• Ceramic:
 |
| Ceramic |
There are many villages throughout the
country that produce ceramics. Some of these
villages include Phu Lang in Bac Ninh
Province, Huong Canh in Vinh Phuc Province,
Lo Chum in Thanh Hoa Province, Thanh Ha in
Hoi An (Quang Nam Province), and Bien Hoa in
Dong Nai Province.
Bat Trang Ceramic Village (Hanoi) is very
old. According to historical documents,
products from this village were well known
as far back as the 15th century.
Vietnamese ceramic is now well known in both
the domestic and international markets.
Traditional products include kitchen items
and trays. The flower-patterned bowls of Bat
Trang have been exported to Sweden, the
cucumber pots to Russia, and the teapots to
France.
• Bamboo products:
 |
| Bamboo products |
Bamboo and rattan (tre, may, and
song) are abundant sources of material
used by Vietnamese handicraftsmen. The
advantages of these products are that they
are light, durable, and termite resistant.
Bamboo and rattan products from Vietnam
first appeared on the world market at a
Paris fair in 1931. Since then, more than
200 items made from these materials are sold
overseas. Among the most popular are
baskets, flower pots, lampshades, and
bookshelves.
•
Lacquerware:
 |
| Lacquer painting |
Lacquerware is really typical to Vietnam,
although it also exists in other Asian
countries. It is said that the resin
extracted from the trees in Phu Tho Province
is the best one. As such, the lacquerware
products made in Vietnam are very beautiful
and durable.
As early as the 18th century, people in Nam
Ngu District in Thang Long (Hanoi)
specialised in making lacquerware products.
In its early stages of development,
lacquerware contained only four colours:
black, red, yellow, and brown. However, due
to improvements in technologies in later
years, additional pigment colours were made,
therein, creating a wider range of lacquer
colours.
Currently, Vietnamese made lacquerware
products are essential in both the domestic
and foreign markets. The renowned products
include wall paintings, flower vases,
jewellery boxes, trays, chessboards, and
folding screens.
•
Mother-of-pearl Inlaying:
Craftsmen performing
inlaying use different types of oyster
shells and pearls, which offer a wide array
of colours. This art form requires a lot of
effort as the process of inlaying involves
numerous stages, including designing,
grinding, cutting, carving, chiselling, and
polishing.
Inlaying is widely used in the furniture
industry to make tables, desks, chairs,
picture frames, and trays that portray
various ancient tales. These tales are
displayed as scenes of nature, such as
birds, butterflies, lotus ponds, and banana
trees.
The process of inlaying furniture has
increased the value of wooden articles.
According to legend, this handicraft
originated in the Chuon
Village
in Ha Tay Province.
•
Stone Sculpture:
Most of the traditional sculptures are made
in Danang Province, more specifically near
Ngu Hanh Son Mountain located between Quan
Khai and Hoa Khe villages.
Sculptors use marble to carve various
articles of high value, including bracelets,
ash-trays, Buddha statues, ornamental
flowers, leaves and trees, and animal
statues, such as cats and peacocks.
•
Embroidery:
 |
| Embroidering
painting |
In the past, embroidery was mainly reserved
for the benefit of the upper class, temples,
and pagodas. The technique of this art form
was rather simple, and it involved only five
colours of thread: yellow, red, green,
violet, and blue.
Presently, embroidered goods serve both
useful and decorative purposes. New
technologies have helped to produce new
materials, such as white cloth, lampshades,
and lace. As a result, the embroidery
industry has developed and there is now a
wide range of new products including
pillowcases, bed sheets, and kimonos. The
most skilled type of embroidery is the
production of portraits, which requires
using up to 60 different colours of thread.
It is believed that embroidery originated in
Quat Dong Village in Ha Tay Province.
•
Jewellery:
 |
| Jewellery |
As soon as the 2nd century, the
Vietnamese were using gold and silver to
create jewellery. There are three different
techniques used to make gold and silver
jewellery, including intricate carving,
casting, which is the process of melting
metal and pouring it into flower, lead, or
bird shaped moulds, and common processing,
which is a process of polishing metal.
These three techniques can be combined to
make intricate pieces of jewellery. Because
of the flexibility of the raw materials, the
colour of gold, and the brightness of
silver, beautiful necklaces, bracelets,
earrings, rings, trays, and cups are
created.
It is said that gold work originated in Dinh
Cong Village near Hanoi and that silver work
originated in Dong Xam Village in Thai Binh
Province.
•
Wood Work:
 |
| Making fine
wooden articles |
Since the 1980s, the production of fine
wooden articles has experienced a strong
revival. These works of art have been much
sought after in both domestic and foreign
markets. The most popular of these products
are wooden statutes and sets of wooden
chairs, cabinets, and beds.
Currently, there are many companies dealing
in the production and sale of wooden items.
Their skilled employees have produced many
beautiful and highly appreciated products.
•
Copper Casting:
Copper casting is one
of the most famous and enduring traditional
art forms of Vietnam. With the help of
technology, several ancient copper items
from all over the country have been
preserved. Approximately
3,000
years ago, ancient Vietnamese discovered how
to cast copper to make brass tools, weapons,
and ornaments; therein, initiating the metal
age. Some brass statues that have been
preserved serve as proof of the blooming
period of copper casting in Vietnam. In
later years, pursuing their forefathers’
talents, handicraftsmen created many
innovative brass products that suited the
needs of society.
Some of the most famous copper pieces known
today include a series of brass drums that
were cast over centuries. As well, there are
brass artefacts currently exhibited in Hue,
such as a bronze kettle at the Imperial
Palace (1659-1684), the
bronze plaque
of Thien Mu Pagoda (1677), the bell of Thien
Mu Pagoda (1710), the Nine Cannons
(1803-1804), and the Nine Dynastic Urns
(1835-1837).
Today, only a few copper casting villages
remain, such as Ngu Xa
in
Hanoi, the casting quarter near Hue, and
Phuoc Kieu in Quang Nam.
