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In Cao Bang, traditional craft villages have existed for a very long time; the people still preserve and are passionate about their crafts despite the development of mass production technology and the availability of many alternative products. Although there have been times when they faced the risk of disappearing and being lost, the handcrafted products from these villages, thanks to their unique characteristics, still hold a special place in the market, are maintained, and are cherished.
Dao Tien ethnic group's brocade embroidery workshop
No one knows exactly when the art of brocade weaving originated, but it is known that the brocade fabrics they weave have long been famous for their beautiful patterns, reflecting the unique characteristics of the Dao ethnic group. According to ancient customs, Dao girls must learn embroidery and sewing before getting married so they can weave their own wedding dresses.
The art of beeswax embroidery on brocade fabric is a meticulous process. The main materials for weaving brocade are jute, flax, and indigo fibers, which the local people grow, spin, weave, and dye themselves. The beeswax printing process is also very rigorous. Women place the white fabric to be printed on a flat surface and use a grinding stone to smooth it. Then, they use a bamboo stick dipped in heated beeswax to draw the pattern onto the fabric. Therefore, although they are all beeswax-printed fabrics, because they are entirely handmade, no two pieces are exactly alike. Brocade embroidery and beeswax-printed products are mainly used to make clothes, scarves, and household items such as blankets, pillows, and baby carriers.
However, with the development of the times, ready-made clothes are readily available; if you want a new outfit, you just go to a store and buy it, which is both cheap and quick. As a result, spending so much time and effort sewing a traditional outfit is becoming increasingly rare in the Dao Tien community.Faced with the risk of the traditional brocade weaving craft fading away, the local government and people have made many efforts to restore this beautiful tradition. A Dao Tien woman told me that in the past, every household in the village dyed their own fabric and used beeswax to draw designs. Now, most of them work in the embroidery workshop, which is not only a cooperative but also a tourist attraction drawing many domestic and international visitors. The brocade fabrics are no longer just clothing for Dao women, but have become valuable souvenirs for many tourists. They buy brocade shirts, bags, and some even buy the designs to contribute to the creation of internationally acclaimed fashion products.
- Address: Hoa Tham commune, Nguyen Binh district
Phia Thap incense village
Phia Thap village has a traditional incense-making craft. It is also primarily inhabited by the Nung ethnic group. Phia Thap incense is made entirely from natural materials found in the limestone mountainous region: the mai tree (called "may muoi" in the Tay language) for the stick, rice tree bark, sawdust, and especially the leaves of the bầu hát tree – a type of forest leaf used as a binder. The incense base is made from long-jointed mai bamboo or mai tree. The mai tree sticks are split and whittled into sections about 40 cm long, then dipped in water mixed with powdered bầu hát leaves to create a binder. Afterward, the sticks are coated four times with a mixture of bầu hát leaf powder, chopped rice tree bark, and sawdust to form the incense stick. The sticks must be quickly shaken to ensure the powder adheres well and the stick is perfectly round.
The process of splitting the bamboo is done manually by hand, ensuring that the incense sticks are whittled into small, evenly rounded pieces.
The incense of the Nung An people is not dried in ovens, but naturally sun-dried. Corners of yards, walls, and even rice fields are all utilized for drying incense. When the sun comes out, bundles of round incense sticks can be seen drying in the yards of houses everywhere in Phia Thap incense village... After drying, the base of the finished incense sticks is dyed red and bundled into bunches of 20. Everyone can participate in the production and sell the incense at market days or to serve tourists visiting spiritual sites.
The incense products from Phia Thap village are not only served by the Nung An people but are also favored by many other ethnic groups and have become a commodity found in markets and fairs throughout the province due to their distinctive, pleasant aroma and guaranteed safety as they are made from natural ingredients.
Corners of the yard, walls, and even rice paddies are all utilized for drying incense.
Incense making not only provides income for the people of Phia Thap village, but it also contributes to preserving a traditional craft deeply rooted in the ethnic identity of the Nung An people. Because Vietnamese people never go without burning incense, the craft of incense making will never disappear. Especially in recent years, Phia Thap has begun developing community tourism, welcoming visitors from all over to relax, learn about the lives of the locals, and experience incense making amidst the lush greenery of the small village nestled on the mountainside.
- Address: Located at the foot of Pha Hung mountain, Quoc Dan commune, Quang Uyen district.
Pac Rang Blacksmith Village
The blacksmith village of Pac Rang has existed for about 500 years. The people living here are mainly Nung An ethnic minorities, most of whom are blacksmiths. Pac Rang's forged products mainly serve production and are partly used for trading other essential goods, but because of the high quality of the products, the village's reputation has gradually spread, and people from many neighboring areas have come to place orders.Although the products here are not visually appealing and are priced three times higher than similar products from China, everything produced sells out as soon as it's made.
Most households in Pac Rang are blacksmiths.
To create a complete knife involves many steps, but there are four main stages: cutting and hammering the steel into a predetermined shape, steel hardening, steel tempering, and finishing. Of these, the steel hardening and steel tempering processes are the two main stages that create the famous Pac Rang knife brand. Steel hardening is the process of heating, maintaining the temperature, and rapidly cooling the steel to increase the hardness and wear resistance of the knife, thus increasing its durability. Steel tempering is the method of heating hardened steel below a certain temperature limit; only skilled craftsmen can recognize this limit by looking at the red color of the steel in the furnace, then maintaining the temperature for a period of time before cooling.
Besides visiting blacksmithing households, tourists also have the opportunity to experience community tourism in Pac Rang village, where there is an inexhaustible water source and a pristine forest creating a peaceful ecological landscape…
- Address: Phuc Sen commune, Quang Uyen district, located along National Highway 3 leading to Ta Lung international border gate, approximately 30 km northeast of Cao Bang city.
Conclusion
To reach these traditional craft villages, visitors can take a taxi, bus, or motorbike. Most of the communes with traditional craft villages are located along the route to the Ban Gioc Waterfall eco-tourism area, the Ta Lung Border Gate Economic Zone, and near the Thang Hen Lake eco-tourism area. The beautiful natural scenery, friendly people, and well-preserved traditional cultural features will surely offer visitors a unique experience, perfect for weekend getaways and explorations.
The people of Cao Bang are very friendly, and many distinctive traditional cultural features are still preserved.
Currently, most traditional craft villages in Cao Bang welcome tourists who come to visit, take photos, and experience the simple, rustic life in homestays with local families. Although they may not have all the modern amenities, this is truly a wonderful opportunity for tourists to experience the life of the local people.
The white horse serves tourists at Ban Gioc Waterfall.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
- The journey: Cao Bang is approximately 280 km from Hanoi. From Hanoi, you can take National Highway 3, passing through Thai Nguyen and Bac Kan to reach Cao Bang, or take the route National Highway 1 - Lang Son - National Highway 4 - That Khe, Dong Khe - Cao Bang. You can also buy bus tickets to Cao Bang at bus stations in these provinces. If traveling by private vehicle (motorcycle, car), you need to pay attention to safety: brakes, tires, chain, etc., and carry all necessary documents. You should bring some common repair tools as the road from Cao Bang city to Ban Gioc is quite difficult.
- Timing: Cao Bang has its own unique beauty in every season. However, the best time to visit Cao Bang is in August and September when Ban Gioc Waterfall cascades with clear blue water, and the rice fields turn golden yellow; and in November and December when buckwheat and wild sunflowers bloom throughout the mountains and forests.
- Accommodation: Cao Bang offers a wide variety of guesthouses, hotels, and resorts. You can choose to book a room at homestays, guesthouses, or budget hotels priced from 200,000 to 600,000 VND per night, or at Ban Gioc Riverside Resort starting from 1,000,000 VND per night.
- Cuisine: Roast duck, roast pork with star anise leaves, smoked sausage, dried beef, fried fish from the Gâm River, Ban Gioc fragrant fish, fern shoots, bamboo shoots, sticky rice with persimmons, sour pho, Trung Khanh chestnuts, ant egg cake, rice rolls, and rice flour cakes... are dishes you shouldn't miss.
