In a small house at 178 Tran Vu Street, which serves as both a foundry and a showroom, amidst the room filled with bronze Buddha statues, religious artifacts, and portraits, we met artisan Nguyen Van Ung. The warm glow of the bronze reflected on the face of the artisan, now over seventy years old, who has dedicated more than half a century to keeping the flame of his ancestors' craft alive.

Bronze casting artisans must go through many stages to create their products.

Born into a family with generations of experience in bronze casting, Mr. Ung was taught the craft by his father, artisan Nguyen Van Tiep, from a young age. His first lessons were not just about molding clay, making molds, or melting bronze, but also about patience and meticulousness in every step of the process.

“Before 1955, bronze casting in Ngu Xa mainly served spiritual needs with Buddha statues and religious artifacts. Later, along with the country's transformation, the craft village expanded to produce products for national defense and daily life, while still maintaining its traditional product line,” Mr. Ung shared. This flexibility in production orientation has helped Ngu Xa bronze products gradually become present in the daily lives of people in many regions, thereby building a unique reputation and position for the craft village amidst the flow of traditional handicrafts.

The distinguishing feature of Ngũ Xã bronze products lies in the monolithic casting technique, a method requiring high skill and mastery of the entire crafting process. Even for small-sized products, monolithic casting is not simple; for larger pieces, the complexity increases, requiring the craftsman to precisely calculate everything from temperature and pouring time to mold structure. According to artisan Nguyễn Văn Ứng, this is a particularly difficult technique, demanding proficiency in every stage, and is still considered a unique trade secret of Ngũ Xã village.

The bronze casting process here involves many consecutive steps, some lasting weeks or even months, with carving being the most time-consuming and labor-intensive stage. Although modern machinery has partially assisted in production, the artisans believe that the core value of the product still lies in the hands of the craftsman, where skill, experience, and aesthetic sense determine the final quality of each work.

Mr. Pham Duy Hoang (born in 1955), the oldest craftsman at the Ngu Xa bronze casting workshop, said: “Ancient designs have been preserved and passed down through many generations, forming the foundation for crafting; the polishing process before coloring and finishing usually requires 4-5 people working together, is time-consuming, and demands meticulous attention to detail.”

However, due to the impact of industrialization and changes in consumer habits, the bronze casting craft in Ngu Xa village has gradually declined, with only a few families persevering, quietly preserving the heritage through centuries. Currently, Mr. Ung's family workshop is the only bronze casting workshop still operating in Ngu Xa village, and also the only family in Ngu Xa with four members awarded the title of " Hanoi Artisan".

From that space, the products have traveled with customers throughout the country and abroad, with many pieces being custom-made to individual specifications, unique and not copied. To complete such a product, the craftsman must go through a series of stages, from sculpting based on documentary photos, molding clay, making molds, to casting in bronze. Every detail on the face, from the eyes, wrinkles to the expression, is meticulously adjusted. For the artisans, a statue is only truly complete when it "has a soul." Each piece uses only one mold, and the mold is destroyed after completion, creating truly unique products.

According to the artisans, the changing consumer tastes in recent years have also placed new demands on the craft. Customers are not only looking for religious artifacts, but are also more interested in cultural value, aesthetics, personalization, and the story behind each product. In response to this reality, the bronze casting workshops in Ngũ Xã have flexibly expanded their product lines, from statues, lamps, and vases to high-end decorative items and gifts, both preserving the essence of tradition and adapting to modern life.

It is this meticulous and rigorous approach to craftsmanship that has laid the foundation for the bronze casting products of Ngu Xa to be recognized with professional certifications and awards. The fact that some products have achieved OCOP 4-star rating not only reflects their quality but also demonstrates the adaptability of the traditional craft village to the demands of contemporary life. Furthermore, many other works from the workshop have won high prizes in handicraft competitions, contributing to affirming the position of Ngu Xa bronze casting within the traditional craft tradition of Thang Long.

Meticulous attention to detail in perfecting the product.

The bronze casting craft of Ngũ Xã is not just a traditional craft, but also a repository of memories, beliefs, and traditional aesthetics. Each product embodies spiritual value and cultural depth, connecting people with their ancestors and national history. Preserving the craft is not just about preserving the techniques, but also about safeguarding cultural values ​​that continue to thrive in contemporary life.

The bronze casting tradition in the ancient village of Ngũ Xã thus continues to burn steadily through time, unpretentious, yet warm enough to preserve the craft and bright enough to illuminate new paths. When tradition is invigorated by innovative thinking and appropriate policies, Ngũ Xã bronze casting not only survives but continues to affirm its position as a living gem in the heart of Hanoi, a city with a thousand years of cultural heritage.

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/van-hoa/doi-song/tinh-hoa-dong-ngu-xa-hon-bon-the-ky-do-lua-1025200