Preserving and developing the quintessence of embroidery craft in the Ancient Capital

Many products of Van Lam embroidery craft village in Ninh Hai commune, Hoa Lu district, Ninh Binh province have been rated as 4-star OCOP products. Photo: Thuy Dung-VNA

The quintessence of the ancient capital

To introduce the typical features of local handicraft products for tourism , especially the unique traditional craft culture that makes up the beauty of Tam Coc - Bich Dong, from 2023 to present, the Department of Industry and Trade of Ninh Binh province has coordinated with the Management Board of Van Lam Embroidery Village (Ninh Hai commune, Hoa Lu district) to organize the Golden Hand Embroidery Contest. Through 2 times of organization, the contest has contributed to launching the emulation movement, encouraging and motivating artisans and skilled workers to promote their love for the profession, preserve and conserve the embroidery craft. This is also an opportunity for embroiderers to demonstrate their techniques and skills and introduce to visitors the beauty of the craft village.

The Organizing Committee said that this year's competition has 21 contestants, all of whom are highly skilled workers in Van Lam Embroidery Village. The contestants who have made it to the final round will compete in a live demonstration of their skills at the exhibition area. The contestants will embroider a picture (including white and colored embroidery) according to the model provided by the Organizing Committee.

Contestants participating in the final round of the 2024 Golden Hands Embroidery Competition. Photo: Thuy Dung – VNA

Ms. Trinh Thi Hang (Ninh Hai commune) shared: "The Golden Hand Embroidery Competition was organized, making craftsmen like us very excited. This is a place where craftsmen can meet, exchange and learn about professional skills. In particular, the competition was held right at Tam Coc - Bich Dong tourist area, attracting a large number of tourists. Thereby, promoting the traditional cultural beauty of the craft village".

According to Ms. Hang, the unique feature of Van Lam Lace Embroidery Village is the monochrome embroidery technique, even using only white thread. That is, the craftsman does not use colors to create the vividness of the embroidery, but uses the monochrome of the fabric and thread to highlight the craftsman's skill and the sophistication of the work. The characteristic of Van Lam lace embroidery art is the use of rudimentary tools but requires the craftsman to be meticulous in every detail. If normal embroidery works are important in the stage of adding lines and keeping the embroidery stitches even, then embroidery with white thread requires the craftsman to be skillful because if the embroidery lines are rough and ugly, they will easily be exposed. The embroiderer must be meticulous in every stitch to breathe life into the product. Thereby, conveying the craftsman's feelings and passion for the profession. With many generations of talented artisans, the lace embroidery village has passed down the techniques and secrets passed down from their ancestors, creating beautiful works of art with sophisticated lines.

These unique characteristics of Van Lam lace embroidery come from the very special history of the profession. According to the village's elderly artisans, the lace embroidery profession in Van Lam village is over 700 years old. Legend has it that the embroidery profession appeared when King Tran defeated the Yuan-Mongol invaders, and the villagers were taught how to raise silkworms, weave cloth, and embroider by Mrs. Tran Thi Dung. In the 20th century, in the village, two brothers of the Dinh family went to Hanoi to learn the French lace embroidery profession and taught it to the villagers. Since then, Van Lam's hand-embroidered products have developed strongly.

Products are being completed by contestants at the 2024 Golden Hands Lace Embroidery Competition. Photo: Thuy Dung - VNA

Van Lam lace embroidery products are not only beautiful but also demonstrate the sophistication and creativity of the artisans. The unique motifs, patterns and use of traditional colors of national culture have created a distinctive mark for the craft village. Lace embroidery works are used in costumes, embroidery paintings and decorations, bringing elegance and uniqueness to the living space and culture of Ninh Binh people. Currently, the products of Van Lam Lace Embroidery Village are very diverse and rich in types with many different designs and models, from white embroidery, artistic colored embroidery to lace products with high techniques and aesthetics. All are made by talented artisans who love their jobs and work hard.

Preserve and conserve craft villages

Over the centuries, Van Lam people have preserved their traditional craft and developed it with unique hand-embroidered products of high sophistication, serving domestic consumption and export. Since 2019, many products of Van Lam Embroidery Village have been evaluated as 4-star OCOP products. Participating in the One Commune One Product program, Van Lam Embroidery Village products have the opportunity to be displayed in major festivals, major tourism events of the province, supported to participate in fairs, exhibitions, promote domestic and foreign products; at the same time, supported with packaging and logos. Thereby, contributing to promoting the Van Lam embroidery brand to many domestic and foreign customers.

Ms. Dinh Thi Ngan, representative of Minh Trang Embroidery Company Limited (Ninh Hai Commune, Hoa Lu District) said that although the lace embroidery profession is facing many challenges in the digital age, this craft village in Ninh Binh in general and the company in particular have been flexible and creative to adapt to new trends. The company creates lace embroidery designs that are suitable for modern fashion styles and trends. Up to now, the company's products are not only loved by domestic consumers but also ordered by many customers in countries such as Germany, Japan, England...

Products from the embroidery craft village of Ninh Hai commune, Hoa Lu district, Ninh Binh province are displayed at the 2024 Golden Hands Embroidery Competition. Photo: Thuy Dung - VNA

With the attention and appreciation of cultural values, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has recently recognized Van Lam Embroidery Village as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2024. This is an important step in honoring and preserving the traditional cultural values ​​of Ninh Binh. From there, the preservation of traditional cultural values ​​is not only limited to Ninh Binh Embroidery Village but also spreads to the community. Training courses and seminars on embroidery have been organized to teach techniques and skills to the younger generation, ensuring that the embroidery profession is not lost and continues to develop in the future. At the same time, the development of cultural tourism programs around the embroidery village also helps visitors understand more deeply the traditional cultural values ​​of Ninh Binh.

According to the leaders of Ninh Hai Commune People's Committee (Hoa Lu District), as a craft village located in the World Cultural and Natural Heritage Site of Trang An, right in Tam Coc - Bich Dong Tourist Area, Van Lam has many favorable conditions to bring the culture of the craft village as well as traditional products closer to tourists and international friends. Therefore, to preserve and develop traditional crafts, Ninh Hai has issued a resolution to promote the development of traditional crafts associated with tourism development. Every year, the commune has coordinated with vocational training centers to teach crafts to people; in which special attention is paid to the work of passing on crafts and training crafts for young people to continue to preserve and develop traditional crafts of the locality.

Artisans of Van Lam lace embroidery village embroider highly sophisticated products for domestic consumption and export. Photo: Thuy Dung - VNA

In the period of 2021 - 2030, Ninh Binh will focus on promoting exports, perfecting craft village tourism products, thoroughly handling the craft village environment; planning the development of craft villages combined with tourism in the province. Accordingly, it is expected to build 4 tourist routes combined with craft villages, including a tourist route associated with Van Lam Embroidery Craft Village. At the same time, Ninh Hai commune will carry out detailed planning of the traditional embroidery craft village, build a product display area, and create conditions for the development of village tourism. For businesses that want to expand their factories, the commune will create all conditions, especially in terms of land for investment and development.

The Commune People's Committee encourages businesses and people working in embroidery to focus on technological innovation, applying science and technology to production stages, researching and designing diverse new product models, especially traditional products for tourism and export; expanding joint ventures and partnerships to find markets for product consumption.

Hai Yen

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/xa-hoi/giu-gin-va-phat-trien-lang-nghe-theu-ren-tinh-hoa-dat-co-do-20240627071146500.htm