณ giรก trแป”, anh ฤแป bร y tแป. Gแปc tre cลฉng cแบงn ฤฦฐแปฃc lแบฅy ฤรบng mรนa ฤแป ฤแบฃm bแบฃo chแบฅt lฦฐแปฃng.
Thu mua gแปc tre ฤรฃ khรณ, hร nh trรฌnh tแบกo hรฌnh nรชn tรกc phแบฉm cร ng ฤรฒi hแปi nhiแปu tรขm sแปฉc. Nguyรชn vแบญt liแปu mang vแป ฤฦฐแปฃc bแบฃo quแบฃn chแปng mแปi mแปt, hฦฐ hแปng bแบฑng cรกch ngรขm bรนn 9 thรกng rแปi vแปt lรชn phฦกi 10 nแบฏng, trฦฐแปc khi mang ฤi chแบฟ tรกc ฤฦฐแปฃc vแป sinh sแบกch sแบฝ. แป xฦฐแปng, cรด con gรกi ฤang lร sinh viรชn nฤm nhaats cแปงa anh ฤแป nhแปฏng lรบc khรดng bแบญn hแปc lแบกi phแปฅ giรบp bแป lแบฅy vรฒi xแปt ฤแป bรนn ฤแบฅt bรกm trรชn gแปc tre trรดi ฤi.
Gแปc tre thรด sau khi lร m sแบกch ฤฦฐแปฃc anh ฤแป cฦฐa bแปt cรกc chi tiแบฟt thแปซa rแปi mแปi chแปn mang ฤi tแบกo hรฌnh. Cรดng ฤoแบกn nร y ngแปก lร ฤฦกn giแบฃn nhแบฅt. Nhฦฐng khรดng, anh phแบฃi ngแบฏm nghรญa ฤแปง lรขu, quan sรกt ฤแปง tinh tแบฟ ฤแป chแปn ฤฦฐแปฃc gแปc ฤรบng รฝ ฤแป tรกc phแบฉm. “Dรกng tre, ฤแป dร y cแปงa rแป cแบงn phรน hแปฃp vแปi nhรขn vแบญt. Chแบณng hแบกn, gแปc tre nhiแปu rแป thรฌ sแบฝ chแปn chแบฟ tรกc thร nh nhแปฏng nhรขn vแบญt nhฦฐ Phรบc, Lแปc, Thแป hoแบทc Trฦฐฦกng Tam Phong…”, anh ฤแป nรณi.
Sau khi chแปn ฤฦฐแปฃc gแปc tre khแปp vแปi รฝ tฦฐแปng, nghแป nhรขn cแป ฤแปnh vแบญt liแปu bแบฑng giรก sแบฏt rแปi mแป bแป ฤแป nghแป gแปm bรบa, dao nhiแปu kรญch cแปก phรน hแปฃp vแปi cรกc mแปฅc ฤรญch khรกc nhau. Dรนi lแปn tแบกo hรฌnh khuรดn mแบทt, dรนi nhแป ฤแป ฤi sรขu vร o cรกc chi tiแบฟt cแบงn sแปฑ tinh tแบฟ, chรญnh xรกc. Tiแบฟng gรต lรกch cรกch vang lรชn, lรบc to, lรบc nhแป. Lแปฑc tรกc ฤแปng khi mแบกnh, khi nhแบน. Dรน lแปn, dรนi bรฉ thay phiรชn nhau mแปt cรกch nhuแบงn nhuyแป n. Sแปฑ phแปi hแปฃp khรฉo lรฉo, liรชn hแปi nร y cรณ tรกc dแปฅng trรกnh trฦฐแปng hแปฃp gแปc tre bแป vแปก hay ฤฦฐแปng nรฉt chแบกm trแป thiแบฟu uyแปn chuyแปn. Theo anh ฤแป, mแบฏt lร chi tiแบฟt khรณ nhแบฅt, bแปi ฤรขy lร yแบฟu tแป quyแบฟt ฤแปnh bแปฉc ฤiรชu khแบฏc cรณ giแปng nhรขn vแบญt hay khรดng.
Trong 30 phรบt, nhแปฏng mแบฃnh vแปฅn tre cแปฉ thแบฟ tua tแปงa dฦฐแปi lฦฐแปกi dรนi, khuรดn mแบทt nhรขn vแบญt dแบงn hiแปn ra. Tay vแปซa lร m, mแบฏt vแปซa chฤm chรบ quan sรกt, lรบc nheo mร y ฤแป lแป nhแปฏng vแบฟt nhฤn trรชn trรกn, khi lแบกi bแบฅt ngแป bแบญt cฦฐแปi: “Cแบฃm giรกc sung sฦฐแปng nhแบฅt lร khi khuรดn mแบทt nhรขn vแบญt ฤฦฐแปฃc hรฌnh thร nh”. Sau khi tแบกo hรฌnh xong, cรกc bแปฉc tฦฐแปฃng sแบฝ ฤฦฐแปฃc lร m nhแบตn ฤแป ra thร nh phแบฉm. Trung bรฌnh, nghแป nhรขn mแบฅt khoแบฃng 3 giแป ฤแปng hแป ฤแป cรณ sแบฃn phแบฉm hoร n chแปnh.
Dรน thฦฐแปng xuyรชn tiแบฟp xรบc tiแบฟng mรกy cฦฐa, vแบญt sแบฏt nhแปn, nhฦฐng anh ฤแป khรดng cแบฃm thแบฅy khรณ chแปu lร mแบฅy. Anh tรขm sแปฑ: “ฤรณ lร รขm thanh cแปงa cuแปc sแปng, cแปงa sแปฑ bแบญn rแปn. Nhแป ฤแบฟn nhแปฏng ngร y dแปch, tiแบฟng mรกy cฦฐa, ฤแปฅc ฤแบฝo thฦฐa dแบงn, tรดi cลฉng buแปn lแบฏm”.
“Mแปt cรดng viแปc khรดng chแป mang lแบกi giรก trแป cho xรฃ hแปi mร cรฒn phแบฃi nuรดi sแปng ฤฦฐแปฃc bแบฃn thรขn cแปงa ngฦฐแปi lร m nghแป. Tรดi luรดn suy nghฤฉ, nแบฟu hแปc trรฒ mรฌnh khรดng ฤแปง lo cฦกm รกo vแปi nghแป nร y mร bแป ฤi lร m viแปc khรกc, lร thแบฅt bแบกi cแปงa bแบฃn thรขn tรดi”, nghแป nhรขn ฤแป Tre ฤau ฤรกu. Vรฌ vแบญy, nhแปฏng ngฦฐแปi theo thแบงy ฤแป hแปc nghแป sau khi thร nh thแบกo ฤแปu ฤฦฐแปฃc anh tแบกo cรดng ฤn viแปc lร m vแปi thu nhแบญp แปn ฤแปnh.
Lร m sao lan tแปa sแบฃn phแบฉm thแปง cรดng ฤแปa phฦฐฦกng ฤแบฟn khรกch du lแปch, ฤแป sแปฑ sรกng tแบกo cแปงa ngฦฐแปi dรขn Hแปi An ฤฦฐแปฃc nhiแปu ngฦฐแปi biแบฟt ฤแบฟn lร ฤiแปu ฤแป Tre luรดn trฤn trแป. Trong thแปi gian tแปi, anh sแบฝ tแป chแปฉc cรกc buแปi workshop vแป ฤiรชu khแบฏc gแปc tre, vแปซa trฦฐng bay, tแบกo khรดng gian cho du khรกch trแบฃi nghiแปm bแป mรดn nร y. Xa hฦกn, nghแป nhรขn Hแปi An muแปn truyแปn nghแป cho nhiแปu ngฦฐแปi, xรขy dแปฑng mแปt lร ng nghแป ฤiรชu khแบฏc gแปc tre, gรณp phแบงn tฤng thu nhแบญp cho ngฦฐแปi dรขn ฤแปa phฦฐฦกng.