‘Tò he’ (edible toy figurines) has entered the spiritual life of many generations of Vietnamese people. With skillful and dedicated hands, ‘Tò he’ master artisans can make almost anything from the rice dough from artistic portraits to the twelve zodiac animals and cartoons.

Mr. Nguyen Van Kinh's ‘Tò he’ stall is always popular with children at the Tet Market held in the Museum of Da Nang. Photo: DOAN HAO LUONG

Folk toys imbued with national soul

In the Tet Market 2025 held in the Museum of Da Nang, the ‘tò he’ stall owned by 59-year-old Nguyen Van Kinh, residing in Hoa Minh Ward, Lien Chieu District, was the most interested by both children and adults. Children's eyes were delighted to follow every gesture of Mr. Kinh meticulously demonstrating how to make the ‘tò he’.

Through his skinny but delicate and skillful hands, the colorful ‘tò he’ shapes appeared funny and lovely. Thanks to this traditional beauty, the Museum of Da Nang regularly invites Mr. Kinh to participate in the Tet Market programme to make indispensable toy for children.

Sharing about the interesting job, Mr. Kinh said “Ha Noi is my hometown and I arrived in Da Nang in 2002. Making ‘tò he’ in Da Nang is not much different from the capital. Because this is a traditional job of the nation and is passed down through generations. Up to now, I have been doing this job for more than 15 years. Although there are many modern toys on the market, ‘tò he’ is still very popular with children. Thanks to that, we have maintained this job until now. My son also follows me in making toy figurines”.

Making ‘tò he’ is a folk culture in the countryside of Viet Nam in the past, especially in the North. Initially, ‘tò he’ was a product for worshiping, so it often had the shape of animals. Although the appearance of ‘tò he’ toys look very simple, they require the artisans to be skillful and have a rich imagination.

These toys are made of rice dough mixed with natural ingredients for colouring. The dough is soaked in water, then ground or pounded into powder. After that, knead well until it is not sticky and then boil it. But the most important thing is the technique of boiling and making the dough. If the weather is dry, the dough will be dry and hard to mold.

To have natural, fresh colours that last for a long time, the color mixing technique must be correct. Therefore, ‘tò he’ is not only a folk toy imbued with the national spirit, but is also considered a work of art with special appeal to everyone.

Connecting the community through artistic values

Unlike Mr. Kinh, Mr. Le Minh Thanh,49, who is residing in Hoa Phat Ward, Cam Le District, struggled to learn how to make ‘tò he’ figurines when he was a 15-year-old boy. Initially, he did not have any flour, so he used a handful of river alluvial soil to practice making. However, to become a professional and satisfy his passion, Mr. Thanh traveled to the North to learn the profession, research, and mix his own formula.

After a long time of experimenting with many methods, he finally found his own formula for making ‘tò he’ by mixing the "three rice and one sticky rice".

Mr. Thanh said that according to that ratio, the figurines when shaped will have the most elasticity and stability. Increasing or decreasing the water ratio for the powder mixture only partially supports the beauty of the product.

Mr. Thanh sells ‘tò he’ sometimes in Da Nang, and sometimes in Quang Nam Province’s Tam Ky City. However, as life becomes more and more developed, it also means that the position and beauty of the toy are gradually fading away. Therefore, he often researches and innovates to create more unique and interesting products. Thanks to that, his ‘tò he’ stall is always colourful, shaped, and sized.

But for Mr. Thanh, the art of making ‘tò he’ is more emotional than about the mold. The products he makes always have soul and attract many viewers. Understanding the psychology of children who love to explore, he often innovates the product designs as well as the colours to make them more eye-catching. The passion for ‘tò he’ has turned into positive energy that helps people connect when participating in learning how to make the folk toy.

An interesting thing about the art of making to he is that it helps players develop their memory and the ability to flexibly handle situations. During the process, the eyes of the maker must focus on every detail and calculate the lightness and darkness of the color, while "drawing" a pattern in their imagination to create a sophisticated, unique product. The newly formed ‘tò he’ is a mirror reflecting all the thoughts and feelings of the maker.

In modern life, spaces with a rural character will be a place to connect people of all ages. Just like that, Mr. Nguyen Van Kinh and Mr. Le Minh Thanh are on a journey to find old things. Every day passes, their hands are still diligently mixing colors for ‘tò he’. Although modern technological toys are everywhere today, somewhere in the middle of a bustling street, a colorful and multi-shaped ‘tò he’ table, surrounded by the laughter of children, proves that folk art still lives and exists in its own way.

Reporting by DOAN HAO LUONG – Translating by M.DUNG