Skillfulness

Bringing the quintessence to Hanoi * Business villages, streets, guilds * Not only have brains and hands * The qualification of workers ‘conscience * Business town specialized street

Since becoming capital, Thang Long attracted many talented workers to serve the construction of walls, palaces and residences citadels, castles and palaces for the King and mandarins. Thang Long architecture used to be had been famous with lot lots of arcs palaces, sanctuaries and shrines in Royal citadels and Forbidden Citadel. Many magnificent royal belvederes with wooden poles were carved meticulously by stones and green and yellow tiled roof. Furthermore, we have typical cultural works of Bao Thien Tower, One Pole Pagoda (Chua Mot Cot)…, which were brought to our literature. Besides magnificent royal belvederes with meticulously carved wooden or stone pillars and colorful tiles, there were typical cultural works like Bao Thien tower, One Pillar pagoda… which were written about in many literary works Beside “city”, we have “business town” of citizens with 61 streets and guilds in Tran Dynasty and 36 streets and guilds in Le Dynasty…Villages, guilds and farms were interspersed with each other. There were handicraft guilds, agricultural & silkworm farm villages. Guilds had two functions of production and goods consumption. The highly focused on single-line business had made the names of 36 streets and guilds: Hang Gai (Hemp Street), Hang Đường (Sugar Street), Hang Bạc (Silver Street), Hang Đồng (Bronze Street), Hang Mã (Street selling false money & effigy objects for the death)  , Hang Trống (Drum Street), Hang Giấy (Paper Street), Hang Nón (Hat street), Bat Đàn…

Siver Street in the early of 20’s Picture: from Documentation

These guilds were on the East of citadel, which had Ha Khau turning point to To Lich River. In each guild, we have a group of Thang Long workers, the rest were many groups from other province. Many of them were relatives or from the same villages to keep their professional secrecy. The connection between guilds and original villages was communal houses in the villages, which was worshipped their ancestors of founders at hometown (where their career ancestors were worshiped). Those who came to Thang Long were foremen, skillful workers who had enough talent to meet the market requirements of highly qualification and delicated products. The delicate quality in handicraft products initially depended on the needs of feudal government with huge officials system and ambassadors from other countries to the capital for trading.

Bringing the quintessence of their profession into the capital with the advanced demands here; the artisans had to train themselves to attain both of “fine” and “artful” qualities, which were very important to the capital workers. That is why we could recognize the products from capital were always more delicated and artful than hometown products.

From the beginning, each group of workers had worked by seasons, and then they settled and established guilds as new villages and lived forever in Thang Long to becoming Hanoian with the odds of this land.

As mentioned to the traditional profession of original Thang Long, we have to account the two textures and paper business in Buoi region. Legend telling about the ancestor of the paper-making as following: people had not known the real name of paper –making founder either where he was from. Firstly, he had came to Thuong Yen Quyết village to teach them how make a paper. Because some of these guys had not good behaviors, he had just taught them to make coarse papers for wrap page. This place became a Village of Paper (Giay Village), even the bridge nearby that people used that as the area of paper-drying and paper market was called Paper Bridge.

He later moved to Ho Khau, taught people there how to make inferior tissue paper. To Dong Xa, he taught the skills to make tissue paper (made from bark of a thymelacaceous plant) and litmus paper, which were slender and tough. In Yen Thai, he left the tips in making good paper for royal. Finally, he set his foot on Nghia Do, taught the Lai family the profession of making chromatography papers, the highest quality paper for royal decrees. This kind of paper must have been to be struck, using a big mallet to strike paper on a smoothie stone. It would be strong and tough for thousand years. Therefore, the whole area of Buoi had the traditional profession of paper with all kinds of specialized papers, served for a capital of officials, scholars and students from all over the country.

From long time ago, the texture of this area had been famous with silk weaving that satin made in Buoi Village was a specialty. People said that the founder whose name was Thai initially had brought this texture to Bai An villagers, and then moved to Tan, Nghe, Dau village of Nghia Do district. Some small fabric weaving businesses were focused in Thuy Chuong and Nghi Tam guilds. Phan Thi Ngoc Do, the queen of satin texture, was in Trich Sai village, at the edge of Ho Tay(West Lake). She was from Chăm Pa and one of King Le Thanh Tong’s concubines. She was granted a great farm in this village for training local people weaving to serve for the court demands. There was another texture village named Truc village (at the East of Ho Tay), where had many small bamboos. In the reign of Lord Trinh Giang (the 18^th century), Truc Lam Vien was built for holidays. Later it was the place to detain delinquent imperial maid, who must make living by weaving raw silk. The famous silk in Truc village had been popular in capital.

Mieu Nha, Dai Mo villages were the ancient areas of texture in suburban from long time ago. The coarse silk texture in Trieu Khuc did not exist anymore. The silk strap was used for the palm hat which was the  indispensable fashion of Thang Long people. In the previous time, we had only made the palm hats, the straps were bought from China. Until the 18^th century, a man named Vu Uy, in one time of being sent to China as King’s envoy, had learned the secret method to make the coarse silk. From the skill of coarse silk texture, villagers created others flat tassel, lamp wick, .and brocatelle. All of these skills were created from Nguyen Van Di, the most talented weaver had studied the methods of weaving, enframing the loom and everlasting dyeing to propagate to Đơ villagers.

Coming along with weaving is dyeing; Dong Lam village at Kim Lien gate has the profession of brown dyeing. Black dyeing was in Bich Luu guild, of which  the workers from Lieu Xa, Lieu Xuyen and Van Hoang villages. That was why Hanoi was named Dying Street under the French domination time. The most famous Hang Dao (Silk Street) with red dyeing. In early 15^thth century, there appeared many other colors such as white, bloody red; black and yellow. Mixed colors were light blue, peach, very blue, dark green… century, names of streets of dyeing were indicated in Nguyen Trai’s treatise book on geography. The dyeing which was brought by people in  Dan Loan (a place of Hai Duong province) was focusing on the red, peach color. However, in the 18

The bullion trade was in Dong Cac guild, and then Silver Street (Hang Bac). It had three different kinds: sliver, money exchange, and goldsmith. Trau Khe people (Hai Duong) ran silver and money exchange. The one who started his silver career in Thang Long was Luu Xuan Tin who was the Minister of Personnel at that time. He was allowed to establish the sliver workshop in Thang Long citadel under the reign of King Le Thanh Tong (the late 15^th century).

Jewellery had three sectors: carving - displaying patterns, decorating on silver and golden products, drawing – stretching gold and silver bars, then designing them with the shapes of flowers or leaf to attach to jewelries, smoothening - just smooth gold and silver glossily. Original Hanoian who ran the bullion trade was from Dinh Cong Thuong village. This profession existed from the 6^th century of Pre-Ly Dynasty with founders were three brothers of Tran Hoa, Tran Dien and Tran Điền. Workers in Dinh Cong village specialized in making jewelries. Those from Dong Sam village (Thai Binh province) focused on carving silver products. Their products were silver bowls, plates, pots and cups, vases, bracelets, necklaces…with delicated carving patterns for upper class.

Another profession was gold lamination, which was used for lacquere. This profession was belonged to Kieu Ky people (in Gia Lam district). The worker used a  small wooden hamper to laminate gold into pieces which was as thin as it can be thrown up by just a light breath. Laminated gold has made the worshipped objects and Buddha statues more magnificent and splendid.

The performance of molding bronze drum of Ngu Xa villagers. Picture: my.opera.com

Mould in Thang Long was well-known with Ngu Xa village. Foundry-workers were from Sieu Loai village to set up their career from the 17^th -18^th century. Many famous statues in our country and in Thang Long were made in Ngu Xa, namely Thanh Tran Vu blister copper statue at Quan Thanh Temple near Ho Tay, Di Da statue in Than Quang pagoda which has been the biggest bronze statue in the North.

Thang Long also had a mint called Bao Tuyen located in Cuu Lau hamlet, now is Trang Tien Street, and a bronze foundry near Lang Yen gate, so later named Lo Duc. This guild was of Duc Bac and Kinh Bac villagers from the middle of 19^th century. Villagers from Cau Nom (in Hung Yen province) came & lived in Yen Phu hamlet, making money from selling bronze products like trays, pots, pans and worshipping objects and then created a street which today has name Bronze street (Hang Dong).

Lo Ren Street Picture: : Vietbao.vn

Smithery was brought to Thang Long from the people of two suburban villages of smith. Hoe Thi villagers (Tu Liem) opened the workshop making tools for farming in Tan Khai hamlet and to become Lo Ren Street at present. Later they started an other one in Sinh Tu, which was well-known with Sinh Tu scissors and woodworks. Da Hoi people in Dong Anh district moved to Trang Lau hamlet to make living of producing swords, knives, scissors, drifts, plows and hoes…now is called Lo Su Street. In this guild, the carpentry had been developing for over 200 years with workers from Lieu Vien, Phuong Duc (Thuong Tin), later spreaded to the next street, now is Nguyen Huu Huan. The woodturning was from Nhi Khe workers (Ha Dong). It firstly was in Hang Hanh, then spreading to To Tich Street and Hang Gai (Hemp Street). The founder was Doan Tai, from Khanh Van village, opposite to Nhi Khe village at the other side of To River. They also learning the sculpture of Lieu Chang workers (Hai Duong) at Hang Gai, specialized in board sculpture and expanded to xylography of brands and seals… The painting work was in Hang Hom Street, from Ha Vi people (Thuong Tin). They purchased painting caskets, black cases, trunks…The founder Tran Lu was from Bang village (Thuong Tin), attained the Doctoral Laureate under the reign of King le Hien Tong at the beginning of 16^th century. Had been a good doctor with many chances to go to the North country, he learned the painting work and propagated to the villagers in the South of capital like Binh Vong, Dong Phu. Dong Phu (Lang Nhot village of Dong My Commune – Thanh Tri) with traditional lacquering and painting. Their products were popular in capital and purchased at hang Khay street with clam mosaic and marquetry of Chuon village (Phu Xuyen). The high quality wood mosaic products of wooden bed, cupboard, chairs, tables, traps, couches …were made here. Nguyen Kim is the founder of marquetry.

Hanoi has Hang Quat Street with all kinds of hand-fans from many regions. A special kind of fan having name “Lu” (Thanh Tri) which was made with well-boiled bamboo laths, reddish paper and attached patterns of flowers and butterflies or loosing silk instead with laths of woods bones, horns and ivory brought users a feeling of secretive and elegant. The bride can use this silk fan to contemplate her groom in a polite way.

The fans named Hoi (named after a place in Hung Yen Province) was made by small bamboo laths, fans Vac (Thanh Oai) displayed the decoration with small points and round small copper pieces. Other favorite and popular one was paper fans of Dao Xa village (in Hung Yen). The fan workers came to the fan street from the beginning of Nguyen Dynasty.

There were paddy fans and bamboo fans of Vo village (Gia Lam), bamboo fans in shape of fig leaf of Ve village (Tu Liem), bamboo fans in peepal leaf shape made from white stork feathers or goose feathers of Do village (Thanh Tri)…

Bringing the footwear work to the capital was Chăm villagers (Hai Duong) who started Hai Tuong (Shoemaker) hamlet, now are Hang Giay Street and Hai Thuong, to Ta Khanh hamlet (Hang Hanh) near Ho Guom (Sword Lake). They made shoes, sandals and leather products. There also were some other shops (now at Hang Bong) made shoes with confetti embroidery and beading for worship only. In the beginning of the 20^th century, Nành villagers (Gia Lam) moved to Ha Trung Street, Tram Alley to start the new footwear work as making shoes with European-style, horse-harness, soccer balls,…Hang Dep street (at the intersection of Hang Bo and Hang Dao) focused on sandals with different types and kinds of decorations.

Craftsman in Bat Trang ceramics village Picture: from Documentation

Ha Noi has Dinh market in Yen Thai street, where had well-known with embroidery products owned by Quat Dong villagers (from Thuong Tin district) who opened their shops fistly at Hang Trong Street with the history of more than 600 years. The guild of these embroiders had the beginning name as Bach Tho (White Land). Legend has it that They were Bo Nat villagers (Ninh Binh) moved to Thang Long.

Together with the craftworks and the farming, Thang Long had also other distinguishable features. No places had so many flower villages like such this capital, namely some of them as Ngọc Hà village, Hữu Tiệp village, võng Thị village, Nghi Tàm village, Quảng Bá village, Tây Hồ village, Nhật Tân village …The Lang area of vegetable planting was well-known in capital, the herbs garden Dai Yen with 13 farms…

Other specialties of green rice flakes of Vòng village, rice of Me Tri village, Mo soya curds made by Mo village, rice-rolls made in Thanh Tri village, Trem pork roll…. were popular untill now.

Hanoi sticky rice Picture: thugian.com.vn

Hanoians have been good at food processing. Hanoi noshes has the special taste. Just a sticky rice corns, fried onions packed within the lotus leaf, it can become a delicious and enjoyful food speciality.

Talent, sophistication, virtuosity of workmanship has to go together with honesty to keep credibility with consumers. To remain a good feeling in each customer is considered as a criteria to judge the consciences of businessmen in Hanoi maket. Quality goods represents a part of human ethics.

From the tradition of skillfulness of ancestors and all of the country to Hanoi, it has been still expanded in the new age. Beside the old ones, Hanoi has May village (Sewing), May Street: Co Nhuế, Khâm Thiên; Thiết Ha Marquetry village, new flower village; Dong Vien mulberry village, Xuân Đỉnh biscuits & candy village, Phú Do rice noodles village, Phù Đổng, Trung Mau dairy farm village, Giang Biên, Văn Đức fish village, Bắc Sơn, Đa Tốn forestry village … Ceramics was not only exclusive in Bat Trang but also in surround areas with Thanh Tri porcelain. Hanoi has stepped to the highly-focus and single-line street. Hanoi almost has all kinds of businesses. The advantages of Hanoi workers are intelligence and speedy-acceptance.

Intelligence and creativeness is the strength of the workers in Hanoi. That was one of the "substance" Hanoi that we deserve respect, preserve and promote. It is also the capital Hanoi Dragon takeoff.

Posted in: Hero - Talent - Elegance - Peace