Dan that Thu Sy is still there
As a photographer currently working in Hanoi, Nguyen Hong Son has long cherished the project of capturing images of traditional craft villages in Vietnam. Recently, he had the opportunity to visit Thu Sy weaving village to learn about the traditional craft at the family of Mr. Luong Son Bac - who has devoted his whole life to the craft.
About 60 km from Hanoi capital, Thu Sy commune, Tien Lu district, Hung Yen province has the simple beauty of a peaceful and quiet Northern village.
The traditional weaving village is over 200 years old.
The ancient house of Mr. Luong Son Bac's family - who devoted his whole life to the weaving profession.
“Recently, I wanted to take pictures of old craft villages in Vietnam because they bring me a nostalgic feeling of my childhood. I want to preserve these images to contribute to promoting Vietnamese craft villages to domestic and foreign tourists. From there, craft villages can develop more in the tourism sector, helping people here have more income and preserve traditional crafts,” Hong Son confided.
Visiting the old house of Mr. Luong Son Bac's family, the photographer caught the image of the old man and woman sitting in front of the porch with their hands nimbly knitting. The sound of chatter and laughter echoed, mixed with the sound of splitting bamboo and reed, creating a warm and intimate atmosphere.
A bird's eye view of that weaving
The artisan meticulously weaves it.
The large yard in front of the house is bustling with the sound of weaving, bamboo stalks, bamboo strips and finished products are neatly arranged. That image adds vitality to the picture of the countryside and attracts those who have ever set foot here.
Witnessing the skillful and agile hands of the artisans while weaving, Nguyen Hong Son could not help but admire: “I am really impressed with the image of the artisans diligently weaving meticulously and carefully. Amidst the intimate stories about life, they still maintain their initial joy for this traditional weaving profession.”
Peaceful village scene
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 weaving profession. To create beautiful and durable products, the artisan must carefully select raw materials from old bamboo and rattan. In addition, the weaving technique also requires dexterity and coordination of many stages.
In the Luong Son Bac family, each person has their own role in creating those baskets. Some people meticulously split bamboo, others carefully shave the reeds, preparing the materials for the weaving process. The weaving technique not only requires dexterity and meticulousness, but to create a delicate and durable product, it also requires patience, diligence and love of the craftsman. Each basket, the finished basket is the crystallization of the cultural values of the craft village and the labor of the local people.
Products made from bamboo are very popular.
Products exported abroad.
After preparing the raw materials, the bamboo strips are woven starting from the mouth, followed by weaving the waistband, the mouth rim and finally weaving the tail. Each step requires meticulousness and high precision to ensure the durability and aesthetics of the product. After completion, the bamboo strips are dried on the kitchen shelf to increase durability.
The shape of the net is quite typical: oval, pointed tail, small round mouth and the mouth cover is a hom. To weave this type of net, the worker must use small ribs to ensure that the fish does not fall through and the product is durable. Compared to other types of nets, traps, nets, bottoms, the weaving process of this net is more complicated and requires more techniques.
That knitting technique requires skill.
Workers must use small bars to ensure the fish does not fall through and to ensure the durability of the product.
Talking about the photo series of the weaving village in Hung Yen, photographer Nguyen Hong Son shared: “I put all my heart into these photos because deep inside, I hope that traditional craft villages like this will be preserved and developed forever. The beauty of the artisans working hard, the beauty of the sophisticated handmade products is something that is very hard to find in modern life.”
That one contains the craftsman's love for his job.
It's the "new era"
As time goes by, society develops, and people gradually change their way of living and producing. Many traditional fishing tools like that are no longer widely used and have been replaced by modern fishing methods. However, in the Thu Sy fishing village, the people here have breathed life into those tools, turning them into unique works of art bearing the cultural imprint of the village.
From those simple and familiar baskets, Thu Sy people have created diverse products to meet the increasingly high aesthetic demands of the market. The baskets are meticulously and delicately woven with many different sizes and designs, becoming unique decorations for the interior space of restaurants and cafes, bringing a rustic atmosphere close to nature.
That loaded bike.
Unique art products bearing the mark of rural culture.
