Buzz
Visitors feel like they've stepped into an ancient rural space when experiencing the 200-year-old weaving village in Thu Sy commune, Tien Lu district, Hung Yen province.
Exploring the 200-year-old weaving village in Hung Yen
Every day, the weaving village of Thu Sy is lively with the laughter of those practicing this traditional craft, dating back about 2 centuries.
Many first-time visitors to the weaving village may find it unusual. The finished products made from bamboo and rattan, traditional materials, are still popular in artistic decoration or furniture.
Thu Sy village is home to around 500 weavers, mostly concentrated in two hamlets: Tat Vien and Noi Lang.
Photographer Nguyen Tan Tuan from Ho Chi Minh City finally had the chance to experience the weaving village of Thu Sy, where he learned about the craft at the home of Mr. Luong Son Bac in Tat Vien hamlet, who has dedicated his entire life to this profession.
'Who would believe Mr. Bac is over eighty years old? He shared that he started learning weaving at the age of 13. It's fortunate that the weaving village has Mr. Bac, one of the few artisans who wholeheartedly preserves the traditional craft as if preserving a beautiful memory,' shared Tuan.
Mr. Bac explained that artisans must choose mature bamboo and rattan to weave durable and beautiful products. Weaving technique is considered meticulous, requiring skill and coordination in many stages. Each member of his family has their own task, some splitting bamboo, others weaving.
After preparing the bamboo and rattan strips, they proceed with weaving. The easiest part is weaving the mouth, while the hardest are the rim, mouth rim, and finishing the tail. The final product has an oval shape, sharp tail, small round mouth, and a lid resembling a cap. A skilled weaver takes about 60 minutes to complete one. Then, it is smoked on the kitchen shelf to enhance its durability.
Weaving is the primary source of income for the people of Thu Sy village. A finished white bamboo basket sells for about 20,000 - 25,000 VND per piece, while a smoked basket with a brown color like a cricket's wing sells for about 30,000 - 40,000 VND per piece.
Weaving provides the main source of income for the villagers of Thu Sy. A finished white bamboo basket is sold for about 20,000 - 25,000 VND per piece, while a smoked basket with a brown color like cricket wings sells for about 30,000 - 40,000 VND per piece.
In addition to crafting the 'đo' baskets, locals here also weave sieves or trays to sell in districts such as Tien Lu, An Thi, Phu Cu of Hung Yen province, and neighboring provinces, for farmers to use in catching crabs and fish in the fields.
Located about 7km from Hung Yen City by car, Thu Sy weaving village is always bustling, not only becoming an interesting craft village tourism destination but also a place for photographers from both inside and outside the country to create artistic photos.
Mr. Luong Son Bac is devoted to weaving, still pedaling his cart filled with baskets every day to sell.
The baskets on the cart spread out like a giant flower amidst the golden mustard flower fields, creating a peaceful picture of Thu Sy countryside.
According to HUYNH PHUONG/ Tuoi Tre
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Explore: Travel Guide on Mytour
MytourDecember 21, 2018
