Vietnam Art and Craft

Vietnam is a country rich in handicraft products, thanks to the hardworking, dexterous, and creative qualities of the Vietnamese people. For a very long time, handicraft products have been a source of culturalpride and a source of income for the people. As the varieties of handicraft products are too numerous to be fully introduced, only a few typical items and their sources are mentioned here.

Woven tapestries and tho cam handbags are unique works from the skilled hands of the ethnic women living in the Northwest regions, such as Cao Bang. Embroidered articles and silk products are famous from the regions of Ha Dong, Nam Ha, Thai Binh and Hue. Wool tapestries from Hanoi and Haiphong, and jute tapestries from Hung Yen, Haiphong, Hanoi and Thai Binh, are much sought after.

Ceramic and porcelain items have been produced in Vietnam for a long time. Ceramic and porcelain products glazed by traditional methods into beautiful art are well known in Bat Trang (Hanoi), Quang Ninh, and Haiphong. Copperware is fabricated by the skillful hands of coppersmiths in Nam Ha, Ngu Xa (Hanoi), Dong Son (Thanh Hoa), and Long Tho. Jewelry products and metalwork are concentrated in Hanoi, Thai Binh and Hai Hung, while stonework are mainly produced in Danang (Five Element Mountain Region).

Wood products and wood carvings can usually be found in Phu Xuyen (Ha Tay), Haiphong, and Hue.There are thousands of types of handicraft products. Some of these handicrafts have been internationally recognized and popularized, such as lacquerware. While lacquer artists produce a limited number of paintings and sculptures, lacquer crafts have been part of Vietnamese life in many forms: vases, boxes, interior decorating items, jewelry, and office products. With about 2,000 years of history, Vietnamese lacquerware and other products made by a community of handicraft artists, have established a firm and growing position in the domestic and international markets.