The person who continues the Tra Dong bronze casting tradition

Meritorious Artisan Nguyen Ba Quy.

Young artisan Nguyen Ba Quy is one of them. He has devoted his youth to the sound of hammers, coal steam and clay molds, determined to keep the bronze casting craft of his homeland from fading away. His perseverance and creativity show that tradition can only survive when it is cherished and continued by the younger generation with all their heart and responsibility.

Born and raised in the "cradle" of bronze casting, his family has a tradition of bronze casting, which has become a favorable condition for Meritorious Artisan Nguyen Ba Quy (born 1987) - son of People's Artisan Nguyen Ba Chau to nurture his passion and love for the profession. From a young age, Mr. Quy was familiar with the stages of making a bronze product. And without knowing when, the profession and the stages of creating the product have "memorized" him, becoming an important part of nurturing his will and aspirations.

Meritorious Artisan Nguyen Ba Quy shared: “Since I was a child, I have helped my parents with the steps of making products such as mixing, modeling, molding, pouring bronze, cooling, carving, and coloring the products. Because I have been involved in the profession since I was a child, I clearly feel the hardships of the profession as well as the dedication and affection of my ancestors for the traditional profession. That is what makes me love the profession, be passionate about the profession and want to become a bronze caster like my ancestors. For me, doing the profession is not only to satisfy my passion but also to be proud and responsible for preserving the national cultural identity in the face of the challenges of the times.”

That desire has become the "compass" for Mr. Quy on his career path. From the first days of entering the profession until he became proficient, he has always been taught all the skills by his "special teacher", his father. From simple to complex tasks, from basic to advanced steps, he has been trained to master them all. In particular, the stages of mold making, design, and pattern carving are trained more strictly by the "special teacher". Because the design and pattern are the artistic "soul" of the product, showing the talent and ingenuity of the craftsman. Moreover, it not only shows personal factors but also shows understanding and love for national culture.

Thanks to his father's dedicated guidance, along with his diligence, love for the profession, and daring spirit, at the age of over 20, Mr. Quy has created his own complete bronze drum product. Mr. Quy shared: "After many days of failed experiments, then practicing, studying, and gaining experience, I have completed a satisfactory bronze drum product. I am very happy because I have gradually reached my dream of becoming a bronze caster and taken the first steps on the path of preserving and promoting traditional culture."

Understanding that bronze casting is the cultural quintessence of the nation, Mr. Quy not only works hard but also visits other bronze casting villages, finds preserved bronze products and documents about the craft to improve his knowledge and understanding of the craft and of the nation's culture. Thanks to his eagerness to learn and perseverance, he quickly asserts himself in the craft village.

When he was nearly 30 years old, he was awarded the title of Craft Village Craftsman by the Vietnam Craft Village Association; and the Vietnam Cultural Heritage Association awarded him a Certificate of Merit for his achievements in protecting and promoting the value of cultural heritage. The peak was in 2018, after more than 6 months of hard work, Mr. Quy successfully cast a version of Ngoc Lu bronze drum using traditional manual methods with a very large size. Mr. Quy was recognized by the Guinness Vietnam Record - "the person who made the largest version of Ngoc Lu bronze drum using traditional manual methods in Vietnam". Mr. Quy shared: "Ngoc Lu bronze drum is the most beautiful of all types of bronze drums, because of its unique design, patterns, and high artistic value. Therefore, I want to contribute to preserving and honoring those precious and unique cultural values".

Not stopping at preserving, Mr. Quy also aims to sustainably develop the traditional craft in a modern direction and adapt to new needs. Together with his father, he runs Dong Son Che Dong Traditional Bronze Casting Company Limited with a bronze casting workshop of about 2,700 square meters, creating stable jobs for about 10 - 15 local workers with an income of 8 - 15 million VND/month. In 2021, many bronze drum products made by the enterprise were ranked 4-star OCOP. Mr. Quy also proactively brought the traditional craft to keep up with the digital age by boldly improving techniques and selling online. This direction helps Thieu Trung's bronze products reach a large number of people in and outside the province.

From a young man passionate about his profession, overcoming challenges, acquiring knowledge and creating traditional quintessence, Nguyen Ba Quy has become a pioneer for young artisans in preserving traditional culture, bringing traditional culture into modern life.

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