There are thousands of Nung people who know how to make silver jewelry, but only a few people know how to make ancient patterns. However, the only person who knows how to make 12 pieces of silver jewelry in the traditional style of the Nung people is old man Chang Thanh To, who lives on the top of Po Ly Ngai mountain in Hoang Su Phi district (Ha Giang).
Let's join Vietnam.vn to learn about the silver carving profession and meet the last artisan of this profession on the top of Tay Con Linh mountain through the photo series " The last silver carver on Tay Con Linh mountain" by Trinh Thong Thien to see that there are thousands of Nung people who know how to make silver jewelry, but only a few people know how to make ancient patterns. However, the only person who knows how to make 12 silver jewelry items in the traditional style of the Nung people is old man Chang Thanh To living on the top of Po Ly Ngai mountain in Hoang Su Phi district (Ha Giang). The photo series was submitted by the author to the Photo and Video Contest of Happy Vietnam - Happy Vietnam, organized by the Ministry of Information and Communications.
Mr. Chang Thanh To also does not remember clearly when he became involved in his family's traditional profession. He only knows that at the age of 20, he was able to skillfully craft traditional silver jewelry of the Nung people. And perhaps, his father's last words before he passed away: "Silver jewelry is the soul, the custom, without wearing silver, the Nung people do not know their origins, do not know their ancestors, so I cannot let it be lost" was the motivation for him to diligently spend his whole life making sophisticated jewelry containing the cultural layers of the Nung people in the Tay Con Linh mountain range.
Raise your rough, black hands from a lifetime of carving patterns on silver plates.
A unique cultural feature of the Nung ethnic group is that when the daughter-in-law gets married, in addition to other important wedding gifts, the groom's family will buy her a set of silver jewelry.
The life of the Nung people in Hoang Su Phi has improved, people have seen the traditional values in each piece of silver jewelry that needs to be preserved. Many necklaces with engraved images of flowers, leaves, fish, birds, animals, heads, bracelets, buttons... worth over 40 million VND/set have been ordered by many people to Mr. Chang Thanh To. But the sound of silver carving is bustling throughout the village, he said happily: "The values left by our grandparents and ancestors have revived in the lives of our Nung people.
However, Mr. To said that he had traveled all over the mountains of Hoang Su Phi but could not find a second person who knew the secrets of making jewelry for Nung women on their wedding day. None of his children or grandchildren were interested in this profession, so he was afraid that when he returned to his ancestors, the Nung silver carving profession would be at risk of having no successor.
In 2024, the Photo and Video Contest "Happy Vietnam - Happy Vietnam" continues to be organized by the Ministry of Information and Communications in coordination with the Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists on the website https://happy.vietnam.vn for all Vietnamese citizens and foreigners aged 15 and over. The contest aims to honor individuals and groups with positive information products, making practical contributions to the propaganda and promotion of beautiful images of Vietnam to the world. Thereby helping people in the country, compatriots abroad and international friends access authentic images of the country, Vietnamese people, Vietnam's achievements in ensuring human rights, towards a happy Vietnam.
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