UNESCO has inscribed the Dong Ho folk painting craft on the list of Heritage in need of urgent safeguarding.

On the afternoon of December 9th (Hanoi time), at its 20th session in India, UNESCO officially approved the decision to inscribe the Dong Ho folk painting craft of Vietnam on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding. This is the 17th Vietnamese heritage honored by UNESCO, opening up new opportunities and responsibilities in reviving this unique folk painting tradition.

At 4:08 PM on December 9th (2:38 PM New Delhi time), at the Red Fort in India, the gavel of the Chairman of the 20th Session of the Intergovernmental Committee of the 2003 Convention rang out, approving Decision No. 20.COM 7.a.1. Accordingly, the dossier on "Dong Ho folk painting" from Vietnam fully met the stringent criteria for inscription on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.

Mr. Vishal V. Sharma, Chairman of the 20th Session, officially struck the gavel to inscribe the Dong Ho folk painting craft into the List of Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.

The Vietnamese delegation erupted in joy when UNESCO officially approved the inclusion of the Dong Ho folk painting craft on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in need of urgent safeguarding.

The craft of making Dong Ho folk paintings originated in the 17th century in Dong Khe village (Song Ho ward, Thuan Thanh town, Bac Ninh province). Over five centuries, the local community has created a unique style of woodblock printing, deeply imbued with the essence of Vietnamese life. The uniqueness of Dong Ho paintings lies in their sophisticated hand-printing techniques and a color palette derived entirely from natural sources: iridescent mother-of-pearl from seashells, vermilion red from cinnabar, yellow from pagoda tree flowers, blue from indigo leaves, and black from bamboo leaf charcoal.

Each painting is the result of a complex process involving creating the design, carving the woodblock, and printing the image "face down" on butterfly-patterned dó paper. The artisans must print five colors sequentially, each with its own woodblock, adhering to strict principles: red first, followed by blue, yellow, and white, and finally black to "complete" the image.

The color boards and line boards – the woodblock printing sets – are indispensable for completing a Dong Ho folk painting.

Artisan Nguyen Dang Che instructs woodblock carvers at his printing workshop in Song Ho ward, Thuan Thanh town, Bac Ninh province.

Despite its immense artistic and historical value, the Dong Ho folk painting craft is facing a serious threat of extinction. Currently, only a few families in Dong Khe village persevere in maintaining the craft (a prime example being the family of artisan Nguyen Dang Che). According to the dossier submitted to UNESCO, the number of skilled artisans has sharply decreased due to the difficulty in securing a livelihood from the craft and a lack of interest from the younger generation. Furthermore, the processes of preparing the raw materials and carving the woodblocks require many years of accumulated experience, leading to a disruption in the transmission of knowledge. This situation meets the criteria for inclusion on UNESCO's List of In Need of Urgent Safeguarding.

Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Dao Cuong delivered a speech at the session.

Immediately after the registration, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Dao Cuong and the Vietnamese delegation delivered a speech committing to implementing the National Action Program focusing on seven strategic goals. These goals aim to thoroughly address the risk of cultural decline through: opening specialized training classes; inventorying and documenting ancient woodblock prints; planning and improving access to natural resources; supporting diversification of designs and markets to ensure livelihoods for artisans; and integrating heritage into formal and informal education systems to foster a love of culture in the younger generation.

This event is not only a source of pride for the Bac Ninh community but also affirms Vietnam's commitment to preserving the diversity of human culture and ensuring the sustainable continuation of traditional cultural flows.

Source: https://bvhttdl.gov.vn/unesco-ghi-danh-nghe-lam-tranh-dan-gian-dong-ho-vao-danh-list-of-sanctuaries-that-necessary-protection-20251209182556295.htm