VI
EN
The Master is still there.
As a photographer currently working in Hanoi, Nguyen Hong Son has long harbored a project to document Vietnam's traditional craft villages. Recently, he had the opportunity to visit Thu Sy basket weaving village to learn about the traditional craft at the home of Mr. Luong Son Bac, a man who has dedicated his entire life to the profession.
Located about 60 km from Hanoi, Thu Sy commune in Tien Lu district, Hung Yen province, possesses the simple beauty of a peaceful and tranquil Northern Vietnamese village.
This traditional craft village is over 200 years old.
This is the old house of the Luong Son Bac family, who dedicated their entire lives to the craft of basket weaving.
“Recently, I’ve wanted to photograph traditional Vietnamese craft villages because they evoke nostalgic feelings of childhood. I hope to preserve these images to help promote Vietnamese craft villages to domestic and international tourists. From there, these villages can develop further in the tourism sector, helping local people earn more income and preserve their traditional crafts,” Hong Son shared.
Visiting the old house of the Luong Son Bac family, the photographer encountered the image of the elderly couple sitting on the porch, their hands busily weaving baskets. Their lively conversations and laughter blended with the sounds of splitting bamboo, creating a warm and affectionate atmosphere.
An aerial view of the weaving loom.
The artisan meticulously weaves the basket.
The spacious courtyard in front of the house bustled with the sounds of basket weaving, with rows of bamboo poles, strips, and finished baskets neatly stacked. This scene added vitality to the rural landscape and captivated anyone who had ever set foot here.
Witnessing the nimble and skillful hands of the artisans as they wove baskets, Nguyen Hong Son couldn't help but admire them: "I was truly impressed by the image of the artisans meticulously and carefully weaving baskets. Amidst heartfelt conversations about life, they still retained their initial joy for this traditional weaving craft."
A peaceful rural landscape
The nimble, skillful hands of the artisans
From skillful hands to exquisite products.
Through the sharing of the artisans, the photographer discovered the meticulous and elaborate journey of the bamboo weaving craft. To create durable and beautiful products, the artisans must carefully select materials from mature bamboo and rattan. In addition, the bamboo weaving technique also requires skill and the harmonious coordination of many steps.
In the Luong Son Bac family, each person has a specific role in creating these baskets. Some meticulously split bamboo, others carefully whittle reeds, preparing the materials for the weaving process. The technique of basket weaving not only requires skill and meticulousness, but also patience, diligence, and a love for the craft to create a refined and durable product. Each finished basket is the culmination of the village's cultural values and the hard work of the local people.
Products made from bamboo and rattan are very popular.
The product is exported abroad.
After preparing the materials, the bamboo strips are woven starting from the mouth section, followed by weaving the rim, the edge, and finally the tail. Each step requires meticulousness and high precision to ensure the durability and aesthetic appeal of the product. After completion, the baskets are air-dried in the kitchen attic to increase their durability.
This type of fish trap has a rather distinctive shape: oval, with a pointed tail, a small round mouth, and a lid that serves as a small opening. To weave this type of trap, the craftsman must use thin bamboo strips to ensure that the fish do not escape and to ensure the durability of the product. Compared to other types of traps such as flat traps, basket traps, and bottom traps, the weaving process of this trap is more complex and requires more skill.
That knitting technique requires skill.
The craftsman must use small slats to ensure that the fish do not get caught and to maintain the product's durability.
Speaking about his photo series of the traditional basket weaving villages in Hung Yen, photographer Nguyen Hong Son shared: “I poured all my heart into these photos because, deep down, I want traditional craft villages like these to be preserved and developed forever. The beauty of the artisans diligently working, the beauty of the exquisite handcrafted products, is something very difficult to find in modern life.”
That piece embodies the craftsman's love for his profession.
That's the "new era".
As time flows relentlessly and society develops, people's lifestyles and production methods gradually change. Many traditional fishing tools, such as baskets, are no longer widely used and have been replaced by modern fishing methods. However, in Thu Sy basket-weaving village, the people have breathed new life into these baskets, transforming them into unique works of art that bear the distinct mark of rural culture.
From simple and familiar baskets, the people of Thu Sy have created diverse products to meet the increasingly sophisticated aesthetic demands of the market. These meticulously and delicately woven baskets, in various sizes and styles, have become unique decorative items for the interiors of restaurants and cafes, bringing a rustic atmosphere close to nature.
That bicycle was loaded.
Unique works of art bearing the distinctive mark of rural village culture.
