HÀ NỘI — Amid Việt Nam’s push to redefine progress beyond pure GDP growth, the Politburo’s Resolution 80-NQ/TW delivers a sharp message that culture is no longer a sidekick, but must lead and shape national development.

In this shift, traditional handicraft villages, once dismissed as sleepy relics of the past, are suddenly emerging as powerful sources of life and energy. Through the skilled hands of artisans, Vietnamese culture is being preserved, spread, and kept very much alive. Craft villages are no longer just heritage to be protected, but are becoming serious players in the cultural economy. Every handcrafted item carries not only practical use but also deep stories, emotion, and national identity. When tradition meets innovation, these villages embark on a new path of integration and sustainable growth.

People’s Artist Vương Duy Biên, Chairman of the Việt Nam Association for Cultural Industries Development, said Vietnamese craft villages are incredibly rich and diverse, with a huge range of handicrafts. Importantly, they have held onto the very core of national cultural identity. Artisans are eager to learn, highly creative, and extremely skilful, always pushing to make every product more refined.

“Resolution 80-NQ/TW has come at exactly the right time,” he noted. “Development now needs cultural identity and strength to fuel real growth. Culture today must go beyond being just spiritual and become a serious economic sector that actually generates real economic value”.

Hương Canh pottery: Revival from memory

Phú Thọ Province preserves and upholds the value of Hương Canh pottery. — VNA/VNS Photo

Hương Canh pottery in Bình Nguyên Commune, the northern province of Phú Thọ, tells a powerful story of comeback where old memories are being awakened, and creativity is springing straight from tradition.

Once on the brink of dying out because of cheap industrial products, Hương Canh pottery is fighting its way back with a smart new approach. Artisans are not only returning to the old craft but reinventing how it’s done. Traditional jars and containers still keep their classic techniques, but they’re being redesigned in shape, glaze, and function to fit modern homes. Pottery has moved far beyond everyday use into decoration, fine art, and even architecture.

At the same time, young artisans are injecting fresh design ideas and bold creativity, giving the craft a stronger identity. Exhibitions, better marketing, and stronger market connections are being ramped up to bring the products to more customers. From a 300-year-old village that was almost forgotten, Hương Canh is steadily reviving, not just to survive, but to thrive on its cultural value.

Sculptor and painter Nguyễn Hồng Quang, a native of Hương Canh, said innovation is the only way to survive. Adapting pottery to modern tastes means listening closely to the market and improving design and looks. “I carry two streams inside me,” he said. “The artisan heritage passed down from my ancestors, and the artist’s training in fine arts and Vietnamese cultural essence. I pick the best of both and seize every opportunity from peers, organisations, and local support to grow both my workshop and the whole village.”

Bát Tràng: A flame that never fades

Creating distinctive and impressive pieces requires Bát Tràng ceramic artisans to exercise meticulous care at every stage of the process. — VNA/VNS Photo

If Hương Canh is about revival, Bát Tràng is proof that some flames never die; they only burn brighter with time.

For centuries, Bát Tràng has kept its traditional techniques alive while constantly updating to market demands. Artisans have moved away from pure mass production toward a more creative mindset, focusing on design, quality, and variety. From simple bowls and teapots to high-end artistic ceramics, every piece shows meticulous craftsmanship and distinctive identity.

Bát Tràng’s real power comes from linking culture with cold, hard cash. The village isn’t just a production hub but also a cultural tourism hotspot where visitors can try making pottery themselves. This clever mix is opening up new markets and taking Vietnamese ceramics to the world. Bát Tràng products are now exported to Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Europe, raking in serious revenue.

Today, the village in Hà Nội's Bát Tràng Commune boasts nearly 200 enterprises and around 1,000 production households, providing jobs for thousands of workers with average annual incomes of VNĐ87–90 million (US$3,300 – 3,400) per person.

Its push to innovate has even earned global recognition. In 2025, Bát Tràng pottery village, together with Vạn Phúc silk village, became the first Vietnamese craft villages to join the Global Network of Creative Craft Cities.

Kiêu Kỵ – Ambition to keep essence of gold leaf craft

Drawing on the unique heritage of Vietnam’s only gold and silver leaf craft village, Kiêu Kỵ artisans blend traditional handcraft techniques with refined design to create works that affirm the enduring vitality of cultural heritage in modern life. — VNA/VNS Photo

Kiêu Kỵ is the only village in Việt Nam that specialises in gold leaf production, a delicate craft deeply tied to cultural and spiritual architecture. Each ultra-thin sheet of gold requires incredible skill and generations of know-how. Its true value lies not just in its shine and thinness, but in the “soul” of the craft itself.

With more than 300 years of history, Kiêu Kỵ still has dozens of households fiercely committed to keeping the tradition alive. Despite heavy competition from cheap imports, the village refuses to cut corners, sticking to quality, tradition, and unique beauty. That stubbornness is exactly why it’s still thriving.

These days, Kiêu Kỵ village in Hà Nội's Gia Lâm Commune is evolving by bringing gold leaf into interior design, fine arts, and high-end gifts. The younger generation is taking the lead, driving the craft into larger markets. Gold leaf now goes far beyond traditional worship items, inspiring a wider range of products and providing steady jobs, with workers earning an average of about VNĐ10 million per month.

Notably, Kiêu Kỵ’s gold leaf craft was recognised as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage in October 2023, giving the village new momentum to protect and grow the tradition.

Việt Nam now has around 5,400 craft villages, including about 2,000 traditional ones. These villages employ roughly 11 million workers, making up about 30 per cent of the rural and mountainous workforce. Their products are shipped to more than 160 countries and generate over 2 billion USD in export revenue every year.

These craft villages are no longer just keepers of the past; they’re becoming trailblazers for the future, where culture turns into a real engine of sustainable development and helps Việt Nam stand out in an increasingly globalised world. — VNA/VNS