Each morning, familiar sounds echo, chisels tapping against stone in the yard, hammers ringing sharply on the glowing forge. These sounds do not come from the hands of the young, but from weathered, sinewy hands that have journeyed through more than half a century of life. For these elders who are self-reliant in old age, viewing work as a source of joy is no longer just a trend — it’s a testament to the resilient and positive spirit of an experienced generation.
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| The lifeless stones, in the hands of Do Van Lien (a resident of Bình Phước Ward), are transformed into soulful creations with graceful feng shui forms. Photo: Hien Luong |
In the hustle and bustle of urban life, in a quiet corner of a small garden, a pair of gnarled hands knead clay and stone, trim moss, and shape miniature mountains that bring nature into everyday life. They belong to Do Van Lien, 64, a resident of Binh Phuoc Ward, Dong Nai Province. For him, crafting bonsai pots and creating rockeries is not just a livelihood it is a passion, a way to preserve a refined art form, cherish beauty, nurture the soul, and keep the heart young.
According to Lien, over 30 years ago, he left his native Thanh Hoa for the South in search of work. He began as a laborer in a landscape craft workshop, gradually mastering the trade. Today, he runs his own workshop and has achieved notable success. On average, he completes one rock-garden and one pot every two days, worth around 8 million VND.
“Today, the skilled hands of pot casters and landscape sculptors are seen as those of artisans. Their creations bring people closer to nature and help them live in greater harmony with it,” said Vu Minh Duc, from the Dong Nai Province Ornamental Creatures Association.
“At first, I never thought I would stick with this trade for so long. Whenever I saw someone doing it well, I would stop to watch and then try to learn from them. I kept doing it until it became second nature. It’s really fun—I can earn money while doing the work I love,” Lien shared.
Understanding his customers’ tastes, Lien devotes his energy and creativity into breathing life into each piece. As a result, every rock garden or sculpted figure has its own unique beauty, no two works are alike, giving buyers the feeling that they own something truly one-of-a-kind.
Each rock garden he makes is a work of art, with prices ranging from a few million VND to tens of millions, and even up to 100 million VND depending on complexity and client requirements.
“Society is developing fast, more houses are being built, so more people are interested in rockeries and bonsai pots. That means steady work for me, and that makes me happy,” he said.
With the growing demand for beautiful living spaces, pot-making and miniature rock landscaping have become a stable source of income for many. These handcrafted items are popular not only in homes but also in public works, tourist resorts, and restaurants. For many, they are not just decorations—they also carry feng shui significance, believed to bring prosperity and good fortune to their owners.
When many asked why he does not simply retire, Lien replied: “I could, but I’d be bored. As long as I feel healthy and happy working, I’ll keep going. Being able to work means I’m living a meaningful life.”
Keeping the passion for blacksmithing alive
Also choosing financial independence in later life, Hoang Van Tham, 60, from Phu Nghia Commune, Dong Nai Province, has devoted his life to blacksmithing. In an era of machinery and mass-produced tools, he still wields hammer and anvil to forge knives, machetes, and hoes by hand, not only to make a living but also to preserve a traditional craft on the verge of fading away. For him, labor is not just about survival—it is about staying healthy, joyful, and purposeful.
Tham said, as a native of Thanh Hoa, he is the third generation in his family to carry on the trade. He works as a blacksmith. From birth, he grew up to the sounds of hammer and anvil in his father’s workshop. Though he witnessed the hardship and toil of blacksmithing throughout his childhood, he developed an unshakable passion for the craft. His hometown’s forging tradition spans centuries, its heyday saw workshops ablaze day and night with work. At 15, under the guidance of his grandfather and father, he began learning the trade: school in the morning, forging plow blades at night. Hardship never deterred him. Even when he later moved south, he brought with him the fire of his forge.
“This craft has been in my family for generations. Just by looking at the glowing steel, I know how sharp the blade will be, it’s all in the technique, the quenching, the exact heat and color. Hand-forging is slower, but the quality and durability are far superior to machine-made tools,” Tham explained.
Blacksmithing is grueling work. Both masters and apprentices must have stamina to toil from morning until dusk, enduring the heat of steel heated to over a thousand degrees and the constant glow of the charcoal furnace. To complete a single tool, the smith must go through many stages, including cutting steel, shaping, heating, hammering, quenching, then reheating, hammering again before sharpening and adding a handle. The master craftsman is the heart of the forge, combining patience with skillful hands.
As life changes and new livelihoods emerge, fewer people follow this path. Yet for dedicated artisans like Tham, the determination to keep the craft alive still burns strong. And so, despite age and weaker hands, veteran smiths like him continue to light the forge, raise the hammer, and work the steel into strong, finely crafted tools.
For Tham, blacksmithing is not merely a livelihood, it is a lifelong calling and passion. Continuing the trade allows him to inspire and pass on skills to the younger generation, helping preserve the cultural heritage of his Thanh Hoa village in an age of modernization and industrialization.
By Hien Luong
Translated by: Trieu Ngan - Thu Ha
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