♦M.A. Pham Thi Phuong

thuongQuat Dong village, belonging to Quat Dong commune, the former Thuong Tin district, now Thuong Phuc commune, Hanoi city, has long been famous as the "cradle" of traditional Vietnamese hand embroidery craft. Located roughly 30 kilometers south of the center of Ha Noi, Quat Dong village is not only a place but also a symbol of Vietnamese delicacy, talent, and passion for craft. Quat Dong’s embroidered products have not only adorned life but also preserved a rich history, culture, and people’s concerns for traditional craft amid the modern era.

1. History of the village’s development

thuongAccording to folk sources and inscriptions preserved at the village communal house, the embroidery craft in Quat Dong is closely associated with the reputation of Dr. Le Cong Hanh, the founding master of the embroidery craft (real name Tran Quoc Khai, born in 1606 in Quat Dong).

thuongDuring his diplomatic trip to China, he learned and mastered the intricate Chinese embroidery techniques. Upon returning to his homeland, he passed on the crafts to the villagers, creating a new profession - embroidery, which became the livelihood of generations of Quat Dong villagers. At first, Quat Dong's embroidered crafts mainly served the court and the nobility, as well as religious activities in temples and pagodas. The major products were parallel couplets (câu đối), ceremonial banners (trướng), ceremonial gates (nghi môn), and ceremonial scarves and royal garments (khăn chầu, áo ngự) for kings and queens. The embroidery techniques of this era remained simple, with five basic thread colors: yellow, red, purple, blue, and green. However, the techniques became more intricate over time, including whitework, punch needle, roll stitches, and metallic thread embroidery. Products featuring strong cultural elements, such as dragons, phoenixes, lovebirds, and moth orchids, were popular among the aristocracy and were even exported to neighbouring countries like Laos and Thailand as cultural ambassadors. By the early 20th century, Quat Dong embroidery craft had prospered.

thuongNowadays, Quat Dong craftsmen are tirelessly preserving and promoting their tradition, creating a variety of products that meet market requirements. Besides traditional items like parallels, flags, banners, and stage costumes, the craftsmen have produced embroidered artworks, god-worshipping portraits, and even modern-leaning paintings that still strongly reflect Vietnamese cultural identity. Quat Dong embroidery village has been recognized as the “Traditional tourism craft village”. Remarkably, nearly 100% of Quat Dong residents are still committed to their traditional profession.

thuongTherefore, more than three hundred years later, Quat Dong embroidery craft not only holds an indispensable position in the history of Vietnamese artisanry but has also become a cultural symbol and the pride of its people, in particular, and the nation in general.

 

2. Distinguished cultural heritages of the village

thuongBeyond the embroidery profession, Quat Dong preserves a range of valuable tangible and intangible cultural heritage, contributing to the village’s unique identity.

thuongTangible cultural heritages: Besides the ancient systems of communal houses, pagodas, and temples, Quat Dong is also home to the tomb complex of the founding master of the craft, Le Cong Hanh. During the annual festival, villagers perform incense offerings, procession rituals, and embroidery demonstrations in order to commemorate the founding master of the craft, as well as to educate young generations about their homeland’s traditions. This site serves as the spiritual and cultural focal point of the entire community.

 

The founding master of the embroidery craft - Le Cong Hanh’s tomb complex, located in Quat Dong village.

thuongIntangible cultural heritage: In addition to tales and memories of founding master Le Cong Hanh, the village's handicraft techniques are another unique cultural feature. The hand-embroidery process practiced by artisans of Quat Dong village consists of five basic steps: examining the design, stretching the fabric, transferring the pattern, selecting colored threads, and detailed stitching. Quat Đong embroidery techniques have been preserved and passed down from generation to generation through a hands-on apprenticeship method, in which masters directly guide apprentices in each stage of the work. Distinctive stitches such as satin stitch, openwork embroidery, twisted couching stitch, and layered stitching reflect a high level of aesthetic sensibility and creative skill.

thuongIn particular, Quat Dong’s embroidered paintings are not merely handicraft artworks but also possess artistic value, reflecting Vietnamese nature, landscapes, people, history, and spirit. There are various well-known, talented Quat Dong artisans: Mr. Bui Le Kinh (creating the imperial garments for King Bao Dai and Queen Nam Phuong), Pham Viet Tuong (famous for the Uncle Ho embroidered portrait), Thai Van Bon (the only resident of the village to be honored with the title People’s Artisan, known for his artworks of nation leaders),    and artisan Hoang Thi Khuong, exemplifying resilience and determination, is a person with a disability who has established embroidery classes for children and individuals with disabilities.

 

   

Quat Dong’s hand-embroidered products

thuongQuat Dong traditional festival embodies the custom of gratitude. Annually, on the 12th day of the 6th lunar month, the village holds a festival to commemorate the death of the craft founding master, Le Cong Hanh, with the participation of villagers and embroiderers from across the region. Procession rituals and ceremonies are solemnly performed to preserve the beauty of traditional culture.

 

3. Quat Dong embroidery craft in the modern development era.

thuongEntering the 21st century, the phenomena of industrialization, globalization, and intense competition in industrial goods have brought Quat Dong traditional embroidery both challenges and opportunities.

thuongThe biggest challenge is the change in consumer demand. Intricate embroidered products, which require significant time and effort and lead to high prices, have difficulty competing with industrial machine-produced goods or low-cost exported clothing items. Besides that, the older generations of artisans are dwindling, while young people have no interest in this profession due to unstable income sources. These factors indicate the risk of embroidery craft fading.

thuongNevertheless, the gate of opportunities is still wide open to the profession. Amidst the trend of returning to traditional values and distinct handicrafts, Quat Dong embroidery craft could claim its place if innovation is applied. Embroidered paintings, tablecloths, handcrafted ao dai, and handbags with embroidered folk patterns, etc. are increasingly favored by international tourists as deeply “personalized” products that bear rich cultural and craftsmanship elements. The collaboration between traditional and contemporary values, such as applying digital technology to the promotion and model design, can satisfy both modern tastes and still maintain a connection to craft village tourism, facilitating a sustainable movement.

thuongAt present, local authorities and artisans have made concerted efforts to preserve and promote the Quất Động embroidery craft. Training classes for young people, professional workshops, product exhibitions, and the integration of embroidery into Hanoi’s craft village tourism programs represent positive and proactive initiatives. Simultaneously, building a brand and registering a collective trademark “Quat Dong Embroidery” could also enhance the quality and credibility of the products on the market.

thuongIn the future, Quat Dong embroidery craft needs to combine three factors: preservation, innovation, and integration to build the value and resilience of the brand. Preservation safeguards the essence and traditional craftsmanship; innovation renews designs and adapts them to contemporary life; and integration promotes the craft on the global stage, positioning Quất Động embroidery as a representative embodiment of Vietnamese embroidery art within the global cultural landscape./.

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 Reference:

 [1] Ha Tay Department of Industry. (2001). “Làng nghề Hà Tây” (Craft villages of Ha Tay), a provincial-level scientific project.

[2] Tran, Q. V., & Do, T. H. (2000). “Phố hàng thêu và nghề thêu Quất Động” (Embroidery street and Quat Dong embroidery craft). Cultural and Information Publishing House.

[3] Tran, Q. V. (1996). “Nghề truyền thống Việt Nam và các vị tổ nghề” (Vietnamese traditional