Vietnamese traditional craft villages have always held an important position in the construction and development of rural areas. Chuong My is among the localities that have helped bring fame to Hanoi, the “land of a hundred trades.” Nowadays, Chuong My is gaining strong confidence in its journey toward modernizing agriculture and rural life.
Chuong My district has 175 craft villages, of which 172 specialize in bamboo and rattan products. Among these 172 villages, 33 have recognized as Vietnam’s traditional handicraft villages.
The bamboo and rattan craft villages have provided regular employment for more than 15,000 workers and seasonal jobs. The average income of a worker in these villages ranges from 13 to 15 million VND per year. In contrast, the income of purely agricultural laborers is only around 6 million VND per year.
Vietnamese traditional craft villages
Phu Nghia commune, where 100% of the villages have been recognized as Vietnamese traditional craft villages. The commune has nearly 2,300 households, with 90% engaged in bamboo and rattan crafts. Within the commune, there are hundreds of cooperatives and production facilities specializing in exporting bamboo and rattan products.
Thanks to the well-developed traditional crafts, residents have steady employment, and their living standards have improved. Nearly 50% of households are now relatively well-off or wealthy. The commune’s bamboo and rattan products are available to 50 countries worldwide.
In 2004, the World Tourism Organization selected Phu Nghia commune in a sustainable tourism development program aimed at poverty reduction. The organization has supported Phu Nghia in implementing many projects. Over the years, the commune has attracted thousands of visitors. Of them, they included senior leaders of the government and numerous international delegations.
Not only Phu Nghia but also several other bamboo and rattan communes have been recognized as Vietnamese traditional craft villages. Particularly, these communes were Trung Hoa, Dong Phuong Yen, Truong Yen, and Dong Son.
In addition to bamboo and rattan weaving, woodworking—especially the construction of private ancestral houses, temples, and pagodas—has become a “hot” industry. Workers are unable to keep up with demand, earn high incomes, and customers often need to place orders a year in advance.
Vietnamese handicraft products
Examples include Phu Yen village in Truong Yen commune and Phuc Cau village in Thuy Huong commune. The influence of these craftsmen can be seen throughout the country.
Chuong My district is home to woodworking villages with centuries-long traditions, such as Phu Yen and Phuc Cau. Skilled village artisans assert that their products rival those of Dong Ky. Some apprentices begin learning the craft from childhood. In Phu Yen and Phuc Cau, even daughters know how to handle chisels, carving tools, and operate saws and planers proficiently.
Many households involve both husband and wife in the trade, and they are highly skillful. With an increasing number of orders, even a small house can take several months to build. In the meanwhile, larger projects may take from one to two years. Earnings can be substantial, often two billion VND, making the workers’ wages well-deserved.
In Phuc Cau, woodworking has two branches: residential and sacred woodworking. Sacred woodworking focuses on temples, pagodas, and shrines, including restoring damaged details and designing entirely new structures.
Constructing religious buildings is far more challenging than residential projects, particularly in measuring proportions and design. Skillful artisans visualize the project in their minds, ensuring the building is harmonious and aesthetically pleasing before carving intricate patterns.
To further promote handicraft industries, the district has invested significantly in craft promotion. It has also focused on vocational training and skill development for rural workers. In recent years, the industrial, handicraft, and construction production value is estimated at 2,740 billion VND. It reached 100.5% of the plan and 116.1% compared to the same period last year.
Vietnamese bamboo lampshade
The added value is 844 billion VND, which is 117.4% in comparison to the same period. Industrial and handicraft production is stable and efficient. It provides regular employment for over 15,000 workers and seasonal jobs for tens of thousands more.
The district has 337 industrial and handicraft enterprises and 12,098 individual handicraft production facilities. They are generating economic benefits and employing local labor. In 2011, the district held 66 bamboo and rattan vocational training classes for residents of 18 communes, training 2,670 students.
Currently, the district has Phu Nghia Industrial Park covering 170 ha, an industrial cluster, and Ngoc Son handicraft cluster. In addtion, the district has over 12,000 individual handicraft production facilities operating efficiently and employing tens of thousands of local workers.
To develop industrial points within bamboo and rattan craft villages, Chuong My district has facilitated businesses to expand production workshops. This approach addresses environmental issues and provides steady employment.
Due to the global economic downturn from late 2008 onward, Chuong My district has worked closely with enterprises, particularly bamboo and rattan businesses, to overcome difficulties and boost production. They have also collaborated to jointly develop, contributing to the prosperity and modernization of Chuong My.
Vietnamese source: https://baochinhphu.vn/rang-danh-dat-nghe-chuong-my-102116361.htm