Boi Khe Village

Located downtown Hanoi 50 km to the south village of Boi Khe. The village is located west southwest of Chuyen My commune, southwestern borders Minh Duc Commune - Ung Hoa district, south borders Van Tu Commune - Phu Xuyen district, Traditional craft villages of Boi Khe lacquer lies the highway 1A about 8,5 km.

Boi Khe used to be a commune in Phu Xuyen district in Thuong Tin prefecture in Son Nam Thuong region in the early 19th century. In the early 20th century, it belonged to Thinh Duc Thuong in Phu Xuyen district in Ha Dong province. After 1945, it became a hamlet in Minh Duc commune in Ung Hoa district in Ha Dong province. In late 1953, Boi Khe moved back to the administration of Chuyen My commune in Phu Xuyen district in Ha Tay province. Since 1 August 2008, when Ha Tay was merged into Hanoi, Boi Khe has been part of Chuyen My commune in Phu Xuyen district in Hanoi. Like any other Vietnamese villages, Boi Khe is home to a lot of

cultural values associated with local people’s lives and production including

historical and cultural sites and traditional festivals.

The history of the traditional lacquering craft

Nobody knows exactly when the craft first started in the village. Local artisans only know that it has existed for a very long time and has been passed down from generation to generation. As a matter of fact, Boi Khe, which specializes in making inlaid lacquer, is situated in Chuyen My, which is believed to be the cradle of the inlaying craft. Therefore, there must be some connection between the two crafts. Many people in Chuyen My believe that Truong Cong Thanh, a native of Ngo hamlet and a renowned general of the Ly dynasty, was the person who spread the inlaying craft in the village.

 Materials and tools

Materials

The main material used in traditional inlaid lacquer is the famous lacquer paint made in Phu Tho. Other materials include sawdust, stone powder, clay,wood, gold, silver, egg shells, shells and snail shells.

Tools

Boi Khe artisans’ tool kits partly explain how sophisticated this traditional craft is. In each stage of production there is a corresponding tool such as paintmakers, and other tools used in shaping products.

The process of making traditional lacquer

It is composed of two main

stages, making lacquer paint and making finished products.

Typical products 

Boi Khe is famous for  worshipping objects and handicrafts.