Thelich bong young generation becomes more interested in traditional ao dai.
Wearing ao daihas been widespread
Ms. Vo Thi Quynh, a former teacher of Literature at Quoc Hoc High School for the Gifted, has been wearing ao daifor decades, not only at work but also at events, parties and ceremonies. She said she was happy to see many women wearing ao dainow, while she seemed to be the only to wear it before.
In a discussion about ao daiat Hue Museum of Culture, Ms. Nguyen Khoa Dieu Huyen, former headmistress of Hai Ba Trung High School, said: “Our generation was so familiar with ao dai. It was the image of high school girls wearing white ao daion the way to school, the women in colorful ao dai, and the busy saleswomen in ao daigoing to and fro. That’s why Hue was once nicknamed as ‘the city of ao dai’ by the journalists and foreign visitors. I wish that Hue women would wear ao daieverywhere.”
Her dream is about to come true when more and more people are wearing ao dai. The image of ao daiwaving in the breeze is impressively beautiful to many visitors.
The designer Doan Trang, Director of Doan Trang Garment and Embroidery, believed that Hue would become more beautiful if Hue women voluntarily wear ao daiwhen they are out. If ao daiis seen everywhere in this city, visitors will have strong impression.
The initial steps towards the change in the dressing habit has been marked with the regulation governing that female employees and high school girls wear ao daion Mondays, and that women in ao daiwill be granted a free-of-charge visit to the Monuments of Hue on Vietnamese Women’s Day (October 20) and International Women’s Day (March 8). This change has made a beauty in daily life of the ancient city.
According to Doan Trang, her friends used to have many ao daimade but they hardly found an occasion to wear them because they felt that they were lost among others. Recently, the habit of wearing ao daihas been widespread now, and she has more clients than ever.
The ao dai for men has also been restored and worn. The elegant ao ngu than(‘five-paneled aristocratic gown’) has been worn more and more at the diplomatic and cultural events, ceremonies and conferences. The Provincial Department of Culture and Sports was the pioneer organization to have ao ngu thanmade for 30 male employees.
Actions speak louder than words
At the conference ‘Hue – The capital of ao daiVietnam’ organized by the Department of Culture and Sports in early July, the Chairman of Provincial People’s Committee Phan Ngoc Tho confirmed that ao daishould regain its place in Hue life through practical activities. These include the gratitude ceremony to Lord Nguyen Phuc Khoat on the 25th of lunar May so that designers, tailors and models commemorate the creator of Vietnamese ao dai, and the annual ao dai festival in which all Hue people wear ao dai.
All employees at Hue Monuments Conservation Center wear traditional ao daiat work at the request of the People’s Committee. Together with encouraging female teacher to wear ao daiall week and high school girls three days a week, the provincial authorities have a policy to weave the entrance fee for visitors to the Citadel if they wear ao dai. There will be a gorgeous image if all is in ao dai. The Chairman, who wears ao daiin all receptions of ambassadors, has been an exemplar.
Researcher Nguyen Xuan Hoa opined that we should be practical in our views because life has considerably changed. It would be hard to see ao daiin every house, street, village, market and rice field as it was in the old days. However, the unique cultural value ao daimust be confirmed in order to establish a brand name ‘Ao daiHue’ as a creative intellectual property of the ancient capital.
He also added that the provincial authorities should have activities to promote the beauty of the ao daiof Hue, in addition to encouraging local women wear ao daiin their social activities. Thua Thien Hue should pioneer in the campaign for the restoration of national costumes for both men and women.
Dr. Thai Kim Lan was optimistic that there would be a return of ao daiwhen there was an ao daiwearing trend. She said: “Why did the people yesterday wear ao daiwhen Lord Nguyen Phuc Khoat made it public? It’s because there was a rule for wearing it. I put forward the idea of Mr. Chairman of the People’s Committee, Phan Ngoc Tho, to encourage female employees, teachers and students to wear ao daiat least once a week.”
Dr. Phan Thanh Hai, Director of the Department of Culture and Sports, proposed that people’s council deputies should wear traditional ao daiin their meetings. He also asked the People’s Committee to urge the provincial organizations and agencies to make ao daias their uniform for both men and women. It is certainly hard to ask everyone, especially men, to wear ao daiat first. But once the obstacle is overcome, all is fine.
With great efforts, the habit of wearing ao daiwill be restored in Hue in a few years. If so, Hue will be featured with the national costumes – the ao daiVietnam, and ‘the capital of ao dai’ is no longer a cliché. It becomes true. The ao daiis part of the customs and habits.
Story and photo:MINH HIEN