One of the products that many foreign tourists are interested in and love when coming to Ninh Binh is the products made from traditional lace embroidery, which is strongly developed in Ninh Hai commune, Hoa Lu district. This is a traditional craft that requires sophistication, high technique and meticulousness, and love of the job of the embroiderers. There was a period when the lace embroidery profession was not prosperous, but in recent years, the lace embroidery profession has been restored, becoming a unique tourist product and exporting to European markets quite favorably.
Currently, the lace embroidery products of Van Lam traditional lace embroidery village are quite diverse and rich in types, with many designs and models, from white embroidery, artistic colored embroidery to lace products with high techniques and aesthetics, made by talented artisans who love their job and work hard. Through many ups and downs, Van Lam people still preserve the soul of their homeland's traditional craft, creating unique and characteristic products that few places can match.
Tran Thi Van Anh, an 8th grader at Ninh Hai Secondary School (Hoa Lu), said: When I grew up, I saw my grandmother and mother always embroidering in their free time. Looking at the beautiful lace embroidery products with needles, threads, and bright colors, I loved and learned from my grandmother and mother to be able to embroider for myself flowers and pretty animals to pin on shirts, handbags, scarves, hats, etc. Proud of the lace embroidery products of my hometown, I will continue to learn and practice my craft to be able to embroider and lace high-class, beautiful products, both preserving the traditional craft and having more income in life. In particular, this is a locality with many famous beautiful landscapes such as Tam Coc, Bich Dong, Thung Nham, etc., welcoming millions of tourists to visit each year, including many foreign tourists, showing the potential for a rich tourist gift market.
Faced with that reality, the artisans of Van Lam lace embroidery village not only focus on products according to orders for domestic and export, but also focus on compact products aimed at making souvenirs and gifts for tourists. From small, beautiful, and convenient products such as decorative patterns on handbags, wallets, fashionable dresses, etc., to larger products such as sheets, decorative curtains, embroidered landscapes of famous destinations in Ninh Binh, with many sizes and shapes showing convenience, ease of transportation, suitable for the needs of people and tourists.
Ms. Adalenne, a French tourist, said: I love this place not only because of the beautiful natural scenery but also because the local people are very friendly and hospitable. The traditional embroidery products of the craft village are very beautiful. I was able to visit and be guided to work with the craftsmen. I designed and created small products myself as gifts for my friends. They were all very excited and wanted to experience the traditional culture of Van Lam embroidery craft village.
Through the ups and downs of time, the products from craft villages are still a priceless source of economic and cultural capital that our ancestors have passed down to future generations. Promoting that precious capital, in each traditional craft village today, there are people who are passionate and dedicated to preserving the craft for their homeland by establishing enterprises, cooperatives, production facilities and attaching importance to vocational training and passing on the craft, bringing benefits not only to themselves and their families but also to the community. Among them, the most prominent are the craft villages of Ninh Van stone, Kim Son sedge, Bo Bat pottery, Phuc Loc carpentry...
For example, the sedge industry has now expanded to many communes in Kim Son district, becoming the main source of income for many people and localities and an important source of income in the district's economic structure. Sedge products are currently exported to dozens of European and Asian countries, with a variety of products such as carpets, baskets, trays, boxes, plates, cups, glasses, hats, handbags, sandals... which are safe and environmentally friendly products.
For hundreds of years, sedge products have not only helped people earn more income, but have also been a source of pride affirming the position of Kim Son traditional craft village among other traditional craft villages in the province and the country.
Prof. Dr. Tu Thi Loan, Chairwoman of the Science and Training Council, Vietnam National Institute of Culture and Arts, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said that craft villages are not only places to preserve and maintain cultural and historical values, but also contribute to ensuring a stable material and spiritual life for the people, and are a resource for local socio-economic development.
In Ninh Binh, products from craft villages are considered one of the extremely valuable resources, not only developing unique tourism products with distinctive cultural features, but also providing a source of livelihood for local people. In addition to creating beautiful and valuable products, many localities have paid attention to building suitable performance and display spaces to attract tourists to craft villages. Along with that, organizations and individuals also organize tours with activities of visiting and experiencing craft villages, so that when participating in the production process, visitors can learn about the process in the manufacturing stage or can explore the traditional cultural features of the land and people where they come, helping visitors not only love the products but also appreciate and cherish the people and land they come to visit and experience.
Currently, the whole province has about 250 craft villages, of which nearly 60 are recognized as provincial-level craft villages. In particular, Ninh Binh is a land of spiritual land and talented people, with a long-standing historical and cultural tradition, including traditional crafts that are hundreds of years old such as embroidery, ceramics, stone carving, carpentry... demonstrated by archaeological artifacts excavated in different historical periods. Many artifacts still retain their sophistication and uniqueness, demonstrating the talent of the hands and minds of Ninh Binh craftsmen.
Traditional craft villages in the countryside have had ups and downs over time, changing to integrate with contemporary life. However, the souls, quintessence, and good traditional values are always respected and preserved by the people, showing pride in the spirit of labor and creativity of their ancestors, so that the products of the craft villages both carry traditional values and contribute to preserving and promoting values in contemporary life.
Article and photos: Hanh Chi
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