Meritorious artisan becomes “tourism ambassador” to promote Phung Xa weaving craft

Meritorious artist Phan Thi Thuan introduces a silk scarf made from lotus silk. Photo: Khanh Huy — Meritorious artisan Phan Thi Thuan introduces a silk scarf made from lotus silk. Photo: Khanh Huy

New craft village tourist destination

After a week, the Hanoi Department of Tourism launched a new tourist route "Discovering the Nam Thang Long heritage road" with 3 attractive destinations: Dinh Noi in Binh Da village (Binh Minh commune, Thanh Oai district), Quang Phu Cau incense village (Quang Phu Cau commune, Ung Hoa district) and Phung Xa silk weaving village, My Duc district with the excellent artisan Phan Thi Thuan, initially receiving positive signals.

According to the excellent artisan Phan Thi Thuan, her weaving workshop has just welcomed 3 domestic tourist groups to visit and learn. They are tourist groups that have been spread after the Hanoi Department of Tourism announced the new tourist route "Discovering the South Thang Long Heritage Road" (from April 12). This is truly a double joy for artisan Phan Thi Thuan, because after many years of being passionate about the weaving profession, Phung Xa weaving has now become a new tourist destination.

Previously, the weaving workshop of artisan Phan Thi Thuan in Ha village, Phung Xa commune, My Duc district, Hanoi was often a destination for many domestic and international delegations to visit and experience, especially student delegations from schools in My Duc district.

In addition to her role as a producer and workshop manager, artisan Phan Thi Thuan also serves as a tour guide, introducing the weaving homeland of Phung Xa, the process of growing mulberry, raising silkworms, growing lotus to make lotus thread, etc. The 70-year-old artisan clearly tells the story of the traditional weaving profession, from the idea of catching silkworms to spin silk to weave themselves, to the unique lotus silk weaving profession.

Phung Xa craft village was formerly known as the “capital of mulberry”, Mrs. Phan Thuan Thuan’s family has been cultivating silk and weaving silk for generations. Phung Xa silk weaving has gone through many ups and downs, the number of households keeping the craft has gradually disappeared. Determined to “revive” the traditional silk weaving profession, Mrs. Phan Thi Thuan has sought new ways and new directions.

After many years of struggling, artisan Phan Thi Thuan has found a new silk weaving method by turning silkworms into weavers to create unique silk blankets.

From this idea, artisan Phan Thi Thuan has created many high-quality blanket and pillow products. The products were quickly accepted by the market, supply could not meet demand. This novel idea won the First Prize in the 6th National Agricultural Technical Innovation Project in 2015 awarded by the Central Committee of the Vietnam Farmers' Association and the Ministry of Industry and Trade; Patent and Utility Rights granted by the Vietnam Intellectual Property Office: Invention name Silk cotton blanket woven by silkworms.

Meritorious artist Phan Thi Thuan with a silk blanket woven by silkworms. Photo: Khanh Huy — Meritorious artisan Phan Thi Thuan with a silk blanket woven by silkworms. Photo: Khanh Huy

Unique lotus silk weaving craft

Passionate about weaving, artisan Phan Thi Thuan also worked hard to research and make lotus silk thread and weave lotus silk. The research project on the experimental model of producing fiber from lotus leaves in 2016 was a national-level project, and was awarded a Certificate of "Having scientific and technological works and solutions published in books and Vietnamese creations in 2016" by the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front. In July 2018, artisan Phan Thi Thuan continued to "Research and experiment on the model of producing silk thread from lotus leaves" with the Institute of Ecological Economics, Ministry of Science and Technology. After nearly 2 years of research and testing, the first scarf made from lotus silk thread was introduced and welcomed by the public. According to artisan Phan Thi Thuan, to weave a scarf 1.7 meters long and 0.25 meters wide, it takes 4,800 lotus stems and about a month of work.

The cotton blanket and silk products of artisan Phan Thi Thuan are regularly introduced by the City Farmers' Association and the Central Vietnam Farmers' Association at domestic and regional fairs; the company's products are present in demanding markets such as Japan, Germany, Belgium, China, Saudi Arabia, etc., bringing in after-tax profits of more than 3 billion VND/year. In 2019, Sen silk products were honored to be selected by the Prime Minister as a gift product of Vietnam at the G20 Summit held in Japan.

With 2 products of silk and lotus silk produced by new technology, artisan Phan Thi Thuan established My Duc Mulberry Silk Company Limited, creating regular jobs for 20 local workers with an average salary of 4.5 million VND/month (the number of seasonal workers is 1,500 people). Products from lotus silk are ordered by many customers from France, America, Japan... and often ordered before the lotus season.

In recognition of her positive contributions to the preservation and development of traditional crafts, Meritorious Artisan Phan Thi Thuan was awarded the title "Meritorious Citizen of the Capital in 2021" by the Hanoi People's Committee. She was personally awarded Certificates of Merit and Certificates of Merit by authorities at all levels and establishments.

On the journey to preserve and promote the traditional weaving craft, the biggest concern of artisan Phan Thi Thuan is the journey to pass on the craft to the next generation. There have been many students coming to learn and practice the craft, but to train a skilled worker requires time, passion, and creativity.

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