HCM CITY – The traditional craft of making bánh tráng phơi sương (dew-wetted rice paper) in Trảng Bàng District, Tây Ninh Province, has been recognised as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage.

At a ceremony to grant the certificate on Wednesday, the province People’s Committee also honoured 11 craftsmen for making great contributions to preserving and developing the craft.

Phạm Văn Tân, the province chairman, also hailed the contributions of authorities and residents of Trảng Bàng District to preserving the craft.

He instructed relevant departments to promote the rice paper as a brand and facilitate development of the craft.

Dương Văn Phong, director of the province’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, tracing the history of the craft, said when ethnic Vietnamese settled the land, they inherited the craft from the natives and developed it as a means of subsistence.

“The craft has gradually become a mainstay of Tây Ninh’s culinary culture.”

A festival honouring the craft of making dew-wetted rice paper will be celebrated for the first time this year from April 6 to 12.
The event, which features cultural activities like traditional art performances and folk games, has attracted about 120 traditional craft villages, restaurants, and others, who are showcasing the local culture and cuisine.
One of the festival’s highlights is a giant dew-wetted rice paper made by Phan Văn Gan, head of Tân Tiến Dew-Wetted Rice Paper Co-operative.

Gan and the cooperative’s members built a kiln at the festival to make rice paper measuring 1.2 metre to serve visitors.

“I hope these would be recognised as the biggest rice paper in Việt Nam,” he said. — VNS