Hoang Ngoc Tuyen (L) and a worker with unfinished long frames. Tuyen is the last remaining long maker in Hue city.

After years of just scraping by, a Hue resident’s gamble on a nearly-forgotten art has paid off.

In the past, traditional long – large, elaborately carved bamboo and rattan parasols – were used in royal parades, prayer rituals and ceremonies at various places of worship.

Long making used to be a popular craft in Hue. But since Vietnam’s monarchy dissolved in 1945, the craft has fallen slowly into obscurity with the disappearance of royal celebrations. The parasols are now used only ceremoniously as a way to preserve cultural heritage.

Today, long are still found at some traditional funerals, weddings, festivals and at houses of worship on celebration days.

For years in the 70’s and 80’s, Tuyen supported his family with a variety of menial jobs.

But about 20 years ago, a friend offered to teach him how to make long.

Tuyen agreed, but after only three days of tutelage, his friend left the country.

Tuyen was at a loss as he had quit his previous job to train as a long maker, but he had only three days worth of skills.

But blessed with dexterity and artistic flair, he decided to take a risk.

He borrowed money to buy tools and some longs from other businesses.

He studied these samples and taught himself the tricks of the trade.

Tuyen then borrowed more money to buy bamboo, paint and embroidery thread before opening his own parasol business, which he called Ngoc Tuyen.

The shop had a tough time in the beginning as he competed with more experienced makers but his business gradually grew and it’s now thriving.

Tuyen says that the spring behind his house has been the secret of his success. At the spring, he soaks his bamboo before drying it, giving it the right flexibility and strength.

He says the spring makes his bamboo unique. Tuyen also says that it takes other long

makers, mostly in northern Vietnam, three days to weave the colorful net used to decorate the top of the parasol.

But Tuyen’s workers do it in only half a day.

Tuyen reduced the time his workshop takes to complete a long by building two of his own customized lathes.

Because it takes his staff less time to complete a long, Tuyen can sell them at lower prices than other businesses.

Long are usually sold in pairs. Each Ngoc Tuyen pair costs between VND180,000-1.2 million (US$11-72) depending on the materials they are made from.

The average long can last for 50-70 years, but those made of higher quality bamboo and cloth can last much longer.

Hundreds of Tuyen’s intricately carved parasols have been shipped to every corner of the country and he has overseas Vietnamese and foreign buyers from all over the world.

Souvenir shops place some of his largest orders.

Ngoc Tuyen also makes den keo quan, carousel-like lanterns with pictures of battles from local legends.

The shop provided Festival Hue 2006 with more than 2,600 lanterns and the shop won the 2004 Tinh hoa Viet Nam (Quintessential Vietnam) award – given by a collection of official agencies – and first prize at the 2005 Hue Handicraft Creating Competition.

Reported by Vu Phuong Thao