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The elite of art in Vietnamese traditional handicraft villages

Although the development of modern professions, and the rapid urbanization of lands where become industrial areas, there are still existence of many traditional villages which have not been forgotten with unique products showing historical and cultural values of Vietnam, especially in Hanoi, Bac Ninh, Hue, … We will go along with you to  famous traditional villages such as: the art sculpture village of Son Dong, the hand embroidery village of Quat Dong, Bat Trang pottery village, Da Sy forge village, Chang Son fan village, Thach Xa village with cute bamboo dragonflies.

The art sculpture village of Son Dong

 Son Dong sculpture village were in Hoai Duc district, Hanoi capital hundred years ago, with many wood carving products that reach the high level of art as Buddha statues, delicate carved wooden utensils,…

Especially, the exquisite technique of gilded lacquer is only in Son Dong, with traditional crafts are carving and painting statues to create famous products in the country as thousand hands and thousand eyes Buddha statue, thousand eyes; The Good statue, The Bad statue, the Arhat statues,…

Raw materials for statuary is jackfruit wood. According to folk notions, jackfruit wood is kind of “sacred wood” which manipulated for making worship items. Jackfruit wood have features that is flexible, soft, durable, less cracking, easy to trim, help craftsman avoid missteps when chiseling.

For longtime craftsmen, in order to get the delicate unique products, the sculptor who make any statue, required the morality, pure soul and spirituality. The sculptor must understand deeply origin of every product which they created, understand characteristic of every Buddha and saints who are carved for people worship…

The art sculpture village of Son Dong
The art sculpture village of Son Dong

The hand embroidery village of Quat Dong

There are many embroidery villages in many areas, but only craftsmen in Quat Dong Quat Dong Commune, Thuong Tin District, Ha Noi reach the technical level of sophistication and virtuosity. Since the 17th century, the hand embroidery village of Quat Dong appeared, the artisans with deft hands have distilled the most quintessential factors of national soul to create dazzling and vivid works as the beauty of life.

The embroidery craft ancestor of Quat Dong village and also embroidery crafts of whole Vietnam is Dr. Le Cong Hanh, whose real name is Bui Cong Hanh lived around the 14th century. Only by a needle, a thread and a piece of silk, Quat Dong embroiderers can create soft patterned arrays.

Embroiderers of Quat Dong hand embroidery village created a lot of traditional embroidery products such: couplets, parasols, flags, tablecloths, all kinds of traditional theatrical costume, landscapes embroidery pictures, Uncle Ho’s portraits, One Pillar Pagoda…

The hand embroidery village of Quat Dong
The hand embroidery village of Quat Dong

Chang Son fan making village

Chang Son village is a traditional village which was famous hundred years ago in Chang Son Commune, Thach That District, and Ha Noi. Since the 19th century, Chang Son fans was famous inside and outside Vietnam, in the period of French colony, French had repeatedly brought fan of Chang Son to Paris for exhibition.

Ancient Vietnam people have been familiar with paper fan whenever the weather became sweltering and hot in summer day when there was no electric fan. Now, paper fans always present in daily life, silent and supple as a tacit circuit never off.

Whether wall-mounted or handheld, the fan still exudes a soft and charm beauty of motifs and images between a fan. The fans even more impressive by the silk material with iridescent royal color, shimmering patterns blend with natural motifs are carved above.

Visitors go to the countryside will easily see the old man waving paper fans and sitting under a shady tree to enjoy a cup of tea remembering childhood memories of a peaceful and quiet village.

Chang Son fan making village
Chang Son fan making village

Bat Trang ceramic village

Today, Bat Trang ceramic village specializes in producing pottery and porcelain with many different functions from: living supplies, worship items, art ceramic products, etc. Here, families still keep their traditional professional know how which has been passed down from generation to generation, that make their products have unique features and separate sophistication. Porcelain and pottery products that are known well from near to far, exporting to many parts of the world.

With one big lump of clay, a bit wet, and one turntable, then craftsman put the lump of clay on the turntable and creating shape for that clay block. Most of products are the cup, bowls, or daily utensils with the round shape. Sometime craftsman make the shape of animals. After molding is complete, they get in to the step of drying; it will take about 30 minutes. In the next step, they draw and decorate finished product. And finally, they will paint the outside of product with the sheen to keep product more durable than, along the time.

Bat Trang ceramic village
Bat Trang ceramic village

Da Sy forge village

Da Sy forge village is in Kien Hung commune, Ha Dong city, it was from the 18th Hung King, a place provided weapons to Lac Hau, Lac Tuong protected territory and made agricultural tools for farmer. Experiencing the upheaval of history, forging in Da Sy still persist and grow.

Currently, Da Sy has about 900 families who are blacksmiths; products are focused on two major items as knives and scissors of all kinds. Forged products of Da Sy village are sold everywhere, from north to south, presented in every family, contributing greatly in the manufacturing or professions.

Da Sy forge village
Da Sy forge village

Thach Xa village with cute bamboo dragonflies

There is a unique village with the tradition of making bamboo dragonflies in Thach Xa Commune, Ha Tay. Thanks to making bamboo dragonflies sell to the shop and sell as toys for the children, people’s life  here have a lot better than before.

Bamboo dragonfly is a unique handicraft products symbolized for talent of the artisan only in Thach Xa village. In order to complete a bamboo dragonfly that undergoes ten of manufacturing steps. The bamboo dragonfly was made from thin sharpened bamboo, paint colors for eye-catching, fun and cute drawing.

The rustic and homely bamboo dragonfly always attracted not only children but also older travelers, they also want to buy some bamboo dragonflies for using or a gift for descendants when they have the opportunity to visit Thach Xa village.

Thach Xa village with cute bamboo dragonflies
Thach Xa village with cute bamboo dragonflies
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About the author

Hi, I'm Ho Lam! That's me, the boy who wants more experience each day. I'm slowly but surely working my way, travelling and sharing is my taste. The articles of this blog are not only from me, but also from my friends and the travellers mailed to me.

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