To he (toy figurine) is one of the Vietnam traditional toys which are maintained up to now. Recently, it was chosen as one of the Hanoi traditional food in the Vietnamese-American cultural exchange program.
The toy for children in the past
To he (toy figurine) is the Vietnam traditional toy made from familiar agricultural products such as rice powder, food dyes, and bamboo sticks. The main ingredient of to he is glutinous rice powder, so it is edible and completely safe for children. to he is molded in various forms such as lovely animals, beautiful flowers or characters in legends and folk stories.
In the past, to he is the meaningful product, which made and use for some special ceremony such as worship, Tet holidays, and Mid-Autumn Festival. This toy also was called “animal toy” because ancient Vietnamese people often molded to he in form of animals familiar with farm like buffalo, chicken, cow, pig, duck and so on. In addition to these shapes, people also made to he with the shape of the banana bunch, areca or Vietnamese sausage for worship. To he is colorful and added sugar so it is easy for children to eat.
Moling to he becomes an amazing traditional job
It is unknown when this toy figurine created, however, according to the Vietnamese locutions, to he is a folk toy created for a long time. Today, Xuan La Village in Phuong Duc Commune, Phu Xuyen District, Hanoi (ancient Ha Tay) is often referred to as one of the origins of the molding to he.
More than three-quarters of people in Xuan La village know how to make to he, from white-headed old people to the children who still is not not old enough to go to school.
According to some documents, in the past, the villagers had skillful hands, used rice flour to mold the fruits on the tray of fruits and some animals (buffaloes, cows, pigs, chickens …) for worship. In the northern part of the country, they called this toys as “buns toys” or “animal toys”.
The craftsmen that visitors of street food tour in Hanoi can see everywhere now also become more active to meet the need of children. If in the past, the forms of to he are often Ton Ngo Khong (the Monkey King in Journey to the West), Tru Bat Gioi (Pigsy in Journey to the West), now, to he is more and more beautiful and various with many new forms. The craftsmen also pay attention to the new cartoons that children love, so they can mold to he in any form which children like. Not only that, they also record all holidays and concern about the weather because it is the factors affecting the quality as well as the quantity of to he.
Making to he
The materials to make to he is very simple, including rice powder, food dyes, and bamboo sticks. Making to he also easy which you can learn in any Hanoi cooking class.
Kneading the flour is the most difficult stage. The flour is made from ordinary rice mixed with glutinous rice at the rate of 10 parts ordinary rice, 1 part sticky rice. The powder is kneaded with water until it becomes soft and pliable, and then molded into blocks. After that, people will cook the powder blocks for an hour and let them cool down. Finally, the blocks will be dyed.
Food dyes have four basic colors: red, yellow, sea blue and black. The materials to make these colors also are safe. The yellow is made from Sophora japonica and turmeric, the red is made from gac fruit, the black is made from soot, and the blue is made from galangal leaves.