Vietnam Art

For a long time, handicraft products have truly been a cultural pride of Vietnamese people.

There are thousands types of traditional handicrafts such as ceramic, bamboo products, lacquer ware, mother-of-pearl inlaying... , some of which have been remarkably recognized and popularized in international arena.

• Ceramic:

Traditional products include kitchen items and trays. The flower-patterned bowls of Bat Trang have been exported to Sweden , the cucumber pots to Russia , and the teapots to France .

 • Bamboo products:

Bamboo and rattan products from Vietnam first appeared on the world market at a Paris fair in 1931. Since then, more than 200 items made from these materials are sold overseas. Among the most popular are baskets, flower pots, lampshades, and bookshelves.

• Lacquer ware:

Currently, Vietnamese-made lacquer ware products are essential in both the domestic and foreign markets. The renowned products include wall paintings, flower vases, jewelry boxes, trays, chessboards, and folding screens.

• Mother - of-pearl Inlaying:

Craftsmen performing inlaying use different types of oyster shells and pearls, which offer a wide array of colors. This art form requires a lot of effort as the process of inlaying involves numerous stages, including designing, grinding, cutting, carving, chiseling, and polishing. Inlaying is widely used in the furniture industry to make tables, desks, chairs, picture frames, and trays that portray various ancient tales. These tales are displayed as scenes of nature, such as birds, butterflies, lotus ponds, and banana trees. The process of inlaying furniture has increased the value of wooden articles. According to legend, this handicraft originated in the Chuon Village in Ha Tay Province.

 • Stone Sculpture:

Most of the traditional sculptures are made in Danang Province , more specifically near Marble Mountain located between Quan Khai and Hoa Khe villages. Sculptors use marble to carve various articles of high value, including bracelets, ash-trays, Buddha statues, ornamental flowers, leaves and trees, and animal statues, such as cats and peacocks.

• Embroidery:

In the past, embroidery was mainly reserved for the benefit of the upper class, temples, and pagodas. The technique of this art form was rather simple, and it involved only five colors of thread: yellow, red, green, violet, and blue. At present, embroidered goods serve both useful and decorative purposes. New technologies have helped to produce new materials, such as white cloth, lampshades, and lace. As a result, the embroidery industry has developed and there is now a wide range of new products including pillowcases, bed sheets, and kimonos. The most skilled type of embroidery is the production of portraits, which requires using up to 60 different colors of thread.

It is believed that embroidery originated in Quat Dong Village in Ha Tay Province.

• Jewelry:

As soon as the 2nd century, the Vietnamese were using gold and silver to create jewelry. There are three different techniques used to make gold and silver jewelry, including intricate carving, casting, which is the process of melting metal and pouring it into flower, lead, or bird shaped moulds, and common processing, which is a process of polishing metal. These three techniques can be combined to make intricate pieces of jewelry. Because of the flexibility of the raw materials, the color of gold, and the brightness of silver, beautiful necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings, trays, and cups are created. It is said that gold work originated in Dinh Cong Village near Hanoi and that silver work originated in Dong Xam Village in Thai Binh Province .

• Wood Work:

Since the 1980s, the production of fine wooden articles has experienced a strong revival. These works of art have been much sought after in both domestic and foreign markets. The most popular of these products are wooden statutes and sets of wooden chairs, cabinets, and beds. Currently, there are many companies dealing in the production and sale of wooden items. Their skilled employees have produced many beautiful and highly appreciated products.

• Copper Casting:

Copper casting is one of the most famous and enduring traditional art forms of Vietnam . With the help of technology, several ancient copper items from all over the country have been preserved. Approximately 3,000 years ago, ancient Vietnamese discovered how to cast copper to make brass tools, weapons, and ornaments; therein, initiating the metal age. Some brass statues that have been preserved serve as proof of the blooming period of copper casting in Vietnam . In later years, pursuing their forefathers’ talents, handicraftsmen created many innovative brass products that suited the needs of society. Some of the most famous copper pieces known today include a series of brass drums that were cast over centuries. As well, there are brass artifacts currently exhibited in Hue , such as a bronze kettle at the Imperial Palace (1659-1684), the bronze plaque of Thien Mu Pagoda (1677), the bell of Thien Mu Pagoda (1710), the Nine Cannons (1803-1804), and the Nine Dynastic Urns (1835-1837). Today, only a few copper casting villages remain, such as Ngu Xa in Hanoi , the casting quarter near Hue , and Phuoc Kieu in Quang Nam.

Architecture

Vietnam architecture is rich in history and aesthetics, clearly seen from the widely scattered brilliant architectural complexes of Pagodas and temples which reflect the culture identity of religious practice in Vietnam . Archeological relics have shown that Vietnam architecture came to existence 4000 years ago when the country was first established under King Hung regime. At that time, Vietnamese houses were made from wood to avoid tigers and wolves. There were two typical types of house possibly named after their shape such as boat house and turtle house. Despite its long and rich history, Vietnam boasts relatively few architectural landmarks. It is partly due to the unfavorable tropical climate that made the works vulnerably fall into decay. This, coupled with the fact that almost all stone structures constructed by the Vietnamese have been heavily destroyed through countless wars and invasions, means that very little pre-modern Vietnamese architecture remains. For example, the Forbidden Purple City in Hue didn’t not escape from damage during 1968 Tet offensive – the Viet Cong used the Citadel as a bunker, although restoration work has been underway for some years. 

Plenty of pagodas and temples founded hundreds of years ago are still functioning nowadays, but little is known that they have been rebuilt many times following the original model. Because of the Vietnamese’s ancestor worship custom, many graves from previous centuries still remains, notably the royal tombs of unique structure and design in Hue which are regarded as “the imperial poetic masterpiece”. Each Royal mausoleum reflects the personality of the Emperor it commemorates. The most majestic is that of Emperor Minh Mang, a staunch follower of Confucianism with many wives, concubines and a small army of children. Planned by the Emperor and built shortly after his death in formal Chinese style, it’s opulent and exotic, and a good example of classic Sino-Vietnamese architecture. The tomb of Tu Duc, the ‘poet Emperor’, is set in an elegant garden with a magnificent lake and pavilion complex. The tomb, unlike the others, is simplicity itself despite the lavish opulence of his reign. In complete contrast to Emperor Tu Duc’s stylish creation, the tomb of Emperor Khai Dinh is an unprepossessing concrete construction on the side of a wide valley. Its interest lies in the uneasy combination of Vietnamese and European features, the use of fragments of ceramics and glass for decoration, and the striking views from the courtyard in front of the mausoleum.

Heading to the South of Vietnam, you will have chance to admire the valuable architectural legacy of Champa Kingdom flourished from 2nd to 15th centuries. The best – known are stunning brickworks of My Son Sanctuary (Quang Nam ) and Pogana Cham Towers (Nha Trang). Once, a spirituality and worship center of that kingdom, the My Son Sanctuary exemplifies the height of Cham architectural achievement. It is a large complex of religious monuments originally comprised of more than 70 structures; the vestiges of 25 of these structures remain today. The builders of My Son were the nobility of the Champa Kingdom who derived their cultural and spiritual influences almost exclusively from India.

Later on, during the French colonial time, Vietnam architectural strongly contacted with French culture. Many colonial-style buildings sprang up in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City which do exist until today.