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Vạn Phúc Silk Village - where tradition thrives
From the renowned silk-producing regions of Hà Đông (now part of Hanoi), Nha Xá, and Cổ Chất in the North to Hội An and Mã Châu in the Central, and to the highlands of Bảo Lộc (Lâm Đồng) and the renowned silk region of Tân Châu in An Giang province in the South, Vietnamese silk has become legendary over the years. People from the Northern regions have always taken pride in Vạn Phúc silk, which first participated in the International Marseille Fair as early as 1931. As a traditional craft village, Vạn Phúc has preserved the distinctive features of rural Vietnam amidst the developing cityscape, amidst the increasing urbanization process.
Village of a Thousand Silks, also known as Ha Dong Silk Village, resides in Van Phuc Ward, Ha Dong District, more than 10 km away from Hanoi's city center. If you're traveling by motorbike, the route is straightforward: city center - Nguyen Trai - Le Van Luong - To Huu.
Home to the finest craftsmanship in Indochina.
1. Village of a Thousand Silks
Regarded as the emblem of Ha Dong, the village gate warmly welcomes travelers from all corners to Van Phuc. It stands out prominently along To Huu Street, easily recognizable. The gate, constructed with simple red bricks, exudes strength and durability. Since ancient times, it has been a symbol of protection and peace for the locals, a place to welcome back the returning sons and daughters to their roots.
Stone beer stands tall in the 'Village of a Thousand Silks'.
The gateway to the silk village.
Traces of the silk homeland.
Ancient and noble rooftops.
Creating a traditional silk thread involves numerous steps, time, and effort from artisans. The execution sounds simple, yet mastering it to produce quality products demands dedication: reeling, spinning, winding, twisting, weaving, dyeing. At every stage, artisans must be meticulous, overseeing 24/7 even when machines are at work.
Weaving machine.
Silk reeling.
Vibrantly colored threads.
For the people of Van Phuc, each strip of silk represents the culmination of a process from mulberry cultivation, silkworm rearing, thread spinning to weaving. It's the essence of the land, enriched with the labor and talent of artisans, a precious product of the homeland. Presenting the most esteemed village offering to revered elders holds unparalleled significance. The cultural nuances of the weaving village deeply resonate in the sentiments and behaviors of the Vietnamese people.
Each stage is carried out with utmost dedication.
... to yield the finest end product.
Exploring the silk-making process.
Display machinery.
The 'carrier' of Van Phuc silk.
Van Phuc Silk Market serves as a place to showcase, promote, and sell products to visitors. Each store has its own unique decoration style, but the common feature here is the vibrant and fresh colors, with a wide range of products including scarves, clothes, trousers, ao dai, as well as many decorative items made from silk.
Entrance to the market.
Eye-catching products.
In the past, silk was only used to make dresses, shirts, but now silk is used to make vests, modern suits, and fashionable dresses... The main material is still silk, but to enrich it, artisans combine it with various other fabrics to create new product lines, competitive and meeting market demand. They creatively add other styles such as scarves, bags, blankets... with diverse designs, whatever customers want to buy, they have it.
There is a wide variety of silk products.
Colorful silk.
2. Van Phuc Pagoda
Main gate of the pagoda.
Ancestral house.
Tranquil atmosphere in the pagoda.
The temple sits right by the entrance gate to the village.
A wooden bridge spans across the lotus pond.
The spacious courtyard inside is paved with weathered red bricks, concrete tiles, adorned with green potted plants. The tranquil sound always echoes the temple's prayers, chanting, blessing the village with warmth, peace, and happiness.
Statue of Goddess Quan Am amidst the pond.
3. Vintage Vietnamese Countryside Scene
Van Phuc evokes memories of the old countryside: wells, banyan trees, communal houses, ancient village gates... All emerge like a sharp and authentic countryside painting. No more dust, no more noisy sounds, no more blaring horns of heavy trucks; the silk village appears as a completely contrasting world from the outside, quieter, purer, and more serene.
Beehive-shaped stone well.
Village communal house roof.
Ancient trees too massive for a single embrace.
Ancient gate of reverence.
Cool and verdant bamboo grove.
The ubiquitous 'tea table' found in Vietnamese countryside.
4. Mural Wall
The Mural Path leaves an indelible mark on tourists every time they visit Van Phuc Silk Village. The village wall is adorned with a new coat of paint, transformed into a giant mural depicting scenes of ancient craft villages, painted collaboratively by villagers and preschool teachers.
The silk village mural wall.
Recreating scenes of ancient Vietnamese countryside.
The Mural Wall stands at the heart of the village, with a spacious, cool, and serene communal yard in front. It's so tranquil that you can still hear the birds chirping in the ancient banyan trees or the children reciting lessons at the nearby kindergarten.
The banyan trees, the well, the communal house... come to life vividly.
That evening, we noticed something peculiar. The elderly villagers all gathered to sit on a long stone bench. Upon inquiring the water vendor, we learned that it was a daily occurrence. Around dusk, the elders in the village would gather on the long stone bench, engaging in heartfelt conversations.
Elders engaged in heartfelt conversations.
Many elders are still strong and agile enough to visit and greet everyone. Some, slightly weaker, are escorted by their relatives. Elderly women whisper gossip to each other, big or small. Some elders may not say a word to anyone, sitting quietly lost in thought, but occasionally a funny story from friends makes them burst into hearty laughter. Surely their children and grandchildren always hope to see that bright smile forever.
5. Countryside Delicacies
Amidst the peaceful countryside, you get to savor simple yet deeply nostalgic countryside delicacies. What could be more delightful and enticing than that? A cup of black bean sweet soup, coconut jelly, priced at only 10,000 VND, refreshing in the summer heat, or crispy golden savory donuts, priced at just 5,000 VND each, very reasonable. With just a small pushcart, she carries childhood memories everywhere she goes.
Savory donuts, black bean sweet soup.
Vạn Phúc Silk Village, renowned far and wide.
Handy Tip for You:
Author: Dương Hải Ly
* This article is part of the Mytour Golocal program
Mytour Golocal is a blogging program showcasing beautiful destinations across Vietnam. It's an excellent opportunity to promote local tourism to everyone. For each qualifying article, you'll receive 800,000 VND and a chance to become a contributor with Mytour. For more details about the program, visit: https://www.Mytour/en-vn/golocal
