The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism late last week required foreign-made lanterns to be removed from traditional festivals, religious institutes, relics and tourist sites in an attempt to stop the exotic products from tainting the Vietnamese identity.

All the lanterns in religious and festive areas which have no clear origin and bear words in foreign languages will thus be removed. Mostly from China, the items look gaudy, are incongruous with the landscape and solemnity of religious places, such as Van Mieu Quoc Tu Giam in Hanoi, and clash with the country’s cultural identity.

Over recent years, several streets in such provinces and cities as Hai Phong, Vung Tau, Nam Dinh and Lao Cai are dubbed “China towns” as they’re inundated with garish Chinese-made lanterns.

In several places, local governments even encourage locals to hang such lanterns in their doorways, especially during Tet.

However, cultural authorities can’t ban locals from selling or hanging Chinese-made lanterns, which aren’t included in the list of contraband. All they can do is advise locals against doing so.

According to Tran Huu Son, head of the Lao Cai Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, locals at the “Chinese lantern towns” in Sa Pa initially refused to remove their Chinese lanterns, but were later persuaded into doing so.

UNESCO-recognized Hoi An old town in central Quang Nam province is one of the few places in Vietnam which still makes and hangs locally-made traditional lanterns. This greatly adds to the town’s appeal.

Though Hoi An’s hallmark lanterns have made it to other countries, the items are struggling to survive in local markets, mostly due to exorbitant prices.

“A locally-made lantern, which is made from bamboos, wood and silk, fetches a much higher price than Chinese ones. Local sales are quite poor, with occasional orders to decorate homes and pagodas,” said Lan, a lantern seller in Hoi An.

According to Vo Phung, head of the Hoi An Culture-Sports Center, one of the town’s unique tourism appeals is the “Old Town Night” on the 14th of each lunar month, and the night street programs every Saturday.

Tourists, particularly foreigners, are hugely captivated by the sparkling lanterns which are hung at homes lining the town’s main streets, which creates a stunning landscape and enigmatic atmosphere.

Previously, Hoi An locals only made lanterns to participate in competitions held around Tet and the Mid-Autumn Festival, or hang at the entrances to their own houses.

In recent years, over 1 million Hoi An lanterns, which have their own trademark, are exported each year. The craft has provided stable jobs for over 3,000 locals.

In 2000, the Department of Intellectual Copyrights recognized the items as a collective intellectual ownership.

70-year-old Nguyen Ba, who created the now-popular folded lanterns out of the town’s signature traditional one, has also been nationally honored.

Huynh Van Khanh, CEO of New Technology Co., one of the local lantern producers, said that during off-peak months, his company produces some 2-3,000 items each day. Sales peak around Tet, the Mid-Autumn fest, Buddha Birth Ceremony and Christmas.

Locally-made lanterns come in a wide variety of shapes - including fruits, stars, and animals - and sizes and colors. They boast high craftsmanship and eco-, human-friendly materials.

In Ho Chi Minh City, the items are sold most on District 5’s Hai Thuong Lan Ong Street and District 6’s Binh Tay market.