Top 10 Ancient Traditional Craft Villages in Northern Vietnam

Van Phuc Silk Village or commonly known as Van Phuc Silk Village, Ha Dong, now located in Van Phuc ward, Ha Dong district, about 10km from the center of Hanoi. This is a famous silk weaving village with beautiful silk patterns and the longest-standing tradition in Vietnam. Van Phuc silk was once chosen to make national costumes under the Nguyen dynasty.

Located on the bank of the Nhue River, Van Phuc Silk Village still retains some ancient features of the countryside such as the image of the village well with lotus flowers, next to ancient banyan trees, and afternoon markets in front of the communal house. Van Phuc Silk Village has long been famous for its traditional silk weaving craft. 'Ha Dong Silk' as well as traditional handicraft products of Hanoi's craft villages, are often mentioned in ancient poetry. In many families, old weaving frames are still preserved, mixed with modern mechanical weaving frames.

Van Phuc Silk was first introduced internationally at the Marseille (1931) and Paris (1938) fairs, being evaluated by the French as exquisite products from the Indochina region under French rule, highly favored in France, Thailand, Indonesia, etc. From 1958 to 1988, Van Phuc silk products were mostly exported to Eastern European countries; from 1990 onwards, they have been exported to many countries worldwide, bringing foreign currency to the country. Silk shops have sprung up more and more, forming three rows of silk streets with hundreds of shops to meet the increasing demands of tourists.

Kim Son Bamboo Weaving Village (Kim Son District, Ninh Binh Province) is a renowned region for bamboo cultivation and weaving, which has been practiced for generations. The craft of bamboo weaving in Kim Son is closely connected to nature, as the materials used for making bamboo products are as simple as the surrounding environment in this region.

For those who cultivate bamboo, the plant is intimately tied to their profession, requiring lifelong dedication from skilled artisans. The strength of bamboo cultivation and weaving in Kim Son lies in producing essential everyday items for the people. Therefore, despite being arduous, this craft is far from declining.

Up to now, the artistic bamboo products of Kim Son have reached over 20 countries and territories worldwide... It is believed that with unwavering resilience and profound love for the craft accumulated over centuries, the people here continue to nurture a steadfast belief in further advancing and developing this traditional craft.

Dong Ho Folk Painting Village (Thuan Thanh, Bac Ninh) situated along the tranquil Duong River, has long been renowned for its folk paintings, deeply imbued with traditional cultural essence, and is the most well-known genre of painting in Vietnam. Dong Ho Village is famous for its distinctive woodblock folk paintings, widely recognized both domestically and internationally, with artworks that have long been integrated into the spiritual life of Vietnamese people.

The folk essence of Dong Ho paintings also lies in their colors and paper materials. The paper is made from the bark of the poonah tree, a thin shellfish found in the sea, mixed with 'ho' (a solution made from rice flour or glutinous rice flour, sometimes cooked with cassava flour - used to brush the painting's background and usually diluted from rice flour or cassava flour, while 'ho' cooked from glutinous rice flour is often used for gluing) and then applied to the paper surface using a soft brush made from pine needles, a meticulous and precise process that demands the skilled hands of artisans.

Then comes the color preparation stage, ensuring that the paintings look truly natural with basic colors typically derived from the charcoal of bamboo leaves, the green of malabar leaves, the yellow of wild sunflowers, and the red of sawdust, only 4 unmixed colors corresponding to the number of woodblock prints. Dong Ho paintings intricately embody the quintessence of Vietnamese folk culture, cherished not only by domestic enthusiasts but also avidly purchased by foreign tourists whenever they set foot in this enchanting land. Here, visitors can learn about the unique cultural values of Dong Ho folk painting craftsmanship and even experience printing paintings themselves, as well as purchase their favorite artworks.

Ha Luong Flower Village, located approximately 6 km from the center of Hai Phong city, is a flower village named Ha Luong. The flower garden is situated in Dang Hai ward, Hai An district. It seems that this can be considered the most famous and prestigious flower village in Hai Phong with no other village surpassing it. Mentioning the name Ha Luong, every Hai Phong resident knows that it is where thousands of flowers bloom in vibrant colors. The expansive and lush flower fields seem to be meticulously cared for by experienced villagers skilled in flower cultivation.

As early as the 1960s - 1970s, people here began planting flowers to adorn their surroundings. At that time, the common flower species planted were chrysanthemums, marigolds, safflowers, and cosmos flowers, all of which are vigorous flowering plants. Additionally, the daisy flowers displayed their purity amidst countless vibrant flower colors.

Currently, due to rapid urbanization, there has been some impact on the flower cultivation in this flower village. The flower cultivation area of Ha Luong has gradually shrunk and been divided over various periods of time. Until now, the village has about 30% of households cultivating flowers on a total area of 30 hectares. Although the cultivation area has decreased, the flower gardens are still meticulously tended to, with the blossoming flowers seemingly stretching out to bask in the sunlight and sway in the gentle breeze.

If you have the opportunity to visit the Port City to explore the sea, forests, and savor famous snacks like crab noodles and Hai Phong 'sui din,' then during the days leading up to Tet, be sure to visit Ha Luong to leisurely admire the flowers and capture those exquisite moments in beautiful photos!

Gia Thuy Pottery Village, located in Nho Quan district, Ninh Binh province, has a history of about 50 years. This traditional craft has developed in the region thanks to skilled pottery artisans originating from Thanh Hoa province. Gia Thuy was chosen for pottery development due to its characteristic clay soil, suitable for pottery making. Despite many ups and downs, Gia Thuy pottery craft has remained resilient and continues to thrive. Its products are consumed domestically and exported abroad. Creating a pottery product involves numerous stages.

Each stage requires meticulousness and care from the artisans to avoid mistakes. The clay, after being filtered through water to remove impurities, is compacted and then dried to the right moisture level. The drying stage requires careful attention because clay that is too dry or too wet will not produce good pottery. Depending on the type of product, artisans mold the clay into different shapes. Typically, to make jars, pots, and vases, artisans mold the clay into long, round pieces that are easier to assemble on the pottery wheel.

In recent years, the demand for ceramic jars, pots, and vases for wine storage has increased significantly because ceramic vessels can help eliminate toxins from the wine, reducing its alcohol content and making it safer for consumption. As a result, Gia Thuy pottery craft has seen a surge in production. Even year-round production facilities are unable to keep up with market demand.

According to artisan Nguyen Thi Mai, at every stage of pottery making, artisans infuse their souls into the seemingly lifeless clumps of clay to create complete and soulful ceramic products. Whether making everyday utility items or art pieces, artisans must have a passion and dedication to their craft.

Vân Village Liquor, made from glutinous rice and yellow flowers, has long been renowned as the most famous 'nectar' in Kinh Bac region, known as the royal liquor as it was presented to the kings. Although the distillers in Vân Village also produce many types of liquor from various ingredients such as rice, cassava, or other materials, the liquor fermented and distilled from glutinous rice and yellow flowers is the most valuable product.

The craft of distilling liquor in Vân Village has a history of hundreds of years with secret recipes passed down from generation to generation. Although nowadays liquor is not made for tribute anymore, with its widespread reputation, the Vân Village Liquor brand in Bac Giang is enough to captivate liquor enthusiasts.

To produce Vân Village Liquor from glutinous rice and yellow flowers, every step, from selecting glutinous rice, choosing yeast, fermenting liquor, distillation, etc., is carried out meticulously. The secret of this liquor lies in the unique yeast strain found only in Vân Village. Despite being time-consuming, the process of making Vân Village Liquor will provide enthusiasts of this royal liquor with a deeply regal sensation when enjoying it.

In the current market mechanism, competition has become fierce. However, with its famous and quality-verified brand, Vân Bac Giang Liquor still holds a strong position in both domestic and international markets. Wherever liquor is produced, it is consumed. Across the country, in restaurants, hotels, small eateries... everywhere you can find the presence of Vân Bac Giang Liquor.

Located about 40 km from Hanoi, Cao Thon Incense Craft Village in Bao Khe commune, Hung Yen city, Hung Yen province, is one of the largest incense-making villages in the country.

Cao Thon Village, also known by its original name Thon Cao, is situated near the levee of the Red River with a peaceful landscape. It is considered the cradle of traditional incense making in Vietnam. According to the elderly, the incense-making craft was passed down by Ms. Dao Thi Khuong, a resident of Cao Thon. She is revered as the founding ancestor of the incense craft in the region and is currently worshipped at the ancestral temple of the Dao family in Cao Thon Village.

Incense making in Cao Thon operates year-round, providing employment for 600 workers in the village and surrounding areas. The craft does not discriminate against labor, so all idle labor can participate in production. The incense output of the entire village reaches approximately 10 million sticks per year.

As a longstanding traditional craft village, in recent years, Cao Thon has become a must-visit destination in the travel itinerary of tourists near and far to Hung Yen province. Here, visitors can experience many exciting activities. Mr. Nguyen Nhu Khanh said: 'Recently, there was a group of British tourists visiting here. I personally led the group to introduce them to the production process, and they visited some households. They enjoyed watching the production process, participating in making incense sticks. In addition, the village has a beautiful community area, clean and beautiful streets, and ancient temples and pagodas have preserved the landscape of the past, so the groups really enjoy it. Many more foreign tourist groups will come to visit the village.'

About 20 kilometers from the center of the capital city lies Cuda Village, Thanh Oai, Hanoi. It is not only known as a unique cultural space, where many ancient houses with intact Vietnamese architectural style in the Red River Delta region are still preserved, but also renowned as the largest vermicelli producing village in the Northern region. Cuda Village is famous for its traditional vermicelli and tofu making craft. Nearly 400 households rely on these two crafts for their livelihood.

According to many elders in Cuda, the vermicelli making craft from arrowroot in Cuda has been around for 'seventy to eighty years'. Cuda vermicelli is easily recognizable by its shiny yellow or smooth white color; when cooked, it has a delicious, crispy, and chewy texture that is very satisfying. Especially, the vermicelli strands do not swell or break when someone accidentally cooks them for too long on the stove.

Returning to Cuda Village on sunny days, not only traders come to collect goods but also photographers, tourists... They come to Cuda Village to capture the wonderful moments of golden shiny vermicelli threads being woven under the newly released sunlight on the drying racks, on the stands against the walls, in the yards of ancient houses that are hundreds of years old.

Kieu Ky is a village located in the Red River delta region. In the past, the people of Kieu Ky engaged in rice cultivation and, as a side job, silver leaf gilding during leisure time. Nowadays, due to societal development demands, silver and gold leaf gilding has become the main occupation, providing the primary income for most households in the village.

In recent years, the craft of silver and gold leaf gilding in Kieu Ky village has evolved into two types: Traditional silver and gold leaf gilding, and modern silver and gold leaf gilding. Traditional gilding is made from real silver, while modern gilding is made from tin. Gilding gold is much more difficult and involves many more steps than silver gilding, so not every household can do it. Currently, only a few families still engage in gold leaf gilding, while there are hundreds of households involved in silver leaf gilding. Most of the silver leaf gilders are artisans who have been trained by Le Ba Trung and Le Van Vong.

Especially to preserve and develop the craft, these two artisans still organize training classes for young people in the village, sponsored by the Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade and the Hanoi Agricultural Promotion Center. Thanks to these efforts, the traditional craft of Kieu Ky village has been passed down to this day.

Van Lam village in Ninh Hai commune, Hoa Lu district, Ninh Binh province is considered the most prosperous place, gathering the essence of the traditional lace embroidery craft with skilled artisans recognized by the Vietnam Association of Traditional Crafts Villages. Over centuries, the local people have preserved and developed this traditional craft with intricately embroidered handmade products serving domestic and export consumption.

As a craft village within the Cultural and Natural Heritage of Trang An, right at the Tam Coc - Bich Dong Tourist Area, Van Lam has favorable conditions to bring the cultural essence of the craft village as well as its traditional products closer to international tourists and friends.

Previously, the people of Van Lam village specialized in embroidering products for rituals and cultural ceremonies, especially in festivals: costumes and accessories for ceremonial teams; banners and flags in temples and shrines all have contributions and creative touches of Van Lam village embroiderers. Despite the ups and downs of time, the people of Van Lam village remain steadfastly attached to their craft, making new breakthroughs in their designs and products. From merely embroidering ritual items in religious institutions, the artisans of Van Lam have innovated and created new types of products: embroidered tablecloths, napkins to serve the diverse daily needs of all social classes.

Today, the Van Lam embroidered lace craft village specializes in producing various interior decoration items for daily life: curtains, tablecloths, napkins, bedding covers, pillows, and fashionable clothing. Many Van Lam families have innovated new product types, meeting the demands of customers such as embroidered paintings: pine trees, chrysanthemums, bamboo, apricot blossoms, landscapes, longevity paintings, or animal paintings. Nowadays, Van Lam's embroidered lace products are present both domestically and internationally. For many years, the quantity of goods exported to these countries has been larger than those consumed domestically.