Efforts to revive the traditional stone carving craft of Dai Tan

Mr. Thinh always researches and studies new techniques to develop traditional crafts. Photo: PHAN VINH

Regret for the craft village

According to the memories of many elderly people in Dai Loc and Duy Xuyen, when road traffic was not yet developed, travel mainly relied on waterways. Ferry piers on the Thu Bon River used to connect bustling markets such as Phu Thuan (Dai Thang), Ben Dau (Dai Thanh), Trung Phuoc (Que Son)... Along the Thu Bon River, there were also small piers specializing in buying and selling special goods.

Mr. Luong Mau On (Dai Phong commune, Dai Loc) recalled that in the past, the economic life and occupation of Dai Loc people were closely linked to the place names given by the traders themselves. For example, Da Mai stream in Dai Thang (old) was famous for its stalls selling household utensils made from stone such as knife sharpening stones, flour mills, mortars, stone pillars..., while Ruc stream was a place to buy and sell fishing tools...

An exquisite sandstone sculpture thanks to modern CNC technology by Mr. Truong Anh Thinh. Photo: PHAN VINH

"Not only Dai Loc people, but also traders from everywhere come to region B to exchange goods. Khe Da Mai wharf used to be the pride of local people because it had a large, good quality sandstone mine and more than 2/3 of the villagers worked in stone carving. Later, for unknown reasons, Khe Da Mai was gradually forgotten, and the village's stone carving products also disappeared..." - Mr. On regretted.

At an event promoting OCOP products in Quang Nam province, many people were surprised to see sandstone mortars and pestles displayed with the 3-star OCOP label of Dai Loc district. The products were polished to a smooth, eye-catching shine, and more specifically, the main craftsman was Mr. Truong Anh Thinh - a son of the ancient Khe Da Mai stone craft village.

Mr. Thinh's stone mortar and pestle product achieved 3 OCOP stars in 2024. Photo: PHAN VINH

Mr. Thinh shared: "There was a time when sandstone mines in Dai Loc were banned from exploitation, so the villagers had to change their jobs or leave their hometowns. They went to other stone craft villages such as Non Nuoc (Da Nang), Ninh Van (Ninh Binh), Chuong My (Ha Tay)... to continue their career. Although I was very regretful, I had to leave my hometown to make a living, hoping that one day I would return to revive the once-famous craft village."

[VIDEO] - Mr. Thinh shares about the reasons for the decline of the local stone art profession:

Change to grow

After many years of traveling and learning stone carving techniques across the country, in 2010, Mr. Thinh returned to his hometown and, together with a number of his brothers, established the Dai Tan Fine Arts Stone Sculpture Cooperative (THT). At that time, although the quarry had not yet been licensed to reopen, the THT was still determined to restore the profession by importing stones from other localities for production.

Mr. Thinh once imported sandstone from other places to try to restore the craft village. Photo: PHAN VINH

"Unlike the past when we did it manually, we now invest in modern machinery to improve productivity and meet market demand. Thanks to that, familiar products of Khe Da Mai such as mortars, pestles, millstones, stone pillars... are crafted faster and more beautifully. Artistic products such as mascot statues, reliefs, tombstones... are also supported by machinery to achieve higher sophistication" - Mr. Thinh said.

Currently, there are about 50 sandstone craftsmen in the locality, of which 10 are working at Dai Tan Fine Arts Stone Sculpture Co., Ltd. In recent years, in addition to finding sources of raw materials and expanding the market to urban areas such as Hoi An, Da Nang, Hue, etc., Mr. Thinh has also focused on vocational training for young local workers.

Mr. Thinh is interested in vocational training for the local young workforce. Photo: PHAN VINH

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How can Dai Tan people, especially the young, make a living from their ancestors' stone carving profession, and even develop and get rich from this traditional profession?

Mr. Truong Anh Thinh

In order to rebuild the craft village brand, Mr. Thinh participated in the OCOP program with the product "Dai Tan Artistic Stone Mortar and Pestle Set" and achieved 3-star certification. The product is made from 100% natural sandstone, safe for the health of users because it does not create sawdust, does not mold, and does not absorb food odors. The product is currently sold on e-commerce channels and distributed to a number of household appliance dealers in the Central region and the Southern provinces.

Mr. Thinh invests in modern machinery to carry out large projects. Photo: PHAN VINH

In the near future, Dai Tan Fine Art Stone Sculpture Co., Ltd. plans to expand the production of small-sized products, convenient for transportation, according to the e-commerce model. At the same time, some highly artistic products, ensuring sophistication, will be aimed at the export market.

[VIDEO] - Mr. Truong Anh Thinh talks about the plan to revive the Da Mai craft village:

Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/no-luc-phuc-hung-nghe-da-my-nghe-truyen-thong-dai-tan-3151352.html