The man who keeps the soul of Do paper in the heart of the old town
Built at the end of the 19th century, house number 42 Hang Can street (Hanoi city) is now over 130 years old, this is the house guarded by Ms. Le Thi Thanh Tam (over 80 years old). Many years ago, this place was a famous Ich An grocery store, but for more than 30 years, this house has been known as the only remaining Do paper store in Hanoi's Old Quarter.
Ms. Tam said that in 1992, after her husband passed away, she started selling this item. "When I retired, I was also sad. I just want to do business in something easy and easy. In this ancient house, I find Do paper business quite suitable because it is not noisy or bustling. This is a rare item, very suitable for the ancient style of the house I am living in, Ms. Tam shared.
Without a signboard or a big promotion, her paper shop is still known by many people. Ms. Tam explained that Do paper is made entirely by hand from the shells of forest Do trees. Workers have to peel the tree, soak it for a few months, boil it continuously for a few days, then go to the stages of paper rolling, pressing, drying... to create a complete piece of paper. It is the meticulousness and lack of chemicals that create special value for Do paper.
Mrs. Tam turned around every page, both introducing and being proud. Do paper has many thicknesses, priced from 20,000 to 50,000 VND/ rough. According to her, the thinner the paper, the more durable and beautiful it is. For Ms. Tam, selling Do paper is now not only a means of livelihood but also a love, a desire to preserve a traditional beauty.
When young people "go against the current" to find their heritage
In parallel with the persistent efforts of those who came before like Ms. Tam, a group of Hanoi youth are on a "crossing" journey to find a space to display Do paper at 189 Trich Sai (Tay Ho ward). Because there is a story about the once glorious Ke Buoi Do paper craft village that is being vividly recreated.
This place is like a "minorical museum", displaying from the rudimentary Do tree shells to the manual processing stages, arousing pride and concerns about heritage. Ms. Nguyen Hien Anh (a student in Hanoi) said: To be honest, I really admire the creativity of the Vietnamese people of the past. Whoever thinks can use Do trees and mo trees to create paper sheets that are both decorative and water-se venom-free. To create such a product requires a lot of effort, the products of the past were really elaborate, Ms. Hien Anh shared.
Sharing the same feeling, Ms. Van Anh (a student in Hanoi) was strongly impressed with the in-person experience. When I personally touched a Do paper, I felt that the biggest difference compared to industrial paper was its thickness and color very naturally, not evenly distributed but creating a sense of closeness. Moreover, I read that the paper is not dissolved in water, that is what impressed me the most, Van Anh said.
Obviously, young people today are increasingly interested in culture and traditional crafts. This also proves that both generations are continuing the story of Do paper together. From there, let this precious heritage not only be a beautiful nostalgia but will continue to be present, durable and vibrant in the contemporary flow.
