beeswax drawing

According to statistics, in Yen Bai province there are over 107,000 Mong people (accounting for 13.03% of the province’s population), divided into 4 local ethnic groups: Mong Du, Mong Do, Mong Si, Mong Lenh. Groups both live concentratedly and intermingle together in 40 communes in 5 districts, including: Mu Cang Chai, Tram Tau, Van Chan, Tran Yen and Van Yen.

According to Mong culture, most women must learn to draw patterns on fabric from a young age. When they reach adulthood, they must be able to master this technique. First, it is to serve the clothing needs of oneself, one’s family and personal weddings, then to create items for giving, donating and exchanging.

Therefore, coming to highland Hmong villages in Yen Bai province, it is not difficult to see women sitting next to the fire, next to a beeswax pan, painstakingly and meticulously creating unique patterns on their clothes. Traditional linen sheets.

They draw whenever they have free time, everywhere when there is a fire and when the beeswax is melted, especially in their leisure time. Hard work and meticulousness are also considered standards to evaluate a skillful and responsible wife and mother in a Hmong family and clan.

When she learned that her people’s traditional handicraft skill – using beeswax to create patterns on fabric – was included in the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List, Ms. Ly Thi Ninh – Head of the Embroidery Cooperative Group weaving traditional brocade of the Mong ethnic group, De Thang village, Che Cu Nha commune, Mu Cang Chai district was extremely excited.

She said: “To have a costume with traditional identity, the Mong people have to go through many stages such as: spinning linen, weaving fabric, drawing beeswax to create patterns, dyeing indigo, and embroidering with colored threads to create embossed patterns. Every step is very important, but the process of using beeswax to create patterns is the most elaborate, requiring ingenuity and creativity to create beautiful products. Mong people believe that patterns on costumes and clothes Using activities will help connect with the gods, and at the same time express people’s personality and desires for life.”

Beeswax is used by Mong ethnic women to draw patterns in three colors: yellow, black and white. Melted beeswax is “painting ink”. When using, Mong people put wax in a small cast iron pan, about 10cm in diameter, and simmer until the wax melts to about 50 to 60 degrees so it can be used for drawing. Yen Bai Mong people use bronze brushes with bold strokes, thin strokes, small patterns, dotted patterns and spiral patterns to draw beeswax patterns on small squares of linen, then join them together. into parts such as: shoulders, skirt body or sleeves, collar, sling, scarf and then sewn into a finished product.

The painter sits next to the fire, spreads the cloth out on a flat and smooth surface, one end holds the finished drawing part, one end rolls the cloth to continue drawing, unrolls the canvas wherever he draws, and rolls the other end. When drawing, use a pen to dip a hot beeswax pan on charcoal and then draw on a rustic fabric background (usually white linen) with traditional motifs. When drawing, you need to balance it so that the amount of wax can flow evenly, without spreading the drawing. Until the wax runs out, then dot the next time, just like writing with a water-based ink pen.

When drawing, Mong people do not need to have a model in advance, but freely create patterns with many different motifs with horizontal lines, dark, long borders or broken corners to create square, rectangular, and shaped blocks. era with dark and bright colors; suitable hot and cold. After drawing, the cloth will be dyed and boiled in boiling water. During the boiling process, the beeswax will melt in the boiling water and reveal the patterns.

The art of creating patterns with beeswax on fabric of the Mong people in Yen Bai province is the crystallization of a unique system of folk knowledge, reflecting the historical process and a vivid view of the world and environment. life through the lens of “village artists”, depicted on unique and characteristic physical products.

It can be said that it is from the natural environment, the productive labor environment, the desire for a good life and the need for spiritual life and artistic thinking of the Mong people that formed the visual arts. Beeswax patterns on fabric to simulate, convey, preserve, and reflect the most unique and succinct things about the worldview and outlook on life. Expressing the noble living philosophies of the community and the high creativity of the people, because it does not copy reality but also uses vivid, specific and sexy images to reflect reality and convey reality.

All exude profound humanity, expressing the true aspirations of the ethnic community that always wishes to reach truth – goodness – beauty. That is the beauty and nobility of the true artistic value that heritage brings.

To preserve, preserve and promote the heritage value as well as the unique cultural identity of the nation, every year, localities in Yen Bai province carry out many programs and events inside and outside the province. .

In particular, focusing on recreating many cultural and artistic activities of the Mong ethnic people, contests on creating patterns with beeswax on fabric were practiced and effectively displayed at events that contributed to promoting the culture of the Mong people. promote and introduce this traditional heritage to a large number of domestic and foreign tourists.

Along with that, in recent years, implementing the Project “Developing specific tourism products in Western Yen Bai region with a vision to 2030”, Craft Link Center for Research, Linkage and Development of Handicrafts in Ho Chi Minh City. Hanoi has coordinated with Che Cu Nha Brocade Cooperative, Mu Cang Chai district to regularly introduce the unique technique of the art of creating patterns with beeswax on fabric of the Mong people, Mu Cang Chai district to the east. island of the capital’s public and international tourists, attracting many people to participate in the experience and shopping.

Here, artisans directly participate in creating products and guiding visitors to practice as an activity to preserve, connect, introduce, promote and widely develop heritage to domestic and international tourists. very effective.

In the economic, cultural and social development orientation of Mu Cang Chai, Tram Tau and Van Chan districts by 2030, all activities include preserving and promoting traditional cultural values of ethnic groups associated with development. tourism is taught and popularized in the community and in schools and is considered one of the typical tourism products associated with Mong ethnic culture.

In 2023 alone, along with the folk knowledge of using beeswax to create patterns on fabric of the Mong people in Yen Bai province, it will be included in the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List, before that, in June 2023, Art Khen of the Mong people in Mu Cang Chai, Tram Tau, Van Chan districts has been included in the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List in the form of folk performing arts.

These are heritage sites containing unique historical, cultural and artistic values. This cultural heritage source, when preserved and promoted, will become an important brand positioning factor, contributing to promoting and developing tourism in Yen Bai province – an attractive and friendly destination on the map. Vietnam tourism.

The fact that two Mong ethnic art forms of Yen Bai province alone were recognized as national intangible cultural heritages at almost the same time is an honor and pride for the Party Committee, government and people of each country. Ethnicity of Yen Bai province. It is an important premise and motivation for the people of all ethnic groups in the province in general, and the Mong people in particular, to continue to better preserve and promote their cultural heritage and identity. ethnic group, turning heritage into precious local tourism assets.