HANOI'S HANDICRAFT VILLAGE

Location: In Ba Dinh District, Hanoi.
Characteristic: The village of Ngu Xa appears as a small peninsula near the Truc Bach Lake. It‘s where many sophisticated bronze products were produced for the needs of the ancient capital of Thang Long.
An old saying in Hanoi goes "Glossy silk of Yen Thai, pottery of Bat Trang, goldsmith of Dinh Cong, bronze-caster of Ngu Xa".
Ngu Xa means five villages. According to history, during the Le Dynasty (1428 - 1527), Despite living in the capital, the bronze casters of Ngu Xa always maintained their rural practices, building a pagoda for their Buddhist worship and a communal house dedicated to the originator of bronze casting, Bonze Khong Lo.
Ngu Xa really represents the talent of Vietnamese bronze casters. Their products over the last 500 years have become outstanding masterpieces of national art.

Location: Dinh Cong Jewelry Village is located on the To Lich river bank is Dinh Cong Thuong Village, also called Dinh Cong kim hoan (Jewelry). It belongs to the present Thanh Tri District, Hanoi.
Characteristic: The name of the village shows us it is already famous for jewelry handicraft.
The Dinh Cong Jewelers used to relate the following story: during the Ly Nam De period (571 - 603), in the To Lich River area, there were three orphan brothers of the Tran family called Tran Hoa, Tran Dien and Tran Dien, who originated from Dinh Cong Village. After a period of exile in the war, they learned jewelry making and came back to their native village and opened a jewelry shop called "Kim Hoan", taking the gold bracelet as their trade mark. The jewelry they made was very sophisticated. As their prestige became more well-known, the king got the three brothers to come to the royal court to make jewelry. The brothers taught people in their village the profession. Since then, Dinh Cong Village has been renowned for its jewelry, the skills being handed down from generation to generation. Besides the Dinh Cong Village, Hang Bac Street in the very heart of Hanoi is an area for jewellers originating from Dinh Cong Village.

Location : Gia Lam Dist,
Characteristic: Bat Trang Pottery Village is far from Hanoi 20km, appeared quite early in Vietnam, Bat Trang is a suburban village, situated on the left bank of the Red River in Hanoi, famous for its hand-made pottery and china products made of special white clay, with polished, profound and silky glazes and original designs.
Nowadays, Bat trang is always bustling with production, goods exchange and tourists.

Location : Dong Ho Village is far from Hanoi 25km, famous for its folk paintings drawn by craftsmen of Dong Ho village in Bac Ninh province.
Charactetistic: They are drawn on do paper with natural colours taken from half-baked bricks, tree leaves, powder of grinded burned tree – roots and back- ground made from a mixture of lime ( taken from burned arca shells)and resin. The traditional paintings reflect aspiration of people for peace, prosperity and happiness. In the old day, whenever Lunar New Year came, a painting market took place at Dong Ho’s communual house and visitors from many regions came here to revel in art works.

Location : Located approximetely 4km from the town of Son Tay, Ha Tay province.
Charactetistic: This small hamlet was the homeland of Emperors Phung Hung and Ngo Quyen. Two temples, Hum and Guom Hills, are dedicated to both monarchs. They are located near the site where the Kings practised their martial arts and kept their elephants and horses. Visitors can see directly many ancient houses 400 years ago here.

Location : Van Diem belongs to Thuong Tin District, 20km South from Hanoi.
Charactetistic: It is an area of longstanding traditional woodwork trade, with wood carved products of high quality. This carpentry in Van Diem came into existance in the still unknown, may be it is because of life requirement people of van Dien learn this profession from somewhere else and then impart to each other.
As time, when by Van Dien people with their skillfull hand and traditional know how has brought the carpentry to a very hight grow lever, they suplier hight quality produce with good aesthetic value which well meet the country demand as well as that of foreign countries.

Location : In the area Chuong My District, 35 km from Hanoi.
Charactetistic: Phu Vinh is called rattan region, by traditional bamboo and rattan trade. From raw materials such as Vietnam available rattan, bamboo and forest strings turn into goods of both use and aesthetic values like rattan bed, wardrobe, base, flower vase, basket,ect. By skillful hands of craftmen.

Location : 11 km from Hanoi, in Ha Dong township, lying by dreamlike Nhue Giang river, Charactetistic: Van Phuc is a vilage where owns traditional silk weaving trade which become famous all over the world. It is said that silk weaving trade here dated back over 1000 years ( 8th century) its products are most diversified in models and have high as made by traditional technology preserve and develop from generation to generation.

Location Lai Xa village, Hoai Duc district Ha Tay province
Charactetistic: The photographic occupation has existed in, for more than 100 years. The locality has recently been recognised the traditional photographic village.
Lai Xa is one of the four villages of Kim Chung commune, Hoai Duc district, Ha Tay province, about 15 km northwest of Hanoi centre.
For over 111 years, many people in Lai Xa followed the occupation of old man Khanh Ky. Forty percent of the labourers in the village work in the photographic occupation.
On July 9, 2003, the Ha Tay province’s People’s Committee issued a Decision to recognise the traditional photographic occupation of Lai Xa village.
On October 25, 2003, the locality held a meeting to receive this noble title.