Four generations preserve the craft of traditional wooden house construction.
Upon arriving in Tuy Lac, everyone is easily captivated by the rustic and serene beauty of the traditional wooden houses. The village of Tuy Lac has approximately 2,000 households, of which 200 own ancient wooden houses, demonstrating the enduring vitality of the wooden house-building craft in this region.
Particularly noteworthy is the ancient three-room wooden house of Mr. Tran Van Lan's family. The house is built on the second floor, while the ground floor houses a carpentry workshop specializing in crafting traditional wooden houses. Mr. Tran Van Lan's family has been involved in the craft for four generations, and he is the longest-serving member of the village's traditional craft community to date.
The former Thuy Trieu commune was once proud of the traditional wooden house builder Tran Van Ca, who was awarded the title of " Hai Phong Artisan" in 2014. Although artisan Tran Van Ca has passed away, his professional legacy remains intact through dozens of wooden houses, ancestral halls, and family temples in Hai Phong and many other provinces such as Ninh Binh and Quang Ninh.
Within the Tran family, many are continuing the legacy of their ancestors, such as Tran Van Khanh, Tran Quoc Van, Tran Van Thinh, Tran Van Minh, Tran Van Day, etc., all opening their own workshops and strongly developing the traditional craft. According to Mr. Tran Van Lan, there are currently more than 20 workshops building traditional wooden houses in the area, employing over 100 master craftsmen, not including apprentices. Tuy Lac's carpentry is renowned for its precision and sophistication in constructing traditional wooden houses, a strength passed down for over 400 years.
According to Mr. Lan, houses made of ironwood have superior durability, lasting hundreds of years while retaining their value. Ironwood houses are cool in summer and warm in winter, and possess an elegant beauty. Therefore, many families in Thuy Trieu choose to build ironwood houses instead of modern houses. Some houses require years of wood preparation to gather enough materials. Depending on each family's circumstances, the size of the columns, the motifs, and the decorative patterns will vary to suit feng shui and reflect the homeowner's status.
Under the skillful hands of the craftsmen of Tuy Lac, many houses are transformed into works of art, featuring carvings of the four mythical creatures, pine, chrysanthemum, bamboo, and plum blossoms, Dong Ho paintings, and more. Each detail embodies the cultural essence of the Northern Delta region. And the Tran family is one of the most enduring families, preserving the essence of carpentry through generations in this area.
Aspiration to expand traditional craft villages.
The craft of building traditional wooden houses requires patience, high skill, and a great sense of responsibility. Pham Van Hien, who has over 10 years of experience in building traditional wooden houses, says that a craftsman not only knows how to do carpentry but also has to select the wood for the homeowner, design, calculate feng shui, and erect each component precisely according to the old standards. Especially the wood selection process involves many taboos, avoiding wood struck by lightning, trees with two cores, or trees entangled by vines… Each column must be taken from a single tree and erected in the correct direction.
For master craftsmen like Mr. Tran Van Lan, the essence of the craft lies not only in technique but also in dedication. A dedicated craftsman selects good wood, builds straight houses, and maintains the village's reputation. Therefore, Thuy Trieu's wooden houses are always more refined and sophisticated than those from many other places. The carpentry workshops in Tuy Lac village are always busy; Mr. Lan's workshop, for example, builds 5-6 wooden houses per year, each project worth billions of dong. The teams of craftsmen always complete projects entirely with their own manpower, without subcontracting or rushing through work, ensuring quality and reputation.
Therefore, many people who appreciate traditional houses in various provinces and cities often seek out the craftsmen of Tuy Lac to entrust or hire them for their work. Mr. Nguyen Tat Na from Thuy Nguyen ward said that he consulted many places, but ultimately trusted the craftsmen of Thuy Trieu to build his traditional wooden house as a place of worship and living for his family.
The traditional wooden house-building craft in Thuy Trieu is thriving despite modern life. However, according to Mr. Do Van Them, Secretary of the Party Branch of Residential Group 5, Hoa Binh Ward, he was born in Tuy Lac village and has witnessed the ups and downs of the craft. The traditional wooden house-building village provides a stable livelihood for many households in Tuy Lac. Nevertheless, most workshops are located close to residential areas, with limited space, making expansion difficult and hindering investment in large machinery. Younger generations, while passionate about the craft, are hesitant due to the hard work and challenging environment. This poses a significant challenge for the future of the craft village.
For the craft to develop to its full potential, artisans desire spacious production areas, concentrated craft village planning, and appropriate support mechanisms. This would foster a stronger connection between artisans and traditional crafts, contributing to the preservation and promotion of ancient wooden houses and extending the cultural values inherited from their ancestors.
BUI HUONGSource: https://baohaiphong.vn/giu-hon-nha-go-co-thuy-trieu-527971.html
![[Photo] New recruits happily exercise their right to vote at their unit.](https://vphoto.vietnam.vn/thumb/1200x675/vietnam/resource/IMAGE/2026/03/14/1773473286544_stug0337-6388-jpg.webp)
Comment (0)