The exhibition was organized by the Vietnam Heritage Education project team.
Remembering the royal armrest pillow artisan
The event created an emotional space where the armrest pillow, a symbol of the imperial court and serenity, together with artworks and heritage value, gently evoked the past, human connection, and bonds that endure through time.
Inside the ancient ruong house at 328 Phan Boi Chau Street (Thuan Hoa Ward), all memories of artisan Tri Hue had been brought back to life.
Under the theme “Wholeheartedly, with devotion”, young members of the Vietnam Heritage Education project, together with the artisan’s family, displayed many artifacts related to her craft. Among them were the very first pillows she had made fifty or seventy years ago, as well as sets of ao-dai, scissors, etc., tied to the ups and downs of her career.
Many visitors could not help but marvel at the meticulous and refined needlework seen in those armrest pillows.
Nguyen Thu Huong, a young visitor from Hanoi, who happened to come across the information about the exhibition through social media and made her way to the exhibition to have a look. She shared that although she had previously seen royal armrest pillows in films, this was her first time seeing them in person. “At a glance, the pillows may not seem especially special. But when you get closer, touch them, and admire them carefully, you begin to understand why people in the past used them to rest their heads, lean their backs, or rest their arms while reading books or reciting poetry…,” said Huong.
A photo collection featuring the armrest pillows was displayed in the exhibition space
Nguyen Phan Anh Thy, co-founder of the Vietnam Heritage Education project, explained that the project has spent many years working across sectors related to heritage and education. During that process, the team has had opportunities to interact with artisans, craft villages, researchers, and visitors... Among them, many craft villages and traditional crafts are facing the risk of being lost. The craft of making royal armrest pillows by artisan Tri Hue is one of them. Therefore, the team decided to support the craft through media promotion and by creating additional livelihoods.
“For the project, finding suitable solutions to preserve and promote heritage value is a truly difficult yet urgent matter. Most artisans are elderly, and traditional crafts are at risk of being lost as there are no younger generations continuing them. We no longer have much time, so serious research and timely action are essential. When we began supporting artisan Tri Hue’s family and the craft, she was already nearly 100 years old. We had to work tirelessly in a race against time to achieve our goals,” recalled Anh Thy.
“Give your best to what you are doing”
Anh Thy shared that the exhibition is not only a commemoration of the third anniversary of artisan Tri Hue’s passing, but also an occasion to reflect on the project’s journey of accompanying and supporting the family in preserving and spreading the craft.
The title “Wholeheartedly, with devotion” was inspired by artisan Tri Hue’s favorite saying: “Give your best to what you are doing”. “Although simple, the saying carries profound meaning. She kept it posted on her cabinet door for more than 20 years. It reflected her careful and meticulous spirit, and her dedication to doing every task properly, no matter how big or small it was,” explained Anh Thy.
She and members of the Vietnam Heritage Education project hope the exhibition will spread that spirit to the wider community, especially young people: a spirit of working with dedication and responsibility, thereby creating lasting and positive values for society.
Foreign visitors enthusiastically learned about the royal armrest pillows
Artisan Cong Ton Nu Tri Hue was a Hue woman who preserved the finest artistry in every stitch to create the renowned royal armrest pillows in the imperial palace.
She was a great-granddaughter of Emperor Minh Mang, and lived in Kim Tra Ward. During her lifetime, she worked at the residence of Kien Thai Vuong, sewing garments for Empress Dowager Tu Cung (mother of Emperor Bao Dai). Impressed by her talent, Empress Dowager Tu Cung entrusted her with the task of repairing the “trai dua” used for worship in the emperors’ mausoleums that had deteriorated over time.
The restoration process was extremely complex. The most difficult step was stuffing the pillows with cotton, followed by sewing with even stitches. Through her talent, patience, and meticulousness, Mrs. Tri Hue successfully revived the pillows.
For many reasons, the craft was interrupted for a time. It was not until the early 21st century that Mrs. Tri Hue resumed her journey to revive and bring these pillows back into wider public awareness. Even at the very end of her life, approaching the age of 100, she remained devoted to every stitch and every thread.
Fortunately, after her passing, the craft was passed down to younger generations within the family. Today, the armrest pillow has become a product that not only carries traditional value, but also becomes a well-received product by the market and by those who have a love for heritage culture.
A “trai dua” is a type of folded pillow made by joining four or five small rectangular padded panels together, each panel is about 4 - 5 centimeters thick. Each panel is crafted from four silk tubes stuffed with soft cotton and then carefully stitched together, the outside is wrapped in fine silk. The pillow can be laid out flat, or folded into a stack.
Members of the royal nobility often used the “trai dua” to rest their elbows while sitting and reciting poetry, enjoying tea, or discussing literature, a symbol of elegance and nobility. The “trai dua” of royal families were embroidered with five-clawed dragons, while those belonging to the mandarins featured only four-clawed dragons. In particular, the cotton used inside royal pillows had to be soft and wrapped in precious silk.