Historical stories from ancient times
The Dinh Cong silversmithing profession has not only brought a stable life to the people, but also become a cultural feature of the capital city. Each silversmithing work is not only a decorative item but also carries the story of generations of Dinh Cong craftsmen, stories passed down through each line, each skillful weld and each sophisticated pattern.
A silver bean product, at first glance, may just be a small, pretty piece of jewelry such as a ring, bracelet, or brooch. But few people know that to complete such a work, the craftsman must go through dozens of complicated stages.
Talking to Lao Dong reporter, artisan Le Dinh Son (Thuong village silver bean establishment, Dinh Cong ward, Hoang Mai district, Hanoi) said: “To create a complete product, the most important thing is patience. There are items that take us a whole month to complete. Every detail needs to be carefully shaped, each silk-thin silver thread must be even and the solder must be smooth, not exposed”.
Silver bean products are famous for their special crafting technique of using thin silver threads like threads, twisting two small silver threads together to create delicate patterns. To do that, the craftsman must go through the main stages of smoothing, fighting, carving and bean. The raw silver material is melted and cast into small silver bars. This stage requires the craftsman to be extremely careful, ensuring that the silver bars are even, without lumps or impurities. After that, the silver is put into the rolling machine, creating thin and smooth silver sheets. In the next stage, the craftsman will pull the silver into threads with small diameters, sometimes only a few micrometers, requiring the silver to be very pure so as not to break.
The silver-beading technique - the characteristic and soul of the profession - is performed by bending and interweaving thin silver threads to create vivid patterns and motifs such as flower petals, branches, or the shapes of butterflies and birds flying. The sophistication of the silver-beading technique lies in the fact that each tiny silver thread must be joined with perfect welds, without revealing any defects.
Strong vitality in changing times
To adapt to the new trend, many young artisans have created other display products, including silver bean paintings with images bearing the imprint of Hanoi such as Turtle Tower and One Pillar Pagoda.
To preserve and develop the silver bean craft, many artisans have begun to teach the techniques to the younger generation, arousing pride and love for the craft in each child of Dinh Cong village. Small workshops are still burning hot every day, the hands that quickly shape each silver thread are still diligently creating works that are both classic and creative.
At the workshop located in the communal house of Thuong village, young workers are only in their 20s but have been working for 7 years. Or many workers in their 60s are still meticulously working on silver jewelry.
Artisan Le Dinh Son shared: “Each silver bean product contains a part of the craftsman’s soul. We always believe that without a love for the profession, it will be impossible to create truly soulful works.”
Perhaps, what makes the Dinh Cong silver craft so unchanging is not only the sophistication and dexterity in each product but also the love and perseverance of the craftsmen here. Even though time has passed, those talented hands still diligently shape each thin silver thread, so that the flame of the craft will always shine brightly in the heart of Hanoi, spreading the quintessence of art and culture of the capital to everywhere.
