In the midst of modern life, few people expect that in Van Lam lace embroidery village (Ninh Binh), artisans and people are still working hard day and night with each needle and thread with traditional handicrafts. Those people, they are still there persistently preserving the traditional beauty of their ancestors, bringing to friends from all over the world works from lace threads.
Born into the cradle of Van Lam lace embroidery village, artisan Chu Quoc Dong (80 years old), from a young age like many other children in the village, at the age of 5-6, was taught the lace embroidery craft by his grandparents and parents.
To date, artisan Chu Quoc Dong has 75 years in the lace embroidery profession and is the 10th generation successor of the family in this profession. For decades, every day artisan Chu Quoc Dong has been diligently sewing threads, threading needles, preserving the lace embroidery profession and teaching it to his children and grandchildren.
According to artisan Chu Quoc Dong, in the lace embroidery profession, there are many stages and these stages are very difficult, such as choosing patterns, drawing on paper, molding, choosing fabric, printing on fabric, choosing thread, stretching frames, embroidery on the background... choosing embroidery in the dark, in the light, or front embroidery, skewer embroidery.
I choose the painting model and then embroider it in a creative way, with the embroiderer's imagination, so that the embroidered painting has soul and is as vivid as the real scene in real life" - artisan Chu Quoc Dong shared.
Also according to artisan Chu Quoc Dong, depending on each embroidered painting, some embroidered quickly takes a few days, some takes several months, even a whole year to complete. Among them, the horizontal lacquered board with parallel sentences (the large horizontal lacquered board), artisan Chu Quoc Dong himself handcrafted it and took nearly 2 years to complete.
Today, technology is developing, so people mainly print samples (not hand-painting as before - PV), but the remaining stages of lace embroidery must use traditional methods passed down from ancient times. Urbanization has developed like that, but my family still preserves this traditional craft and develops it with unique hand embroidery products, introducing the lace embroidery craft to friends from five continents by combining sightseeing and embroidery experience to tourists" - artisan Chu Quoc Dong confided.
With his contributions to preserving the Van Lam lace embroidery profession, in 2013, Mr. Chu Quoc Dong was awarded the title of Ninh Binh Provincial Handicraft Artisan.
Ms. Chu Thi Hong Ninh (46 years old, daughter of artisan Chu Quoc Dong) said, "From a young age, I myself have been exposed to the family's lace embroidery profession and know how to do the basic steps in the lace embroidery profession. Today, despite being busy with work, I still teach my children to learn how to embroider Van Lam's traditional lace as well as continue the family's lineage.
Also according to Ms. Ninh, in lace embroidery, holding the embroidery needle is the most difficult technique and in Van Lam men embroider lace better than women.
It is known that in 2007, Van Lam embroidery craft village was recognized as one of the 12 typical national-level craft villages. By 2024, Van Lam traditional embroidery craft was recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage.
