Watch the artisans of Son Dong village making wooden statues.

Mentioning Son Dong handicraft village (Son Dong commune, Hoai Duc district, Hanoi city) brings to mind not only the people of Hanoi but also people from many provinces and cities across the country who know about this ancient village with its famous traditional craft of casting and sculpting statues and religious artifacts.

The Son Dong craft village currently has thousands of skilled craftsmen and many talented artisans, not to mention numerous sculptors from other places. It is considered the capital for making religious artifacts, Buddha statues, and handcrafted carvings.

Through the skillful hands of the craftsmen, many statues of various sizes have been created, embodying the thoughts, feelings, and reverence of the people.

Having been involved in the craft for nearly 40 years, artisan Nguyen Tri Dung, 56 years old, said that the most difficult part of making Buddha statues is for the craftsman to breathe life into the statue, making it look divine and expressive. In addition, they must understand the deep origins of each product, the spiritual qualities of the Buddha or Saint. They must also learn from the virtues of these figures to elevate their own souls, cultivate spiritual awareness to improve their skills, and enhance the value of their products.

According to Mr. Dung, it takes about a month to complete a statue. His workshop mainly receives orders from temples and pagodas throughout the country, and then produces them according to the customer's requested dimensions. Depending on the size, material, and complexity, the price of custom-ordered statues will vary.

"Besides making statues, Mr. Dung's workshop also makes altars, altar decorations, horizontal plaques, couplets, arched doorways, etc.," Mr. Dung said.

In Son Dong village, one hears the pleasant clicking sound of chisels and smells the fragrant aroma of precious woods. Everywhere you look, you'll find statues such as: Shakyamuni Buddha, Amitabha Buddha, Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva, Saint Tran, statues of the Good and Evil figures, Arhats... along with countless other handcrafted religious artifacts.

Artisan Nguyen Tri Dung is meticulously shaping and completing the final stages of a statue.

At just 29 years old, Nguyen Trung Phong, originally from Ha Nam province, has already been crafting wooden statues for a decade. Having opened his own workshop in his hometown, during busy periods, business owners in Son Dong village often call him on a contract basis.

The tools of the trade for artisans.

Sáng, 23 years old, is from a neighboring village and has been studying and working in Sơn Đồng for the past four years.

In Son Dong village, it's not difficult to find large logs used for crafting statues and religious artifacts. It's known that the wood primarily used for making statues is jackfruit wood, considered sacred in folklore and highly suitable for religious objects. Furthermore, this type of wood is characterized by its bright yellow color, high durability, flexibility, softness, fine grain, resistance to cracking, and ease of carving.

Once the statues are sculpted, they wait for the wood to dry before being painted for the final finish.

At Son Dong, customers can order any type of religious statue and the craftsmen can make it immediately without needing a pre-made model.

The Son Dong craft village is now more than just a traditional craft village; it has become an attractive tourist destination for both domestic and international visitors, and a cultural highlight of the capital city. In 2007, the Vietnam Book of Records recognized Son Dong as the "Largest village in Vietnam specializing in carving Buddhist statues and religious artifacts." Currently, the products of the Son Dong handicraft village not only serve the cultural, spiritual, and religious needs of the country but are also exported abroad.

Source: https://daidoanket.vn/xem-nghe-nhan-lang-son-dong-lam-tuong-go-10280369.html