|
• Ceramic:
 |
| Ceramic |
There are many villages throughout the country that
produce ceramics. Some of these villages include Phu
Lang in
Bac
Ninh
Province,
Huong Canh in
Vinh
Phuc
Province,
Lo Chum in
Thanh
Hoa
Province,
Thanh Ha in Hoi An (Quang
Nam
Province),
and Bien Hoa in
Dong
Nai
Province.
Bat
Trang
Ceramic
Village
(Hanoi)
is very old. According to historical documents, products
from this village were well known as far back as the 15th
century.
Vietnamese ceramic is now well known in both the
domestic and international markets. Traditional products
include kitchen items and trays. The flower-patterned
bowls of Bat Trang have been exported to
Sweden,
the cucumber pots to
Russia,
and the teapots to
France.
• Bamboo products:
 |
| Bamboo products |
Bamboo and rattan (tre, may, and
song) are abundant sources of material used by
Vietnamese handicraftsmen. The advantages of these
products are that they are light, durable, and termite
resistant.
Bamboo and rattan products from
Vietnam
first appeared on the world market at a
Paris
fair in 1931. Since then, more than 200 items made from
these materials are sold overseas. Among the most
popular are baskets, flower pots, lampshades, and
bookshelves.
•
Lacquerware:
 |
| Lacquer painting |
Lacquerware is really typical to
Vietnam,
although it also exists in other Asian countries. It is
said that the resin extracted from the trees in Phu Tho
Province is the best one. As such, the lacquerware
products made in
Vietnam
are very beautiful and durable.
As early as the 18th century, people in Nam Ngu District
in Thang Long (Hanoi)
specialised in making lacquerware products. In its early
stages of development, lacquerware contained only four
colours: black, red, yellow, and brown. However, due to
improvements in technologies in later years, additional
pigment colours were made, therein, creating a wider
range of lacquer colours.
Currently, Vietnamese made lacquerware products are
essential in both the domestic and foreign markets. The
renowned products include wall paintings, flower vases,
jewellery boxes, trays, chessboards, and folding
screens.
•
Mother-of-pearl Inlaying:
Craftsmen performing inlaying use different types of
oyster shells and pearls, which offer a wide array of
colours. This art form requires a lot of effort as the
process of inlaying involves numerous stages, including
designing, grinding, cutting, carving, chiselling, and
polishing.
Inlaying is widely used in the furniture industry to
make tables, desks, chairs, picture frames, and trays
that portray various ancient tales. These tales are
displayed as scenes of nature, such as birds,
butterflies, lotus ponds, and banana trees.
The process of inlaying furniture has increased the
value of wooden articles. According to legend, this
handicraft originated in the
Chuon
Village
in Ha Tay Province.
•
Stone Sculpture:
Most of the traditional sculptures are made in
Danang
Province,
more specifically near
Ngu
Hanh
Son
Mountain
located between Quan Khai and Hoa Khe villages.
Sculptors use marble to carve various articles of high
value, including bracelets, ash-trays, Buddha statues,
ornamental flowers, leaves and trees, and animal
statues, such as cats and peacocks.
•
Embroidery:
 |
| Embroidering painting |
In the past, embroidery was mainly reserved for the
benefit of the upper class, temples, and pagodas. The
technique of this art form was rather simple, and it
involved only five colours of thread: yellow, red,
green, violet, and blue.
Presently, embroidered goods serve both useful and
decorative purposes. New technologies have helped to
produce new materials, such as white cloth, lampshades,
and lace. As a result, the embroidery industry has
developed and there is now a wide range of new products
including pillowcases, bed sheets, and kimonos. The most
skilled type of embroidery is the production of
portraits, which requires using up to 60 different
colours of thread.
It is believed that embroidery originated in
Quat
Dong
Village
in Ha Tay Province.
•
Jewellery:
 |
| Jewellery |
As soon as the 2nd century, the Vietnamese
were using gold and silver to create jewellery. There
are three different techniques used to make gold and
silver jewellery, including intricate carving, casting,
which is the process of melting metal and pouring it
into flower, lead, or bird shaped moulds, and common
processing, which is a process of polishing metal.
These three techniques can be combined to make intricate
pieces of jewellery. Because of the flexibility of the
raw materials, the colour of gold, and the brightness of
silver, beautiful necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings,
trays, and cups are created.
It is said that gold work originated in
Dinh
Cong
Village
near
Hanoi
and that silver work originated in
Dong
Xam
Village
in
Thai
Binh
Province.
•
Wood Work:
 |
| Making fine wooden articles |
Since the 1980s, the production of fine wooden articles
has experienced a strong revival. These works of art
have been much sought after in both domestic and foreign
markets. The most popular of these products are wooden
statutes and sets of wooden chairs, cabinets, and beds.
Currently, there are many companies dealing in the
production and sale of wooden items. Their skilled
employees have produced many beautiful and highly
appreciated products.
•
Copper Casting:
Copper casting is one of the most famous and enduring
traditional art forms of
Vietnam.
With the help of technology, several ancient copper
items from all over the country have been preserved.
Approximately
3,000
years ago, ancient Vietnamese discovered how to cast
copper to make brass tools, weapons, and ornaments;
therein, initiating the metal age. Some brass statues
that have been preserved serve as proof of the blooming
period of copper casting in
Vietnam.
In later years, pursuing their forefathers’ talents,
handicraftsmen created many innovative brass products
that suited the needs of society.
Some of the most famous copper pieces known today
include a series of brass drums that were cast over
centuries. As well, there are brass artefacts currently
exhibited in
Hue,
such as a bronze kettle at the
Imperial
Palace
(1659-1684), the
bronze plaque
of Thien Mu Pagoda (1677), the bell of Thien Mu Pagoda
(1710), the Nine Cannons (1803-1804), and the Nine
Dynastic Urns (1835-1837).
Today, only a few copper casting villages remain, such
as Ngu Xa
in
Hanoi,
the casting quarter near
Hue,
and Phuoc Kieu in Quang
Nam. |
