That is Hoang Thi Huong (1991, Phu Xuyen, Hanoi) - who is breathing into the traditional profession a new breath of passion and creativity.
Maintain the passion of the profession in every handful of sticky rice flour
Born in the traditional craft village of Xuan La, the cradle of the most famous beef stewing profession in the North, Hoang Thi Huong grew up in a space filled with the smell of sticky rice flour and folk colors. She recalled her childhood associated with the image of grandparents, parents, and uncles in the village sitting on the porch, shaping each small, pretty ass with bright green, red, and yellow colors.
Since I was a child, I have seen teachers and uncles sitting and making each loaf of banh chung and banh toat with enough red and green color. I look so passionate, I just sit there and be passionate about it for the better" - Huong shared.
At first glance, tofu seems simple, but to create a complete product is a elaborate process. The main ingredient is sticky rice flour, the sticky rice characteristic of the Northern Delta.
"First, you must puree or puree the rice until it is smooth, then soak in water, filter out the starch. Then, I steam the flour and shape it into small pieces.
When released into boiling water, the cooked flour will be flexible, smooth, and sticky enough to pull into a fiber without breaking. Each stage, no matter how small, requires meticulousness and tact. Just a lack of patience or a little mistake will spoil the dough, Huong enthusiastically said.
Not only meticulous in making flour, coloring and shaping is also an art. Artists must understand the sharpness of each type of natural color, know how to mix it to both stand out without fading off and maintain durability. From skillful hands, familiar characters such as Ton Ngo Khong, buffalo, Cong, lotus... appeared one after another, vivid and cheerful.
However, in the era of technological development, folk games such as to he are gradually being forgotten. "There were times when I was very depressed! Seeing everyone around is busy, children just like electronic toys, sometimes I think this is it all. But then my love for the piggy bank arose. I thought that if the villagers themselves gave up, who would keep them, and so I would continue - she confided.

The dream of spreading the colorful colors to the younger generation
Not only stopping at preserving her profession, Hoang Thi Huong also cherishes a bigger dream, which is to bring to he closer to young people, so that the new generation can understand and love traditional values.
In recent years, the workshop movement of he he heaving soup was initiated by her and her husband, artisan Dang Dinh Chang, and organized at many schools, cultural centers, and tourist attractions. Every lesson, Ms. Huong and her husband enthusiastically guide from simple shaping to elaborate details, incorporating folk stories and lessons about perseverance and creativity.
When I saw the children laughing brightly, their eyes lit up because they were excited with each handful of flour, I was very happy. It felt like I was connecting my own childhood strings" - Huong confided.
From small lessons, to he gradually became a bridge between the past and the present, between artisans and the young. Many students after the workshops have come to Huong to learn a trade, hoping to continue the village's tradition.
Currently, Xuan La village has more than 6,000 people, of which only a few hundred are still attached to the profession. To preserve that precious heritage, the government and artisans have established Xuan La Mo He Club, gathering people who are passionate about the profession, including Huong and her husband.
I would like to send a small message to young Vietnamese people and international friends: Toat is not only a folk toy but also a creative art. In the hands of artisans, each product is a story, the soul of Vietnamese culture" - Huong said.
Thanks to her continuous efforts, the name Hoang Thi Huong has now become a familiar face in cultural events and festivals, especially during Tet and Mid-Autumn Festivals. Ms. Huong happily recalled: Many times when I am invited to programs for international tourists, I feel very happy! When they were amazed and curious about the pork stewing process, I felt that the traditional Vietnamese craft could be completely introduced to the world.
Amidst the chaos of modern life, Hoang Thi Huong is still exhausted with the simple belief: As long as there is a lover of the sea, this profession will live forever. When mentioning Vietnam, people not only remember Ao Dai or conical hats, but also remember the small bows of donkeys as symbols of ingenuity, creativity and the soul of Vietnam.