Today only two households remain. 60‑year‑old Nguyen Trong Thanh, who has spent more than four decades on the craft, and his neighbour Nguyen Dinh Chien, with 35 years of experience, keep the tradition alive despite the odds.

Demand has collapsed. Thanh told VietNamNet that demand is about 50 % lower than before the pandemic, while Chien said orders this year are down roughly 80 %. The market that once thrived now struggles to sell a fraction of its former volume.

Mass‑produced lanterns flood the market. Chien explained that a machine can create hundreds, even 500, lanterns a day, whereas a skilled artisan can finish only about ten by hand.

Rising rental costs, broader economic difficulties and a lack of interest from younger people are forcing families out of the trade. Many younger relatives, including Thanh’s own children, prefer other jobs, leaving the craft with no clear successors.

For Thanh and Chien, lantern making is more than a job; it is a personal legacy. They continue because they love the work and want the Mid‑Autumn Festival’s glow to be felt by future generations, even if the business cannot sustain them.