The craft of making Dong Ho folk paintings in Vietnam has been inscribed by UNESCO on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.

(PLVN) - At 2:38 PM on December 9, 2025 (local time) in New Delhi (India), within the framework of the 20th Session of the Intergovernmental Committee of the 2003 Convention, UNESCO officially adopted Decision No. 20.COM 7.a.1, inscribing the Dong Ho folk painting craft of Vietnam on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.

The registration is of great importance in raising community awareness of the value of this unique form of heritage, while affirming the responsibility of the State and the community in preserving and promoting traditional crafts that are facing the risk of extinction.

The craft of making Dong Ho folk paintings is closely linked to the cultural and religious life of the Vietnamese people, especially during the Lunar New Year, Mid-Autumn Festival, and worship ceremonies.

According to the assessment of the Intergovernmental Committee of the 2003 Convention, Vietnam's nomination dossier fully meets the criteria. The craft of making Dong Ho folk paintings is closely associated with the cultural and religious life of the Vietnamese people, especially during the Lunar New Year, Mid-Autumn Festival, and worship ceremonies.

However, nowadays, very few households in Dong Khe neighborhood (Thuan Thanh ward, Bac Ninh province) still maintain the craft. The transmission of the craft mainly takes place through the "father-to-son" method. Important stages such as drawing patterns and carving printing blocks require long training periods and high skill levels. The number of artisans has decreased sharply, while the demand for woodblock prints in modern life has declined, putting the craft at risk of extinction.

Crucial processes such as pattern drawing and woodblock carving require extensive training and high skill levels.

The craft of making Dong Ho paintings has a history of about 500 years, notable for its woodblock printing technique on dó paper coated with lacquer. The colors are made entirely from natural ingredients such as indigo leaves, pagoda tree flowers, gardenia fruit, weathered scallops, bamboo ash, and sticky rice straw. The paintings are printed manually following a traditional process, with the black outline being printed last to complete the artwork.

To protect its heritage, Vietnam has developed a plan with many specific solutions such as: opening training classes, inventorying and digitizing documents, designing new painting styles, expanding markets, supporting artisans with materials and protective equipment, and placing the community at the center of the entire implementation process.

The prints are hand-printed using a traditional process, with the black outline being printed last to complete the artwork.

On behalf of Vietnam, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Dao Cuong and leaders of Bac Ninh province pledged to fully implement the protection measures recommended by UNESCO and the 2003 Convention.

To date, Vietnam has 37 UNESCO World Heritage sites, with Bac Ninh province possessing many outstanding heritage sites, contributing to affirming the profound value of Vietnamese traditional culture.

Source: https://baophapluat.vn/nghe-lam-tranh-dan-gian-dong-ho-cua-viet-nam-duoc-unesco-ghi-danh-vao-danh-list-di-san-van-hoa-phi-vat-the-can-bao-ve-khan-cap.html