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With a history spanning thousands of years, enduring multiple names and dynasties, experiencing the highs and lows of its people, Hanoi stands as the cradle of traditional craftsmanship villages. When touring Hanoi, don't miss out on uncovering the charm of these intriguing villages!
Rediscover the traditional craftsmanship villages of Thăng Long's land while traveling Hanoi.
1. Vạn Phúc Silk Village
Vạn Phúc Silk Village stands out as one of the renowned craftsmanship villages nationwide, attracting travelers to Hanoi eager to explore the traditional beauty of the Capital. Historically, Vạn Phúc was chosen by the royal court to produce garments for royal members. Today, it still retains the ancient charm of a Northern Vietnamese countryside village with its iconic banyan trees, wells, and communal yards.
The village's craftsmanship has diversified its products: from silk, satin, brocade, chiffon, to patterns, velvet, damask, satin, and crepe. The distinctive feature of Vạn Phúc silk lies in its use of natural silk threads, resulting in soft, glossy products exuding exquisite beauty. Currently, the village boasts over 130 weaving machines, approximately 300 weaving households, and deals in silk textile items. Beyond efficiently organizing production and business activities, Vạn Phúc Silk Village also integrates a model for visitors to explore and experience.
2. Bat Trang Ceramic Village
Bat Trang Ceramic Village is a highly renowned Hanoi tourist destination, famed for its long-standing reputation nationwide. Thanks to precise enamel layering techniques and accurate kiln firing methods, coupled with imbuing soul into their products, the artisans here skillfully craft ceramic products harmonizing in composition and elegant in color. Bat Trang's products include flower vases, plant pots, wind chimes, tea sets, and wall paintings... all exquisitely delicate and visually stunning.
Visiting Bat Trang, travelers get to experience walking along narrow village lanes, admiring numerous old houses, ancient walls... An interesting point not to be missed is the only remaining ancient kiln of the old ceramic village. This ancient kiln consists of 5 kilns, nearly 100 years old. The Center for Vietnamese Craftsmanship Excellence is also an attractive spot with unique architecture in Bat Trang.
3. Chang Son Fan Village
The fan in Chang Son (Thach That district, Hanoi) is associated with many legends, especially the story of the 'Fan Fairy Council' - a group of fairy women who, due to their affinity, joined fans to dispel worries. Chang Son Fan Village has been around for nearly 200 years, famous everywhere for its meticulously handcrafted fans.
Chang Son fans are diverse and abundant in terms of models, types, colors, and patterns on the fan. If in the past, fan craftsmen only made paper fans, bamboo fans, today the people of Chang Son produce all types of fans such as silk fans, decorative wall-hanging fans, wedding invitation fans, to high-end fans as souvenirs for Hanoi tourists.
4. Bell Hat Village
Bell Hat Village sits alongside the Đáy River, in Thanh Oai district, and is one of the most renowned spots in Hanoi for hats. In the past, Chuong Village produced various types of hats such as conical hats, pineapple hats, pointed hats, dragon hats, conical hats for men, or bell hats used for ceremonial purposes.
5. Dao Thuc Water Puppet Village
Dao Thuc Village is located approximately 25km from the center of Hanoi. The village's communal stele records that water puppetry has been practiced here since the reign of King Le Trung Hung, over 300 years ago. The water puppetry guild in Dao Thuc was founded by Mr. Dao Dang Khiem, who taught the local people the art of water puppetry. Despite numerous challenges, at times facing extinction, the tradition of water puppetry in Dao Thuc has been effectively preserved through the love and dedication of generations of villagers.
6. Phu Vinh Bamboo Cloud Village
According to historical records, the traditional craft of weaving bamboo clouds in Phu Vinh Village has existed and flourished for over 300 years, dating back to 1700. Originally named 'Phu Hoa Trang Village,' because everyone here possesses skillful and artistic hands, adept at weaving bamboo clouds. Following the tradition of 'father passing down to son,' the children of Phu Vinh Village grew up intimately connected with bamboo and clouds. The craftsmen continuously produce a variety of beautiful and diverse bamboo cloud products.
In the past, bamboo weaving in Phu Vinh primarily served daily needs, producing items like baskets, sieves, sifters, bags, boxes... Nowadays, the village showcases more intricate designs requiring higher skills such as portraits, landscapes, couplets, animals, or ceramic-wrapped bamboo products, as well as interior decoration items like lampshades, curtains...
7. Dragonfly and Butterfly Bamboo Village, Thach Xa
Thach Xa is home to the famous Tay Phuong Pagoda, immortalized in poet Huy Can's poem 'The Arhats of Tay Phuong Pagoda'. It's also known for lam tea and rice cakes. Additionally, bamboo dragonflies and butterflies are popular souvenirs among Hanoi tourists.
Visiting the countryside of Thach Xa, you'll encounter hundreds of thousands of colorful bamboo dragonflies and butterflies of various shapes and sizes. Crafted from green bamboo, artisans create unique pieces that can perch anywhere due to the balance principle without needing attachments.
8. Dong Ho Painting Village
Dong Ho paintings originated around the 16th century, boasting an incredibly diverse range of designs that remain uncounted to this day. The village flourished from the 19th century to the 1940s. During this period, Dong Ho paintings were also called 'Tet paintings,' as they were often produced and sold during the Lunar New Year in rural markets.
Before 1945, the village had 17 clans all involved in painting. After the August Revolution, almost no one pursued the profession. It wasn't until 1992 that someone revived the traditional craft. Dong Ho folk paintings are distinctive in their materials and printing techniques. The colors in the paintings are entirely derived from nature. Typically, Dong Ho paintings only use 4 colors corresponding to the number of woodblocks.
The paper for painting is handmade from mulberry bark, and the lacquer layer is made from seashell. Paintings aren't drawn based on artistic inspiration but printed using woodblocks. A painting is composed of multiple woodblocks, each representing a different color. Nowadays, Hanoi tourists often visit Dong Ho painting village to observe the painting process.
9. Incense Stick Craft Village, Quang Phu Cau
The Quang Phu Cau Incense Stick Craft Village is over a hundred years old and retains the ancient charm of a Northern countryside village. For a long time, the village has been a major supplier of incense sticks for the spiritual needs of the local people. When visiting, you'll be amazed by the beauty of colorful incense bundles displayed in the courtyards of households. The incense sticks are arranged into large bundles, spreading out like blooming flowers.
Quang Phu Cau Village is famous not only for its aesthetics but also for its craftsmanship and traditional methods. Visitors are fascinated to witness how the locals make incense sticks, meticulously carrying out each step from selecting bamboo sticks, bundling incense, dyeing...
10. Mễ Trì Green Rice Flakes Village
The tradition of making green rice flakes in Me Tri has a history of over a century. In Me Tri, there are 2 hamlets (Upper Hamlet and Lower Hamlet) with many households engaged in making green rice flakes. The craft of making green rice flakes in Me Tri is included in the list of 17 intangible cultural heritages at the national level. The process of making green rice flakes here is quite sophisticated, using ingredients such as glutinous rice, fragrant sticky rice, glutinous rice with floral fragrance, and golden-flowered glutinous rice... resulting in delicious and famous green rice flakes.
In addition to the aforementioned craft villages, Hanoi still preserves many ancient traditional craft villages with high-quality products, showcasing the prosperous development of a land with a thousand years of civilization. Tourism in Hanoi becomes more meaningful with visits to these craft villages, helping tourists gain a deeper understanding of Vietnamese culture.
Source: Mytour
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Reference: Travel Handbook by Mytour
MytourOctober 5, 2023
