Visitors learn about lacquer products of Hạ Thái lacquer craft village at Lý Thái Tổ Monument in Hoàn Kiếm District, Hà Nội. — Photos courtesy of Hà Nội Sub-Department of Rural Development

HÀ NỘI — Hà Nội has strived to balance the development, production and preservation of traditional values at craft villages, especially those that were on the verge of falling into oblivion during the pandemic.

The capital city has the largest number of craft villages in the country with 1,350, including 308 traditional ones, contributing to the socio-economic development of the city.

However, it is facing numerous difficulties in developing the traditional craft, including the risk of falling into oblivion.

Hạ Thái lacquerware village in Duyên Thái Commune in Thường Tín District is a typical traditional craft village of Hà Nội.

Currently, there are more than 300 business households with more than 1,500 employees making lacquerware in the village.

Hạ Thái lacquer products feature unique lacquerware making methods that combine the traditional craft with modern materials and techniques, making their products outstanding among similar lacquer items compared to those made elsewhere.

Đỗ Trọng Đoàn, an artisan in Hà Thái, said the village was facing many difficulties in production and consumption of products. Limited vocational training and a shortage of skilled artisans are among the causes.

He, as well as other business households in the village, is trying to find different ways to push the sales of lacquer products.

New researches and improvements applied in Vạn Phúc silk weaving village in Hà Đông District have industrialised weaving technique and promoted the development of the craft village.

Phạm Khắc Hà, Chairman of Vạn Phúc Silk Weaving Village Association in Hà Đông District said during the surge of the COVID-19 pandemic, many enterprises and business households posted their products on social networks to offered for sale and gained initial success.

They also participated in domestic exhibitions and fairs to boost the consumption market and study the taste of customers to create new designs and patterns and product categories for local demand.

In Vạn Phúc silk village, the local authority has encouraged artisans to work with travel companies to create craft village tours for visitors. The tours have gained remarkable success with well-known tourism sites to family of artisans Nguyễn Anh Son, Nguyễn Thị Tâm or to Vạn Phúc Silk Development Joint Stock Company.

The village has also invested in upgrading local relics such as the Temple of late President Hồ Chí Minh and the Heroic Martyrs, village communal houses, and shrines associated with the silk weaving craft.

Sơn Đồng craft village in Hoài Đức District is well known for sculpting Buddha statues and making worshiping objects. It is a symbol of the quintessence of traditional fine arts, contributing to preserving the spiritual life.

Hoàng Quốc Chính, Chairman of Đa Sỹ Craft Village Association in Hà Đông District, said the traditional forging profession in Đa Sỹ boasted a history of ups and downs from the late 16th century.

After the struggle for national liberation, the village developed and played an important role in social life.

In the 2020-25 period, Hà Đông District creates favorable conditions for Đa Sỹ forging village to develop production associated with preserving product brands and local cultural identities.

Hà Nội focuses on preserving seven craft villages, including Phú Vinh bamboo and rattan craft village in Chương Mỹ District.

Nguyễn Văn Chí, Director of the city’s Sub-Department of Rural Development, said that in recent years, Hà Nội has paid great attention to the development of craft villages.

The city has allocated resources to train human resources for the development of craft villages annually. It has also issued a plan on preservation and development of rural craft villages in the capital city for the 2022-25 period.

Under the plan, the city would focus on reviewing, perfecting the policy of preservation and development of professions; preserving and developing craft villages and new occupations; training human resources in craft villages; strengthening environmental protection in craft villages; and promoting brand names associated with product development.

Chí said Hà Nội would collect, preserve and store documents on the value of traditional craft villages, support the construction of galleries, craft museums, handicraft villages, or traditional craft performance areas, and build handicraft trade promotion centers.

The city would prioritise seven craft villages: Ngọ mosaic craft village in Phú Xuyên District, Hà Thái lacquerware craft village in Thường Tín District, Phú Vinh bamboo and rattan craft village in Chương Mỹ District, Sơn Đồng fine art sculpture in Hoài Đức District, Vạn Phúc silk weaving village in Hà Đông District, Bát Tràng ceramics in Gia Lâm District, and Thiết Úng fine art wood in Đông Anh District.

One of the new features in preserving and developing Hà Nội's traditional craft villages is the construction of galleries, craft museums, handicraft villages, and traditional craft performance areas.

The city will support the application of advanced technologies to production activities at craft villages, especially craft village with unique and distinctive culture, traditional quintessence.

In terms of human resource development for 2022 - 2025, Hà Nội will strengthen vocational training for young workers, and have supporting policies to maintain and develop a team of artisans in craft villages that are on the verge of oblivion. — VNS