Chuyen My mother-of-pearl inlay keeps the spirit of the profession, strives to integrate

Now, when Chuyen My has the opportunity to join the World Network of Creative Craft Cities, the aspiration to elevate traditional craft villages is more strongly lit than ever. They are continuing to write the story of Vietnamese culture and people in the language of creativity and integration.

Lacquer products of Chuyen My commune are unique and sharp. Photo: Quang Thai

Preserving the soul of the profession, building heritage space

For a long time, Chuyen My has been known as the "cradle" of mother-of-pearl inlay and lacquerware. Through the hands of craftsmen, seemingly lifeless pieces of mother-of-pearl, snails, and eggshells become sophisticated works of art, sparkling with mother-of-pearl, attracting most customers...

For generations, on the land of Chuyen My along the Nhue River, the sounds of chiseling, filing, and polishing mother-of-pearl shells... have always been as bustling as the familiar breath of the craft village. According to history books, the mother-of-pearl inlay craft here was born in the 11th century, associated with the name of the famous general Truong Cong Thanh - a talented general of the Ly Dynasty. After his feat of defending the country, he taught the villagers the sophisticated mother-of-pearl inlay technique, laying the foundation for a unique craft that has been steadily developing for nearly a millennium. People honor him as the founder of the mother-of-pearl inlay craft, and every year they hold a solemn death anniversary at Chuon Ngo communal house - a national historical site, which is both a place of worship and a sacred cultural symbol of the craft village.

Today, Chuyen My still retains the appearance of an ancient countryside, where there are up to 7 villages practicing mother-of-pearl inlay, of which Chuon Ngo is considered the "heart" of the profession. Generations of artisans have succeeded each other in polishing each piece of mother-of-pearl, inlaying each delicate line, creating works of art imbued with the Vietnamese spirit. Chuyen My products are distributed throughout the South and the North, appearing in palaces, temples and even modern houses...

Tourists visit the mother-of-pearl inlay product display booth in Chuyen My commune. Photo: Dinh Loc

Through ups and downs, there were times when it seemed like the profession was forgotten by the wave of industrialization, but the craftsmen in Chuyen My were determined not to give up. Artisan Nguyen Van Lang, who devoted his life to making sparkling pearl shells, said that the profession has become flesh and blood, a thread connecting the next generation with their ancestors...

Today, stepping into new mosaic workshops, one can clearly feel the breath of the times permeating each product. The young artisans not only inherit the quintessence of tradition, but also boldly apply digital technology , 3D design, QR codes to tell stories about products in modern language. Landscape paintings, portraits, or mother-of-pearl inlaid furniture branded Chuyen My have gone beyond the bamboo fences of the village, appearing at many international exhibitions, becoming cultural ambassadors of Hanoi.

Lacquer products of Chuyen My commune are unique and loved by many customers. Photo: Quang Thai

Preserving the craft is difficult, preserving the soul of the craft in modern life is even more difficult. Chuyen My is doing that, both respecting the heritage of our ancestors and boldly paving the way for creativity and innovation. Artisan Nguyen Van Hieu in Dong Vinh village shared: Chuyen My lacquer mother-of-pearl inlay craft village has its own identity, its products are competitive in the domestic and international markets. The desire to become a member of the World Network of Creative Craft Cities is a source of pride, but also a driving force for us to constantly innovate...

Leaders of Chuyen My commune visited the commune's famous lacquer production facilities. Photo: Dinh Loc

With more than 2,000 workers and hundreds of production households, Chuyen My is contributing to the development of the local economy and preserving and spreading the quintessence of Vietnamese handicrafts. According to the Head of the Rural Development Department (Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Environment) Hoang Thi Hoa, based on the unique quintessence of the products, the Department has chosen Chuyen My mother-of-pearl inlay craft village to "cultivate", soon to be recognized to participate in the World Network of Creative Craft Cities in 2025. This is not only an opportunity for the craft village, but also an opportunity for the entire handicraft industry of the capital, bringing Vietnamese products closer to international friends.

Each family and artisan is a "link"...

Currently, the People's Committee of Chuyen My commune is closely coordinating with departments, branches, experts and the Vietnam Handicraft Export Association to complete the documents and prepare the best conditions to welcome the survey team of the World Craft Council. Every citizen and artisan is aware that each product is a cultural ambassador carrying the story of the people and land of Chuyen My to the world.

Vice Chairwoman of Chuyen My Commune People's Committee Nguyen Thi Thuy Huong said that in order to complete the criteria for recognizing the mother-of-pearl inlay - lacquer craft village Chuyen My as a member of the World Network of Creative Craft Cities in 2025, the Commune People's Committee focuses on properly implementing the instructions of specialized agencies of the city and the central government.

Through inspections and assessments, the 9 criteria contents have been thoroughly reviewed by the Commune People's Committee and specialized departments and branches, from planning, production organization, training... to promotion, branding, and development of craft village tourism. Regarding the construction of the traditional room, the commune has collected and preserved many valuable artifacts such as photos of artisans through the stages of craft development, royal decrees recognizing traditional crafts, mosaic drawings of artisans and typical materials and products. Along with that, the commune has built photo albums of craft village products through each period, designed multilingual websites, produced propaganda videos, promoted products and history of the craft village; printed leaflets introducing traditional mother-of-pearl and lacquer inlay products; decorated and displayed Craft Village Recognition Certificates, royal decrees, Medals...

Leaders of Chuyen My commune offer incense at the temple of mother-of-pearl inlay artisan Truong Cong Thanh. Photo: Dinh Loc

Not stopping there, the commune also arranged an exhibition area for antiques, pictures, and materials of mother-of-pearl inlay and lacquer in each stage, collecting hundreds of patterns and stories. The commune has also deployed digital technology applications, scanning QR codes on each product, regularly livestreaming to promote and introduce the profession on digital platforms...

Up to now, Chuyen My commune has completed all the contents and criteria according to the regulations of the World Craft Council, ready to wait for the appraisal results and official recognition in 2025.

Secretary of the Chuyen My Commune Party Committee Le Quang Long said that the selection of the mother-of-pearl inlay and lacquer craft village Chuyen My to join the World Network of Creative Craft Cities is not only a source of pride for the locality, but also a valuable opportunity to enhance the value of traditional craft villages in the new context. This is the time for Chuyen My to affirm its position as a civilized, modern, creative craft commune with a strong Vietnamese artisan identity.

The strength of Chuyen My lies not only in its talented artisans, but also in the solidarity of the entire community. Each family, each clan, each craftsman - whether old or young - is an important "link" in the creative value chain...

Talking about the journey of preserving and enhancing the craft of lacquer mother-of-pearl inlay, Chairman of the People's Committee of Chuyen My Commune, Nguyen Huu Chi, expressed his pride and concern that the most important thing is not only to achieve international titles or recognition, but also to make sure that each product of Chuyen My carries the breath of Vietnamese culture. There is still much to do on the road ahead: Improving product quality, linking the craft with experiential tourism, expanding creative space for the younger generation. Above all, it is a journey of aspiration to preserve and spread the unique identity of handicrafts in the heart of the capital with the depth and richness of a thousand-year-old traditional culture...

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/kham-trai-chuyen-my-giu-hon-nghe-vuon-minh-hoi-nhap-718838.html