In the context of modern development, Dong Xam not only faces opportunities to expand its market but also confronts numerous challenges related to production innovation, market competition, and the task of preserving traditional crafts for future generations.
Regarding the preservation of the essence of the Dong Xam silver engraving craft, the orientation for building a craft village industrial cluster, and the goals of economic development in the new phase, the online magazine Quality and Life conducted an interview with Mr. Dinh Van Dam, Chairman of the People's Committee of Tra Giang commune; exemplary artisans; and representatives of businesses in the craft village.
Traditional craft villages continue to be a driving force for economic development.
PV: Sir, as we enter 2026, what economic development goals is Tra Giang commune setting?
Mr. Dinh Van Dam, Chairman of the People's Committee of Tra Giang Commune : In implementing the socio-economic development goals for 2026, Tra Giang commune is focusing on leveraging local advantages and effectively exploiting existing potential to promote sustainable growth.
In 2025, the local economy will continue to maintain positive growth momentum with a growth rate of 9.6%; per capita income will reach approximately 78 million VND/year; and the poverty rate will decrease to 1.43%. This is an important foundation for the locality to continue setting higher goals in 2026.
Accordingly, the commune strives to achieve a total production value of over 1,220 billion VND; an economic growth rate of approximately 10.25%; an average per capita income of 81 million VND/year; and a reduction in the poverty rate to approximately 1.3%.
To achieve these goals, the locality has determined that it must promote all sectors in a coordinated manner, with traditional craft villages, especially the Dong Xam silver engraving craft, continuing to be one of the important driving forces for local economic development.
PV: In your opinion, what role does the Dong Xam silver carving village currently play in the socio-economic development of the locality?
Mr. Dinh Van Dam, Chairman of the People's Committee of Tra Giang Commune: Dong Xam is not only a source of cultural pride but also a very important economic strength of Tra Giang Commune. Currently, the craft village has formed a large craft area with more than 150 production groups, creating regular jobs for over 4,000 local workers.
The silversmithing craft provides many households with a stable source of income, contributing to the restructuring of the rural economy, improving people's lives, and retaining local labor. More importantly, it is a traditional craft deeply rooted in the cultural and historical values of the homeland. Therefore, developing the craft village today is not only about economic development but also a responsibility to preserve cultural identity for future generations.
According to Mr. Dam, what has contributed to the enduring vitality of Dong Xam for over 600 years is not only the exquisite craftsmanship but also the dedication of many generations of people to the traditional craft. However, in the current context, the craft village is also facing many demands for innovation to adapt to the market.
PV: In the current context, what kind of innovation do you think the Dong Xam craft village is facing?
Mr. Dinh Van Dam, Chairman of the People's Committee of Tra Giang Commune : It can be said that Dong Xam is standing at a crucial crossroads. On the one hand, it must preserve the exquisite handicrafts that have existed for over 600 years, and on the other hand, it must adapt to the very rapid changes of the modern market.
Currently, consumers are increasingly demanding higher quality, designs, aesthetics, and even environmental factors in production. Without innovation, traditional craft products will struggle to improve their competitiveness. Furthermore, production remains largely small-scale and scattered within residential areas, leading to difficulties in securing space, investing in technology, and expanding production scale. This is a major concern for the local authorities.
According to local leaders, the current challenge is not only to maintain production but also to find a long-term development direction for the craft village in a more systematic and sustainable way.
PV: How is the locality planning to both preserve the craft and promote sustainable development, sir?
Mr. Dinh Van Dam, Chairman of the People's Committee of Tra Giang Commune : We have determined that we must develop the craft village in a more systematic, long-term, and sustainable way. One of the major directions currently is that the locality hopes to gradually form the Dong Xam craft village industrial cluster.
With the establishment of concentrated production zones, households and businesses will have the opportunity to expand their scale, invest in machinery, improve the production environment, and enhance product quality. This is not only about economic development but also a crucial solution to preserve traditional crafts from fading away under the pressure of urbanization and market integration.
We expect that the future craft village industrial cluster will become a space for both production and preservation, promotion and development of the cultural value of the Dong Xam silver engraving craft.
PV: In your opinion, what factors are decisive for the long-term development of the Dong Xam craft village?
Mr. Dinh Van Dam, Chairman of the People's Committee of Tra Giang Commune: The core element remains the people, especially the team of artisans and the younger generation. Preserving the craft means preserving the people who practice it and preserving the love for traditional crafts.
Furthermore, the products must be improved in quality, innovative in design, branded, and meet the demands of the modern market while still preserving the unique essence of Dong Xam. We hope that the silver crafting profession will not only be preserved as a traditional value but also truly become a cultural economic sector capable of sustainable development in the future.
Preserving the essence of the craft amidst the pressure of innovation and market competition.
As one of the exemplary artisans of the Dong Xam silver carving village, Meritorious Artisan Ta Van Uy believes that the most valuable aspect of this traditional craft lies not only in the craftsmanship but also in the spirit of preserving the craft among generations of local people.
PV: In your opinion, what makes the Đồng Xâm silver engraving craft unique?
Distinguished artisan Ta Van Uy : Those who work in silver engraving must truly love their craft and persevere. A beautiful product is not only beautiful in its lines but also must have the soul of the craftsman embedded within it. We always hope that today's young generation will continue the craft so that the essence of Dong Xam does not fade away over time.
According to artisan Ta Van Uy, silver engraving is a craft that demands meticulousness, patience, and a very high level of aesthetic sense. Each product is meticulously crafted, with the artisan dedicating significant time and effort to perfecting every small detail. Some products take many days, even weeks, to complete because most of the processes are done manually.
"For the craft to develop sustainably, the products must be of high quality, have their own unique identity, and meet modern tastes. But no matter how much innovation there is, the people of Dong Xam must still preserve the essence of the craft passed down from their ancestors," emphasized artisan Ta Van Uy.
According to him, the orientation towards building a cluster of craft villages will open up opportunities for production facilities to develop more systematically, improve product quality, and promote the Dong Xam brand more widely in the market. Sharing more about his concerns regarding the traditional craft, Meritorious Artisan Ta Van Uy said that the Dong Xam silver engraving craft requires perseverance, skill, and especially an aesthetic talent to pursue it long-term.
PV: In your opinion, what is the most difficult thing about preserving a profession today?
Distinguished artisan Ta Van Uy: This craft is very meticulous; not everyone can do it. The craftsman must truly love the profession, have patience, and a good aesthetic sense to create products with soul and the unique sharpness of Dong Xam.
To create a finished product, the craftsman needs not only technical skills but also the dedication and passion to each step. The sharp, intricate patterns on each product are handcrafted with extreme precision, requiring meticulous attention to detail and years of accumulated experience.
However, according to Mr. Uy, in recent years the craft village has also faced many difficulties as the market has seen an increasing number of industrial products manufactured using modern technology, with lower prices and diverse designs. “With the rapid development of technology, traditional crafts are also significantly impacted. But what makes Dong Xam valuable is still its exquisite, unique handcrafted products, bearing a distinct mark that machines can hardly completely replace,” Mr. Uy said.
According to artisan Ta Van Uy, the current concern is not only the pressure of market competition but also the risk of a shortage of young workers to succeed the current generation. “I always hope that the roots of Dong Xam will continue to be preserved and developed. To achieve this, we need to promote the craft better, so that young people understand the value of traditional crafts, and so that local children can return to their hometowns to practice the craft and continue the work of their ancestors,” artisan Ta Van Uy confided.
Towards a sustainable development space for Dong Xam
From the perspective of a traditional craft village business, Mr. Nguyen Van Chuong, Director of Thanh Chuong Co., Ltd., specializing in the production of bronze products and metal casting, believes that production facilities in Dong Xam are still facing many difficulties in maintaining and developing traditional crafts.
PV: In your opinion, what makes Dong Xam handicrafts uniquely competitive in the current context?
Mr. Nguyen Van Chuong : What gives Dong Xam products their unique value is their exquisite craftsmanship, one-of-a-kind nature, and the handcrafted touch that is difficult to replicate in mass-produced items. Despite technological advancements, many crucial stages of production must still be done entirely by hand to preserve the sharpness and individual character of each product.
According to Mr. Chuong, this is both an advantage and a challenge because handicraft production requires a lot of time, effort, and skill. Therefore, to maintain competitiveness, production facilities not only need to maintain product quality but also gradually innovate designs, enhance brand image, and expand their consumer market.
PV: In your opinion, what difficulties are production facilities in Dong Xam currently facing regarding capital and investment for development?
Mr. Nguyen Van Chuong : Currently, most businesses and production households in craft villages are still small-scale, so accessing capital for investment and expansion of production remains difficult. Meanwhile, handicraft industries require a considerable amount of funding for investment in machinery, workshops, raw materials, and human resource training.
According to Mr. Chuong, in order to maintain and develop the craft in the current competitive environment, businesses urgently need access to preferential capital sources to invest in additional equipment, upgrade production facilities, and expand their scale of operations. This is also an important condition for businesses to improve product quality and increase competitiveness in the market.
What are your expectations regarding the future development of a concentrated production zone for the Dong Xam craft village?
Mr. Nguyen Van Chuong : We sincerely hope that the local authorities will soon have a plan for a concentrated production zone to create more favorable conditions for production activities, goods transportation, and to minimize environmental pollution in residential areas.
If there were a centralized production area, businesses would find it easier to link production, receive support in terms of human resources and machinery investment, and expand workshops. More importantly, this would create conditions for the craft village to develop systematically and sustainably, and provide a suitable space for both production and brand promotion in Dong Xam. In addition, Mr. Chuong also hopes for more policies to support vocational training for young workers to maintain a successor workforce for traditional craft villages in the future.
With over 600 years of existence and development, Dong Xam today is not only a traditional craft village, but has also become a place that preserves cultural memories, the essence of craftsmanship, and the pride of many generations of people in the Northern Vietnamese countryside.
Amidst the dynamic pace of the modern market, Dong Xam is gradually innovating to adapt and develop, but what the local government, artisans, and businesses all wish to preserve is the "essence of the craft" that has been forged over hundreds of years of history. This is not just about the exquisite carvings or unique handicraft techniques, but also about the love of the craft, the perseverance, and the dedication of those who have devoted their lives to preserving the soul of their ancestors' craft.
Perhaps the greatest value that Dong Xam is striving to preserve today is not just a traditional craft, but also the cultural soul of a region rich in identity. And amidst its new development journey, Dong Xam is moving towards a sustainable development space where traditional crafts continue to be passed down, renewed, and continue to thrive on the unique values that have been cultivated over many generations.
Source: https://baotintuc.vn/kinh-te/giu-hon-dong-xam-trong-nhip-phat-trien-moi-20260511093018163.htm
Comment (0)