UNESCO recognizes Dong Ho folk painting craft

UNESCO has just approved the inscription of Dong Ho folk painting into the list of intangible cultural heritage in need of urgent safeguarding at 2:38 p.m. on December 9 (local time, about 4:08 p.m. Hanoi time), in New Delhi, India. The heritage was inscribed at the 20th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the 2003 UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. This is the 17th heritage of Vietnam to be inscribed by UNESCO on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO.

UNESCO ghi danh nghề làm tranh dân gian Đông Hồ - Ảnh 1. — Hammering through the inclusion of Dong Ho folk painting craft in the list of intangible heritage in need of urgent protection

According to heritage records, the craft of making Dong Ho folk paintings in Dong Khe quarter, Thuan Thanh ward, Bac Ninh province, was born about 500 years ago. The community practicing the craft has created paintings with unique characteristics in terms of theme, printing technique, color and graphics using woodblock printing techniques.

Also according to the profile of Dong Ho folk painting profession, the themes of the paintings often include worship paintings, congratulatory paintings, historical paintings, daily life paintings, landscape paintings, associated with the custom of hanging paintings on Lunar New Year, Mid-Autumn Festival, ancestor worship and god worship.

UNESCO ghi danh nghề làm tranh dân gian Đông Hồ - Ảnh 2. — Woodblock print

The steps of creating the model, carving the printing block, making the color, and printing the painting are all done by hand. The painting is drawn with a brush, Chinese ink on paper and carved on a wooden board. The colors are made from natural materials: blue from indigo leaves, red from red pebbles, yellow from pagoda flowers and gardenia fruit, white from weathered scallop powder, black from bamboo leaf ash and sticky rice straw. The painting is printed upside down with 5 basic colors on Do paper that has been covered with a layer of butterfly paste. The colors are printed according to the principle of printing red first, followed by blue, yellow, and white. The black stroke is printed last to complete the painting.

The craft of making Dong Ho folk paintings is associated with important rituals.

According to the 2003 Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, the nomination dossier for the intangible cultural heritage of Dong Ho folk painting in Vietnam meets the five criteria for inclusion in the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.

Firstly, the craft of making Dong Ho folk paintings is closely associated with important festivals such as the Lunar New Year and the Mid-Autumn Festival, as well as with ancestor and deity worship rituals. Today, only a few families continue to maintain this craft, passing on knowledge and skills within the family and to apprentices through direct instruction and hands-on practice. Some stages, such as pattern drawing and woodblock carving, require extensive training and years of experience. Woodblocks are considered family heirlooms, passed down through generations.

UNESCO ghi danh nghề làm tranh dân gian Đông Hồ - Ảnh 3. — Artisan Nguyen Dang Che, a person who has kept the profession for many years

Second, the number of skilled artisans has decreased sharply (according to the nomination records, only a few households still maintain the profession), due to the young generation's lack of interest, the profession is difficult to ensure a livelihood, and the demand for woodblock prints in traditional ceremonies has decreased. The number of highly skilled and dedicated people pursuing the profession is too small to maintain the teaching and making of paintings, so the profession needs to be urgently protected.

Third, the conservation plan sets out seven objectives, including: opening workshops, inventorying heritage, designing models, diversifying markets, improving access to raw materials, and providing protective equipment for artisans. The proposed activities are feasible, relevant to the goals, sustainable, and community-centered.

UNESCO ghi danh nghề làm tranh dân gian Đông Hồ - Ảnh 4. — A Dong Ho painting

Fourth, the Dong Ho folk painting profession profile shows the active participation of the community, especially craft families, throughout the entire profile process, through inventory activities and public events.

Fifth, the Dong Ho folk painting heritage has been included in the Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage, which is regularly updated with community participation.

The Intergovernmental Committee for the 2003 Convention decided to inscribe the making of Dong Ho folk paintings on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding and encouraged Viet Nam to consider integrating this heritage into the education system, both formal and informal, to encourage the younger generation to understand and appreciate the importance of protecting the heritage.

According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, UNESCO's inscription of Dong Ho folk painting into the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding has profound significance for the practicing community and the Vietnamese public. First of all, it affirms the unique historical and artistic value of the craft, while also motivating artisans to continue preserving the skills and secrets of the traditional craft that are at risk of being lost. In addition, the inscription helps raise social awareness of the importance of heritage, promotes the interest of the younger generation and encourages activities to support protection from organizations to the community. Moreover, this is also an opportunity to promote the image of Vietnamese culture to the world, contributing to nurturing national pride and protecting the diversity of Vietnamese cultural identity.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/unesco-ghi-danh-nghe-lam-tranh-dan-gian-dong-ho-185251209170017701.htm