Ngu Xa village

Ngu Xa now belongs to Truc Bach Ward in Ba Đinh District, Ha Noi. In the 18th and 19th centuries bronze casters from five communes (Đong Mai, Chau My, Long Thuong, Dao Vien and Dien Tien) in Sieu Loai District (now Thuan Thanh, Bac Ninh Province) and Van Lam District, Hung Yen Province came to Truc Bch Lake to set up business and establish the Ngu Xa school for bronze-casting. The entrance gate of Ngu Xa Communal House They opened a foundry to make houseware, urns, statues, sacred objects and bronze money for the royalty. They were very skillful and professional and bronze casting flourished here up to the 18th century. They produced valuable products favored by people all over the country, particularly statues and religious objects. If you go to Tran VuTemple, you can see a skillfully crafted bronze lamp and a black bronze statue made in 1677 that is 3.72 meters high, weighs four tons, and is considered a masterpiece of 17th century bronze casting.

In later centuries, the artisans in this area created even greater masterpieces. They cast a 13-ton Buddha statue and put it in the middle of their communal house. It is highly polished with a meticulously carved lotus lamp support and was made of bronze collected by Buddhists and pilgrims. Beside this giant statue there is an incense burner in the shape of a dragon and a bronze censer almost a meter high. All these are precious items representing traditional Vietnamese popular artistry.

The founder of the bronze casting trade was Nguyễn Minh Không who became a legend related to West Lake and was called “the giant caster.” According to history, his Buddhist pseudonym was bonze Minh Khong.

Once upon a time there was a giant in Viet Nam called Nguyen Minh Khong who was as tall as a mountain and had exceptional strength so no one could beat him. He was a Buddhist priest who usually leaned on a heavy iron stick and wore a sedge bag and a small conical hat. He travelled far and wide collecting bronze to cast into statues and bells and legend has it that his two pockets and his sedge bag were unusual because they could never be entirely filled.

Because of his great virtue, the Ly King allowed Minh Khong to build a monastery next to Bao Thien Pagoda (now Ly Quoc Su Pagoda, number 50 Ly Quoc Su Street, Hoan Kiem District). In 1138, Nguyen Minh Khong cured King Ly Than Tong (1128-1138) and was conferred the title of the Prince’s Teacher of the Ly Dynasty. He was not only a good doctor, but also a good bronze caster so people in Ngu Xa Village considered him their tutelary god. In the middle of the 18th century, Ngu Xa Pagoda was built beside the communal house to worship saint Nguyen Minh Khong but he was worshipped in the communal house and the pagoda was only used to worship Buddha.

Beside his skill in casting statues and bronze bells, he was also famous for being a good doctor. He was highly trusted and usually treated serious diseases for the king and when the Sung prince in China contracted a supposedly incurable disease, Minh Không was invited to treat him. After the prince was cured the king allowed the giant to take as much gold as he wanted from the royal storeroom but he refused. He said: "I came from the South to cure people for good luck, not for gold or silver. I only brought along this small bag. I don’t want to take any gold, but I beg the king for a bag of bronze to cast a bell, to educate people, save the good, and eliminate the bad".

The Sung king smiled and said: "Oh, I see. One bag or one hundred bags is alright".

The king ordered the people to lead Minh Không to the storeroom and the guards left him to fill his bag with bronze. After putting the whole store of bronze in his bag it was still not full, so the giant hung it on one end of his stick and left turning his head and bowing to thank the king. When the guards came back there was no bronze left in the storeroom and the giant had disappeared and when they could not find him, they submitted a petition to the king. At first, the king did not believe the strange story, but when he asked the mandarin in charge of the treasury and the storeroom keeper, they said it was true; the affair was over so he did not question anybody.

Minh Không used his conical hat as a boat to cross the Changjiang River. The small hat looked as if it could not contain a bar of bronze, but strangely, when the giant, loaded with a storeroom full of bronze, sat in it it could still float and gently crossed the Changjiang River to his hometown in the south. With the bronze collected throughout the country, the giant cast four precious objects called the “Four Treasures of Buddhism.” These are a statue 60 meters high, the nine-storey Bao Thien Tower, an incense burner, and a giant bronze bell.

After the bell was cast, he asked permission from the king to hang it and strike it and he invited the king to watch. When the bell rang to announce peace in the country, its resounded everywhere and people all over the country flocked into the streets to listen to the bell and dance. It resounded up to Changan and woke the Sung Dynasty’s golden buffalo who thought his mother was calling and ran to find her. The tributary of the Red River that flows from the mountains to Thang Long-Ha Noi is said to be the path the buffalo took. When the bell stopped ringing, the buffalo did not know where to go. It wandered around until it saw the bell, then it lay down. It began to rain heavily, flooding the whole area, then suddenly both the bell and the buffalo were sucked into an abyss. The bell and the buffalo never returned to their home country in the north and it is said amongst the local people that if a family gives birth to ten sons, the father could pull the bell up and bring the buffalo home. Once there was a man who had ten sons and when he presented offerings, the golden buffalo came to the surface. However, he could not bring it home because only nine of his sons were his own; one was adopted.

Dai Bai village

Dai Bai village (Gia Binh district, Bac Ninh province) is nationwide famous for more than 1,000 year old bronze casting tradition. Bronze casting traditional occupation was established in 998. In the 15th century, the villages was divided into different hamlets, each with their own professional skill including bronze kettles, bronze pots, bronze basins, bronze food tray and one hamlet which was specialized in providing materials and selling products. Visiting Dai Bai village, you can witness sophistication of bronze casting fine arts and the cleverness of the craftsmen...

Dai Bai village in the northern province of Bac Ninh follows a traditional craft of casting bronze items- a profession, which has been in existence for hundreds of years. Rising prices of input materials, and reduced demand in recent years have had a negative impact on the village’s business. In this context, some crafstmen have turned to portrait statues in an effort to keep their craft alive.

Dai Bai village, formerly known as Van Lang, is 30km north of Hanoi’s center. In its heyday in the early 11th century, Dai Bai was famous for casting household utensils. Guilds were formed to produce a variety of bronze items such as pots, trays, kettles, and basins. For many years, the village was renowned for producing devotional items such as statues, urns, vases, and parallel sentences

Cooperatives have been established and machines invented to improve product quality, but local business has been seriously hurt by recent global economic troubles. Many workshops have closed and their workers have had to find new jobs. Some households have found a way to save their livelihoods by casting portrait statues. Đinh Van Toi owns a bronze casting facility in Dai Bai: "Many people now want statues of their parents or ancestors cast in bronze for worshiping. Some look for portrait statues of historical figures while others favor bronze statues to decorate their houses and balance Yin and Yang". 

Most workshop owners say their customers prefer statues of Buddha, national heroes or their ancestors as a way to educate their children about family traditions. Nguyen Van Trung is a customer: "Portrait statues capture physical appearances. I have ordered statues of my parents and will place them on family altars". 

It takes approximately a month for bronze casters to make a bust, whose price ranges between 600 and 700 USD depending on the size and weight. Statues of Buddha are more expensive as they require greater skill and sophistication. Dinh Xuan Chien, Deputy director of the Cultural Heritage Company talks about Đai Bai village’s future: "Local production will continue to focus on Buddha statues and portrait statues as demand is growing rapidly". Many workshops in the village have restored their production levels and the traditional craft of bronze casting is gradually back on track.    

Phuoc Kieu bronze- casting village

According to history, this trade village began from the 16th century. Mr. Duong Khong Lo, De Kieu Commune, Lang Son Province, stepped into Dien Ban Khai to promote bronze casting and he renamed this village into “Phuoc Kieu” Village. After the rise and fall of nation, the trade village still remains and develops bronze casting so far.

The reputation of this trade village was not only restricted in the area of Quang Nam - Danang but also expanded to the whole nation. Now, with the convenient location, close to the National Highway no.01A and on the linking axis world natural heritage: Hoi An Old Quarter and My Son Tower area and as well as period reputation, recently, tourism in Vietnam has taken Phuoc Kieu Bronze Casting Village into one of the most attractive destinations. Especially, 

in October 2006, the trade village: Phuoc Kieu Bronze Casting has been chosen to become the destination for Tourism ministers at the APEC conference by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism.

In order to make one gong which has standard sound, they must implement many steps. The first step is making shape including inside shape and outside shape. Outside shape can be used for two months and inside shape will be broke down after once casting gong. The potter’s clay is mixed with rice husk according fixed ratio. After completing the first step, the shape is taken to oven during 1 day.

Coming to Phuoc Kieu Bronze Casting Village, apart from shopping souvenir, tourists can have opportunities to directly take part in production stage and enjoy the performance of craftsman with gongs, especially, tourist also enjoy the wonderful melody which stems from this instrument. These sounds create the soul of Phuoc Kieu gongs.

Currently, Phuoc Kieu Bronze Casting Village has more 20 families that are joining with more 100 labors. Besides casting traditional products, the products also provide for festival, churches, pagoda…

Tong Xa bronze- casting village

For over 900 years, bronze casting in Tong Xa Village, Yen Xa Commune in the district of Y Yen in Nam Dinh Province has been preserved and strongly developed, bringing a good life to the local people. By the end of the 12th century, Nguyen Minh Khong who is considered the ancestor of bronze casting settled in Tong Xa to reclaim new lands and taught the local people the craft to help them earn their living. 

Thanks to the secrets handed down by their ancestors together with their skillfulness, creativeness and the application of advanced technology, the local people have not only preserved but also strongly developed their traditional craft. Previously, they only cast household items and worshipping objects in small sizes, namely Buddhist statues, incense burners, basins and pots. However, they now make various kinds of products in large sizes that require high skills and techniques. In recent years, the artisans in Tong Xa Village and its neighbouring village, Van Diem, cast successfully several grandiose bronze monuments and statues. They are the Monument of Dien Bien Phu Victory, 16.2m in height and 220kg in weight located in Dien Bien and the statue of King Ly Thai To, 10.1m in height and 45 tonnes in weight in Hanoi. There are also the statue of The Great Buddha, 35 tonnes in weight on Non Nuoc Mountain, Soc Son Province, and three statues of Buddha, weighing 50 tonnes in Bai Dinh Pagoda in Ninh Binh Province.

Besides large monuments and statues ordered by customers, the villagers also make traditional items, including incense burners, bronze urns, statues of sacred animals, statues of famous people and statues of leaders in small and medium sizes. The statues of celebrities and leaders of the country made by Ngu Xa artisans are rendered beautifully thanks to painstaking care using delicate strokes. 

To make high quality products, the villagers combine traditional techniques and secrets of modern technology. Therefore, the village’s products have gained prestige in the market.

Visiting the village, one will see with his own eyes the bustling life in the 900-year-old craft village. Along the main road in the centre of Lam Town in Yen Xa Commune are a series of shops selling Tong Xa products, which are always full of customers. The products are not only sold to local people, but also to other provinces nationwide and exported to foreign countries.

In the village, there are now about 150 workshops producing bronze fine arts items, providing jobs for over 1,500 people, each earning 3 - 4 million VND/month. Sales from the whole village reaches over 600 billion VND/year.

Apart from small scale establishments, many private enterprises with large scale production, such as Tan Tien, Quang Ha, Duong Ba Phong and Duong Ba Tan, were established, making a great contribution to shifting the traditional and small scale production into an industrial and modern direction, expanding production, increasing productivity and improving the quality of the village’s products. To meet the demand of the domestic and foreign markets, a mechanical casting area was established in Lam Town in the district that involves the participation of many households. At present, both the villagers and private enterprises have invested in machines, expanded markets and sought new partners. It is a sound direction, promising a bright prospect for bronze casting in Tong Xa and making a contribution to developing the local economy.

Bang Chau bronze- casting village

In the past, Dap Da town was located at the former Do Ban Citadel in An Nhon district of Binh Dinh province. When the Citadel was later expanded, rebuilt and renamed Hoang De Citadel it was very significant to the development of Dap Da’s guilds and craft villages, as well as its economy.

Because of its particular natural and social characteristics, Dap Da was the ideal place to develop agriculture and craft villages such as weaving in Nam Phuong Danh village, forging in Tay Phuong Danh, bronze casting in Bang Chau pottery in Nhan Phap and trading services in Dong Phuong Danh.

Visitors to Dap Da can tour the ancient craft villages, among them the traditional bronze casting village,Bang Chau. Like in other traditional bronze casting villages, Bang Chau bronze products go through many steps before they are finished including preparing the materials, making the moulds, building the foundry and, finally, casting the molten metal. In addition to bronze, the metalsmiths also make aluminum and pig-iron products.

The original founder of bronze casting in Bang Chau is Duong Khong Lo, who was also a doctor. Each year, on the 17th day of the third lunar month, local people make ritual offerings to their ancestors and those who contributed to the development of their village.

The ancestors’ death anniversary has become a traditional festival in Bang Chau. It is a lively event closely associated with the village's development and it leads the people to their roots, which create a strong attachment among the community. Wherever they go, the people of Bang Chau remember and celebrate their traditional festival.

Village elders say that to produce one tonne of finished bronze requires between five and six tonnes of clay for the mould. The skills for bronze casting are usually passed down through the generations of a family from father to son.

The father or grandfather who understands all the steps in bronze casting is the master and his descendants are the assistants.

In the past, bronze casting families often gathered into groups that produced common items such as trays, pots, pans and lamps. To begin with, their products were rather primitive and the mould making process took a lot of time and effort but the local mould makers gradually improved their techniques and learnt from the experiences of other villages how to make more sophisticated and diversified products.

During the war against the French, several bronze casters in the village made weapons to fight the enemy such as grenade cases and metal spikes. In 1957, local bronze makers cast a two-metre tall, 750kg statue of the Buddha for Long Khanh pagoda in Quy Nhon city, Binh Dinh province. The bronze casters of Bang Chau also created many other statues that appear all over the country, particularly in the South.

After 1975, a bronze casting co-operative was established in Bang Chau that used advanced technology for production. During this period, the village was very busy making and selling many well-known kinds of bronze products such as the pairs of cranes now displayed at the Quang Trung Museum in Tay Son district, Binh Dinh province. In 1986, the people of Bang Chau cast a two- metre tall, 750kg statue of President Ho Chi Minh to mark the 10th anniversary of national reunification, which is now in the traditional house in An Nhon district. The local artisans have cast many bronze items since then and today, there are about 30 bronze casting establishments in Bang Chau, each with around 15 mould makers. As time has passed, bronze casting in Bang Chau has not fallen into oblivion and favourable conditions have been created to promote further development. The unique characteristics of this traditional village have been preserved by the local residents, who also make an income from their craft which has improved their lives and local culture.

Quang Bo Bronze Casting Village

Quang Bo Village (Quang Phu Commune, Luong Tai District, Bac Ninh Province) has long been known nationwide as a supplier of bronze mechanical items. Over time, the village’s coppersmiths have developed their traditional craft with hundreds of enterprises involved in bronze-casting.

Products of Quang Bo Bronze-Casting Village, which are mainly bronze mechanical components used in the mechanical engineering sector, have gained the reputation for high quality and diversity. Now, the village’s copper-wares have made their way to numerous industrial parks inside and outside Bac Ninh Province, serving several big mechanical companies and corporations in Vietnam.

According to Nguyen Thi Thuy, Director of Manh Quyet Company, by 2011 the number of enterprises of varying sizes reached a three-digit number, not counting small establishments and workshops which employ only a few workers. It is estimated that up to 75 percent of the village’s households are involved in copper mechanical production.

Each household in the village mainly produces only one main product. For example, Thuy’s company specialises in manufacturing worshipping ornaments and decorations. Others are involved in nuts and bolts, hinges, electric wires, locks and valves. Since they produce different specialised products, each producer can commit time and resources to maximise its effectiveness, promoting its manufacturing capacity and turnout while perfecting its products without risks of local competitiveness.

Thuy said that she inherited the craft of bronze-casting from her predecessors with a small workshop of manual production in the beginning. But due to the impact of the market economy, she found it necessary to update advanced technology and extend the production line so as to meet the changing demands of customers. Therefore, a humble workshop that only produced simple products has developed into a modern one with 80 percent of the production done by machines. The products are thus more diverse and delicate. Manh Quyet Company’s products are now much sought after by both corporate and individual customers nationwide.

Each day passes in Quang Bo Village with the lively and exciting working atmosphere that proves its developing potential. The clear-headedness of the villagers has substantially contributed to the preservation and prospective development of Quang Bo Village as a main manufacturing place for bronze mechanical products.