NGŨ SẮC – Reviving the Hue Royal Pastry through Modern Storytelling

Originating from the Nguyen Dynasty—the final imperial dynasty of Vietnam—bánh in (pressed cake) was once a refined dessert reserved for courtly rituals and royal offerings. Over time, however, this traditional pastry has faded from memory, often dismissed as outdated or lacking appeal in today’s market.

I was drawn to the quiet elegance of bánh in and its deep cultural roots. What if we could reimagine this almost-forgotten delicacy, not only as food, but as a medium of storytelling—a way to revive Vietnamese values and aesthetics in a form that resonates with modern sensibilities?

That question gave birth to Ngũ Sắc—a project rooted in the concept of the Five Constant Virtues (Ngũ Thường) from Confucian philosophy: Nhân (Benevolence), Lễ (Propriety), Nghĩa (Righteousness), Trí (Wisdom), and Tín (Integrity). These five moral pillars have long shaped Vietnamese thought, behavior, and spiritual life. I wanted to breathe new life into them—through color, flavor, form, and design.

Each virtue becomes a visual and sensory experience:
Nhân is expressed in the freshness of green and the delicate flavor of mung bean, evoking the vitality of spring and the spirit of compassion.
Lễ takes on the vibrant red of summer, infused with lotus imagery and respectful restraint.
Tín, centered and grounding, carries the golden tones of earth and the loyalty of a dragon—representing balance and trust.
Nghĩa shines with the crisp white of autumn metal, noble and just like a deer under a sunflower sky.
And Trí, quiet and deep, appears in the violet hues of winter, steeped in the wisdom of pine and the elegance of cranes.

By interweaving philosophy, nature, Eastern cosmology, and court aesthetics, Ngũ Sắc transforms bánh in into more than a traditional snack—it becomes a layered cultural experience. A blend of ritual and everyday life. Of ancient values and modern form.

In an era where traditional Vietnamese pastries struggle to compete with foreign snacks or fall into nostalgic clichés, Ngũ Sắc offers a new approach. It respects the past while speaking a visual and emotional language that today’s generation can understand and embrace.

My hope is for Ngũ Sắc to not only revive an endangered culinary art, but to reintroduce it as a thoughtful, symbolic, and beautifully designed gift—a conversation between generations, between Vietnam and the world.