Craft and traditional craft villages in Thuan Thanh district, Bac Ninh province through some kinds of folklore = Nghề và làng nghề thủ công truyền thống huyện Thuận Thành

VIET NAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HA NOI
INSTITUTE OF VIETNAMESE STUDIES AND DEVELOPMENT SCIENCES
***


SAI THI NGAN



CRAFT AND TRADITIONAL CRAFT VILLAGES IN
THUAN THANH DISTRICT, BAC NINH PROVINCE
THROUGH SOME KINDS OF FOLKLORE


MASTER’S THESIS
Major: Vietnamese studies






Ha Noi - 2013

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VIET NAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HA NOI
INSTITUTE OF VIETNAMESE STUDIES AND DEVELOPMENT SCIENCES
***

SAI THI NGAN



CRAFT AND TRADITIONAL CRAFT VILLAGES IN
THUAN THANH DISTRICT, BAC NINH PROVINCE
THROUGH SOME KINDS OF FOLKLORE

Master thesis specified in : Vietnamese studies
Code : 60.22.01.13



Supervisor: Ph.D Associate professor Nguyen Bich Ha




Ha Noi - 2013

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COMMITMENT
The tittle of thesis: “Craft and traditional craft villages in Thuan Thanh
district, Bac Ninh province through some kind of folklore" is a reseaching about
some kinds of folklore that hand downs in craft villages in Thuan Thanh. The
material source of thesis consists of secondary material and primary material. The
primary materials are quoted with clear note ensuring the objective characters of
material and copyright of authors. This thesis is not coincident with any studies
before. Mentioned Scientific theoretical points and conclusions and collected

materials in the thesis ensuring the true and objective characters. I want to reflect
the research object truly and objectively.


MA student




Sai Thi Ngan


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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I select the tittle “Craft and traditional craft villages in Thuan Thanh
district, Bac Ninh province through some kind of folklore” as my theme. This is a
serious and scientific research. It is the result of learning process at Vietnam studies
Institute Development and Science under the direction of teachers, and the help of
Hung Yen polytechnic college where I
'
m working. I would like to thank to highly
valuable help.
I would like to thank Ph.D Associate professor Nguyen Bich Ha whose
instruction and guidance help me complete this thesis. I would like to thank
managers of communes, craft villages, whoes helped me have material source.
Especially, the people of craft villagers helped me in survey process to complete the
thesis. I would like to express gratitude to your sincere guidance.
Yours Sincerely !

Ha Noi, November,2013

MA student










Sai Thi Ngan




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THESIS

INTRODUCTION 1
1 The reason to choose the theme 1
2 History of the reseaching problems 1
3 The purpose and the scope of reseaching 4
3.1 The reseaching purposes 4
3.2 The Scope of Reseaching 4
4 The Method of reseaching 5
5 The practical meaning of the theme 5

6 The direction of the thesis 5
7 The layout of the thesis 6
Chapter 1: CRAFT, TRADITIONAL CRAFT VILLAGES AND THEIR
RELATIONSHIP WITH SOME KINDS OF FOLKLORE 7
1.1 General overview about the craft and traditional craft villages 7
1.1.1 A number of related concepts 7
1.2 Characteristics of village 9
1.2.1 The craft villages exist in rural areas and link with agriculture 9
1.2.2 The technologies to product in the traditional craft villages are
often very primitive, mainly using techniques 9
1.2.3 Vast majority of the villages using local raw materials 10
1.2.4 The Labor in the village is usually manual, thanks to skilful
technical of the hands, and creation of the workers and the artists 10
1.2.5 Products of traditional villages are single nature, highly artistic
with deeply national culture 10
1.2.6 The consuming market of the villages are narrow, only in the
local 10

6
1.2.7 The organization to produce in the villages are mainly in the
household, some others have developed into a cooperative
organizations and private enterprises 11
1.2 Craft and traditional craft villages in Thuan Thanh 12
1.2.1 The Overview of land 12
1.2.2 The factors affected to the foundation of craft and traditional
craft villages in Thuan Thanh District 17
1.2.3 Overview of craft and traditional craft villages in Thuan Thanh
district 17
1.2.4 The features of the craft and traditional craft villages in Thuan
Thanh District 19

1.2.5 Some typical traditional craft villages 21
1.3 The Space of the cultural craft villages where created, converged
and preserved the types of folklore 31
1.4 The relationship between the craft villages and some kinds of
folklore 33
Chapter 2: SKETCH THE APPEARANCE OF THE FOLKLORE IN
THUAN THANH DISTRIC, BAC NINH PROVINCE 35
2.1 The appearance of folklore Thuan Thanh distric 35
2.2 The Features of some kind of folklore linked with craft and
traditional craft villages 40
2.2.1 Legend 40
2.2.2 Folk-song 43
2.2.3 Proverbs 45
2.2.4 Water puppetry, a type of folk theater 47
2.3 Folklore in some craft villages, guilds represented in Thuan Thanh,
Bac Ninh 49

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2.3.1 The Legend about the ancestor 49
2.3.2 Folk songs, proverbs of Dong Ho painting village 54
2.3.3 Trick and legend trick of the guilds of Dong Ngu water puppetry 58
Chapter 3 THE ROLE OF FOLKLORE IN CONSERVATION AND
DEVELOPMENT CRAFT AND TRADITIONAL CRAFT
VILLAGES IN THUAN THANH DISTRICT, BAC NINH
PROVINCE 65
3.1 Folklore reflects the developing status of the traditional craft
village in Thuan Thanh District 65
3.1.1 Folklore reflects the pattern of production and the division of
labor in the villages 65
3.1.2 Folklore reflects the time of labor and rhythms of the havest in

the villages 67
3.1.3 Folklore reflects the capital of the village 68
3.1.3 Folklore reflects the consumption activities of the village 69
3.2 Folklore reflects the cultural values of the traditional craft
villages in Thuan Thanh District 72
3.2.1 Folklore reflects the history and development of Thuan Thanh’s
craft, traditional craft villages. 72
3.2.2 Folklore reflect customs and traditions villages 74
3.3 Folklore contributes to the conservation and development of the
traditional craft villages in Thuan Thanh District 77
3.3.1 Folklore reserved the experiences about craft 77
3.3.2 Folklore honors traditional values: “Drinking water, remember its
sources”, “respected professors of religion” and hometown pride. 78
3.3.3 Folklore shows the love and dreams of ordinary people in the
traditional craft villages in Thuan Thanh District 81

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3.3.4 Folklore plays an important role in transmitting and promoting
trade mark of traditional villages’ products 86
CONCLUSION 89
LIST OF REFERENCES 91


1
INTRODUCTION

1. The reason to choose the theme
Located in the centre of the ancient land Bac Ninh – Kinh Bac, among the
Red River Delta, Thuan Thanh is one of the cradles of the ancient Vietnamese
residents. That has set the premise for developing the traditional career villages

from early age. The traditional career villages are famous and existed for a long
time such as Vit village and Dai Mao village with growing mulberry, weaving; Dai
Trach village with spinning thread; De Cau village with casting bronze, Dong Coi
village with knitting; Thanh Hoai village with pressing oil; Tu The village with
making pens; Phuong Quan village with bending fish hooks; Thanh Tuong village
with singing A Dao, Lieu Khe, Bui Xa with singing drums, Dong Ngu village with
water puppetry, Dong Ho village with paintings A cultural space with a
distribution about the historical and cultural monuments, the traditional career
villages the basis to introduce many kinds of the folk literary about the career
village. In the system of the folk culture Thuan Thanh, there are the number of the
legends, the folk songs, proverbs about the career village. They reflected the daily
life, customs, emotion of the artisans - farmers from many different angles, thereby
they have contributed significantly in preserving and conserving the traditional
careers villages.
Facing the disappearing gradually of the traditional career villages in Thuan
Thanh, It is necessary to restore and preserve the village that means to preserve the
traditional values, as well as improve the living standards, increase the income for
people. From the objective reasons, under the folk literatural angles, the author
choosed the theme “Craft and traditional craft villages in Thuan Thanh distric,
Bac Ninh province through some kinds of folklore” as the thesis.
2. History of the reseaching problems
For a long time, traditional craft villages became researching subjects which
are interested by many authors with many different angles. In the industrialization

2
and modernization of the country, the preservation, conservation and development
of the system of traditional craft villages is even more important significance.
Today, social demands have had many changes, especially in export demand,
essential in design and categories product of traditional craft villages need to change
and adapt so that they have the stand site in market. In contrast, traditional craft

villages will be "modernized", the basic characteristics of the village gradually will
be eroded, even become the "modern industrial complex" of the local.
Presenting a general overview about the traditional craft villages including
Thuan Thanh district, first of all, the craft villages are mentioned in some history
books in the feudal empire such as Dai Viet su ky toan thu of Su quan Trieu Le.
Kham dinh Viet su thong giam cuong muc of Nguyen Dynasty, or books dia chi
(quoc chi, tinh chi, xa chi). This is an important historical source to find out and
reseach about craft and traditional craft villages in general.
The second is reseaching about the history of craft, the craft villages and
different craft regions, as three books: Nghe co truyen by the Department of
Science, Technology and Environment and the Department of Informative Culture,
Hai Hung compiled and published (1984, 1987, 1992), Nghe thu cong truyen thong
Viet Nam va cac vi to nghe (1996); Lang nghe Pho nghe Thang Long - Hanoi of the
authors Tran Quoc Vuong, Do Thi Hao (2000), Lang nghe thu cong truyen thong
Viet Nam (2000) by Bui Van Vuong, and recently the book about the traditional
craft villages of Vietnam (including 5 sets) (2011, 2012) edited by Truong Minh
Hang presented generally about the system of the traditional craft villages Vietnam.
The third is the book collecting the folk cuture of Vietnamese people by the
Social Sciences Publisher (2004) presented a systematic way about the folklore of
Vietnamese. The book mentioned the origins of the oldest articans and many stories
about them such as Luoc truyen than to cac nganh nghe by Vu Ngoc Khanh (2006),
Nguon goc cac to nghe by Bui Linh Linh, Khoi Nguyen (2009), Cac vi to nganh
nghe Vietnam by Le Minh Quoc (2010); This is an useful work when reseaching
about the system of legend crafts in Vietnam.

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Among the research of traditional craft villages Thuan Thanh district, not just
to mention the book Nguoi nong dan chau tho Bac Ki by Piere Gourou (1936), this
is the first book reseach on farmers and the family farm. The book lists a system of
career and traditional career village of Thuan Thanh district, also confirmed the

production model of the industry in the North Delta is the household economy.
In case of Dong Ho folk painting village, there are many projects to mention.
In French colonial period, these folk were concerned learnt, researched by foreign
scholars, especially the French, German, Russian authors. Among them, the
contribution of the French scholar is Maurice Durand. After years of researching, he
gathered material for printing the book with the title Folk Painting Vietnam
(Vietnamienne Imagerie Populaire, Paris, 1960), nearly 500 pages thick. A special
important book of authors Henri Oger (reprinted 2009) - Technique du Annamite -
Mechanics and Crafts People of the Annamites - An Engineering of the South,
Volume I, II, III. Some work has important implications in understanding more
about Dong Ho folk painting village not just to mention the book Vietnam Folk
Painting of the authors Nguyen Ba Van and Chu Quang Tru, published in 1984.
This is the first book in a system on the subject compiled by the Vietnamese, 120
page thick. The content of the published work mentioned various issues such as the
origin, characteristics and significance, the category, the national spirit, including
the collection and analysis of the meaning of the paintings on the subjects.
For water puppet art , there are two research projects Nghe thuat mua roi
nuoc (The water puppet Art) by To Sanh (1976) and Roi nuoc Viet Nam (Vietnam
Water Puppet) by Nguyen Huy Hong (1996) has a brief mention of the water
puppet guild including Dong Ngu guild. However, this work only briefly
presents most of the traditional puppet guilds, mainly lists the games of water
puppet in that time but not mention the deeper research. In the case of Dao Vien
casting village, there aren’t any documents to mention but only some of the
articles about the villages.
On the folklore in Thuan Thanh district, there is a book Hat vi dong bang Ha

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Bac (Singing about Ha Bac delta) by Nguyen Dinh Buu and Ma Giang Lan (1976),
Tranh dan gian Vietnam by the authors Nguyen Ba Van and Chu Quang Tru
published in 1984. Among the books about folk songs, proverbs of Thuan Thanh

district, the book Phuong Ngon xu Bac by Khong Duc Thiem and Nguyen Dinh
Buu (1994) compiled and analized the proverbs, folk songs, riddles, sam ky,
including a presentation about careers and customs. Due to the previous works and
the continuous of research, and new contributing resources to enrich the traditional
craft villages Thuan Thanh.
3. The purpose and the scope of reseaching
3.1. The reseaching purposes
Through the implementation about this theme, the author presented a
system of some kinds of folklore (folk songs, proverbs, legends and folk theater
form of water puppetry) in three villages, guilds: Dong Ho folk painting village,
Dao Vien bronze casting village and guild Dong Ngu water puppetry. Through
this initial assessment of the type and contend reflected the folklore villages
Thuan Thanh district.
Thesis made the highlight about some issues on the status and development of
the traditional craft village in Thuan Thanh District in the process of
industrialization and modernization. On the basis of this reseach made the
comments on the existence of the research problems. The situation has been partly
reflected in folklore of the craft villages Thuan Thanh district.
Thesis syntheticed and assessed about the appearance of the folklore in the
traditional village Thuan Thanh district. On that basis, analysed and made highlight its
role in the preservation, conservation and promoted the cultural values of traditional
craft villages.
3.2. The Scope of Reseaching
In this theme, the thesis presented the most basic features about the appearance
of the folklore in the traditional craft villages in Thuan Thanh district, Bac Ninh
province, which focused on highlightsome folklore (eg: legends about career

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ancestors, folk songs, proverbs and water puppet) in three villages: folk painting
Dong Ho, casting bronze Dao Vien and Dong Ngu water puppetry.

4. The Method of reseaching
Making this theme, the author used the methods in reseaching social sciences
including the specific methods and interdisciplinary methods. The specific scientific
methods used in the thesis include: Approach information, research investigated
methods, collection and analyzation documents. The author analysed the document
based on the results the previous studies as source of materials from magazines,
scientific works, journals and scientific reports in other industries, archiving
documents, mass media etc
5. The practical meaning of the theme
First, the thesis presented an overview about the traditional craft villages in
Thuan Thanh district, from that made the highlight status of traditional craft
villages in Thuan Thanh district reflected in the folklore (focuses on three themes as
mentioned above). This is the basis to give an orience about reseaching the cultural
values of the craft villages under the terms of folklore.
Second, the thesis focused on highlight the aspects of the folklore about craft
and traditional craft villages in Thuan Thanh district, it also made highlight their
role in preserving, conserving and developing the villages traditional craft villages
before the risk of being disappeared.
The results of this reseach can be used to reseach other craft villages outside the
scope of this thesis.
6. The direction of the thesis
From colleting the previous work, in this thesis, the author considered the object
of this reseach is a unit to stand out the general appearance of three traditional craft
villages of Thuan Thanh (Dong Ho folk painting, Dao Vien casting bronze, and
Dong Ngu water puppetry) through folk songs, proverbs, legends about career
ancestors. From that, highlightthe problems of the villages, giving the orientation to
develop, as well as assessing the role of the kinds of folklorein the process

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preserving and developing the traditional craft villages.

7. The layout of the thesis
Besides the introduction and the conclusion, the thesis is divided into three
chapters:
Chapter 1: Craft, traditional craft villages and their relationship with some
kinds of folklore
Chapter 2: Sketch the appearance of the folklore about craft villages in Thuan
Thanh district, Bac Ninh province
Chapter 3: The role of folklore in preserving and developing craft, traditional
craft villages in Thuan Thanh district, Bac Ninh province.

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Chapter 1: CRAFT, TRADITIONAL CRAFT VILLAGES AND THEIR
RELATIONSHIP WITH SOME KINDS OF FOLKLORE

1.1 . General overview about the craft and traditional craft villages
1.1.1 . A number of related concepts
In Vietnam history, crafts formed very early, before the appearance of the
village. However, until the structure of Vietnamese village appeared and stability of
the village became an important parts of economic history - culture Vietnam. The
craft village associated with agricultural areas and farmers employed to solve the
surplus labor of the characteristics of agriculture folowing the seasons. Therefore,
vocational culture brought the cultural of the local people. The village became an
indispensable part of traditional agricultural villages. It reflected the self-sufficient
and self-contained in rural areas Vietnam in the past, and expressed the dynamism
and creativity of farmers in the process of adapting to conditions of physical
geography natural and socio-economic context. The village was formed based on
three basic elements: convenient transportation, abundant human resources and
material resources in place. Products of the craft to meet the daily needs of the
families, then used as a commodity to exchange in the village community. Later,
due to the demand of society the craft should be specialized, formed the craft

villages,craft guilds. Hence the village is a place to converge the traditional crafts.
In the folk mind the concept about craft: "Ruong be be khong bang nghe
trong tay" (implying that people have all the talented workers and trade, mulberry
cultivation, silkworm rearing, ), "Cay trong cac ong nha nghe" (talking about
people those proficiently fishing in the sea "Vung kheo nao ai chang co nghe"
talking about people who not doing on the farm but have expertise high or low.
The concept of the craft village, until now there has not been the formal
concept yet. Following the professor Tran Quoc Vuong, “the craft villages (as Bat
Trang, Tho Ha, Phu Lang, Huong Canh Buoi, Vo, He Nom, Phuoc Kieu, paper
village as Buoi, Duong O, training iron village as Canh Dien, Phu Duc, Da Hoi, )

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although these villages still have farming and breeding (pigs, chickens ), and other
craft as (knitting, making soy, ), but also have an outstanding traditional craft with
a class of professional or semi-professional artisans, with organizations, bosses,
with a number of workers, with a certain technology procedures "sinh u nghe tu u
nghe", “nhat nghe tinh nhat than vinh”, people live and exist by these careers and
produce the fine art items, these items have become commodity products and have
the relationship about the marketing with an urban market (Ke Cho, Hue, Saigon )
and gradually expanded around the country even export to the foreign countries"
[48, pp.38 - 39]. This concept implied about the traditional village which are
famous and existed for a long time.
According to Bui Van Vuong, “Traditional craft village is traditional village
that makes crafts. Here is not necessarily for the villagers produce handicrafts. The
craftsmen in many cases also are farmers. But the requirements about highly
specialized created workers who specialized to product the traditional craft on their
home" [47, pp.13] .
Thus, the village is an institution consists of two elements as "the village"
and "craft". The village was formed on the basis of rural society. The village is the
center of craft production, which brings together artisans and households

specialized in manufacturing, selling folow the style guilds, and worship the
common ancestor. Therefore, the name of the village is often associated with the
name of the product, such as pottery, bronze casting, pearl, jewelry, weaving, folk
painting, Previously, the concept was only handicrafts. Today, there are more
professional trading services in rural areas. So there will be a craft village (the
village has a unique appearance and survival craft, or just have a dominant career
such as La Ca silt gauze, Van Phuc silk, Bat Trang pottery, Dong Xam silver
carving, Quat Dong embroidery, ) and many craft villages (villages outside
agriculture also have some crafts such as Ninh Hiep, Kieu Ky, Dinh Bang, etc ).
Beside on the concept, the researchers offer concept traditional villages and
new villages. Traditional craft villages are those villages appeared long time ago in

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history and still exists to day, as the profession has existed for hundreds, even
thousands of years. The new villages which appears because of the spread of the
traditional craft villages in recent years (the years after the Revolution), especially
in the reform era, the period of transition to the economy market [31, pp.15].
1.2. Characteristics of village
1.2.1. The craft villages exist in rural areas and link with agriculture
In the cradle of civilization water rice, traditional handicrafts Vietnam donot
seem removed from agriculture that are interwoven, parallel exists with agriculture.
Starting from the needs of producers and consumers in a farmers' economic self -
sufficiency and seasonal nature of agricultural activities (usually only used up 1/3 to
1/2 time in labor), traditional handicrafts gradually appeared as secondary job in the
farmer family. Gradually it was apart from agriculture, created the separated
position in rural. The craftsmen - owner creating crafts are also farmers. Even the
peasant families are farming as well as craft. It is a common feature of traditional
villages.
1.2.2. The technologies to product in the traditional craft villages are often very
primitive, mainly using techniques

The tools produced in the traditional craft villages mainly rudimentary tools,
the owners are the craftsmen. Production technology depended on the skills of the
craftsmen techniques. Therefore, the product is the result of the collected experience
of the older generation through skillful hands of artisans. Trade secrets only taught
to our children in the family and clan. It defined the difference of the product (same
type) in the village.
In the present context, there has been mechanization and modernization of
technology - production techniques in the village. A division craftsmen kept
secrets traditional craft production, and others switched to using modern
technology to create the transformation powerful in the traditional village before
the mechanism market.

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1.2.3. Vast majority of the villages using local raw materials
Looking a whole, most of the traditional villages were formed on the basis of
material available in local areas. Materials for production of the villages were
spontaneous in nature, such as rattan, bamboo, wood, rocks, snails, clams, The
food processing such as noodles, cakes, making tofu, are used the local raw
materials. However, due to the particular nature of some products, many products
have to import the raw materials
1.2.4. The Labor in the village is usually manual, thanks to skilful technical of
the hands, and creation of the workers and the artists
Most of the traditional craft villages, though formed by matter which
way they should have the artisans as the core and the instructor to develop the
village. Ancestor of the village was the first teacher training, communication
training, providing secret communication elsewhere in the village. Teaching
profession is mainly done by the method of handing in the family from
generation to generation and other molds in each village. Even professional
secret is not to be taught to girls to be taught only to boys. That has created a
inviolated boundary in the villages.

1.2.5. Products of traditional villages are single nature, highly artistic with deeply
national culture
Due to the old technical production and the method of professional handing that
created its own characteristics in the product of the traditional villages. The product has
both the using value and the high art, has shown the ingenuity and creativity of the folk
artists in the historical process. Therefore, the products of each village also had highly
individualized features and nuances. Not only that, the products made by the individual,
with rudimentary tools, so the products will be mass produced, but produced one by one.
It is the basis for distinguishing the products of craft villages.
1.2.6. The consuming market of the villages are narrow, only in the local
Derived from the demand for consumer goods in place of the local in each

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village or cluster of villages are used as a place of exchange markets, trade and
consumption of products. However, this market does not require high products
because the needs of the farmers are not high and unstable. Thus, in a long time,
the village developed as a response pathways is familiar tastes and narrow.
Factors about competition do not exist . That is the cause of the unstably of the
traditional villages in the open market. So, in the period of industrialization,
modernization, product the market to consume the product of the village more
outreach, not only within the framework of binding that reached out to rural
markets and international urban.
1.2.7. The organization to produce in the villages are mainly in the household,
some others have developed into a cooperative organizations and private
enterprises
Forms of business organization in the village are popular as household form.
Household is a production unit, and as an economic unit, and as a living unit. The
family members have a common economic base, shared ownership property for
living and for production materials. The owner and family are often the foreman,
took over management decisions, manage all work from the division of labor and

income distribution. Depending on business needs, households may hire permanent
employees or temporary. This form has mobilized all members of the family
involved in the various tasks of the production process, to take advantage of the
time and labor in production (as used in the place of production). This is the
appropriate form of organization for small scale production. In addition, this model
also has some limitations: due to small -scale, low labor, low capital improvement
limited capabilities and technical innovation, limited training and improve
governance management, technical skills and improve their skills. On the other
hand they do not have large production capacity to meet market barrier, not enough
vision to outline the business strategy.

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1.2. Craft and traditional craft villages in Thuan Thanh
1.2.1. The Overview of land
1.2.1.1. The natural conditions
Thuan Thanh district located in the Red River delta, Bac Ninh province. The
northern is near Tien Du, Que Vo (Bac Ninh). The Western is near Gia Lam (Hanoi).
The Southern is near Van Lam (Hung Yen) and Cam Giang (Hai Duong). The area
is 116.04km2, including 6,942 ha of cultivated area, the others are land for living,
roads, rivers. The district has 17 communes and one town is: Mao Dien, Song Ho,
Hoai Thuong ,Dai Dong Thanh, Dinh To, Tri Qua, An Binh, Ninh Xa, Nghia Dao,
Cham Lo, Nguyet Duc, Thanh Khuong, Ngu Thai, Ha Man, Xuan Lam, Song Lieu
and Ho town. In Ho town the population in December 2009 was 145,800 people.
Thuan Thanh is the fertile land, mostly ancient alluvial accretion from the
Red River, Duong River and Strawberry River, very favorable for agricultural
development . Road traffic is the route 282 (the old 182), connecting National
Highway 5 at Phu Thi (Gia Lam) runs through the Thuan Thanh, Gia Binh, to Pha
Lai (Hai Duong) , then goes to Dong Trieu, Uong Bi (Quang Ninh). According to
the North - South national highway 38 that runs from the city of Bac Ninh on
Highway 5 connecting to Hung Yen, Hai Phong. Same direction with the 283

national highway 38 connecting Duong River dike in Dinh To commune through
Dau, continued to Song Lieu and Van Lam (Hung Yen). The axis of the main road
as a vertical and horizontal axis, which is the second meeting place and crossroads
intersection of Dong Coi .
Waterway also hold a great importance for the Thuan Thanh. Formerly, Dau
River is a major river, kept leading role of waterways for Thuan Thanh area from
AD to the early period of the North. From Dau River can migrate to the East Sea
through the river stretch at Luc Dau Giang, Thai Binh river , or maybe back further
inland as far as Soc Son, Vinh Yen, Luy Lau was the office of Giao Chi as well as
the major trading port with many merchant ships from India and China into normal
trade. Later Dau River filled, especially after the Nguyen Dynasty dug Duong river,

13
Dau river had no longer position as important as before.
The process of nature has created the land Thuan Thanh the convenient
transportation for roads and waterway, the fields are flat, climate is mild, the land is
fertile, convenient for developing the agricultural and industry. Thuan Thanh
populated, with many exquisite traditional crafts: raising silkworms, reeling,
weaving colored yarn spinning, making pens, make war, This is the cradle of
civilization Red River Delta Delta.
1.2.1.2. The process of formation and development of the land
According to the archaeological documentary showed that Thuan Thanh
located in the center of the ancient land. Over the historical changes, the lands had
different names: Dau, Lien Dau, or Luy Lau, Co Chau, Tho Loi, Sieu Loai and
finally Thuan Thanh. After many times merging or splitting the province, from 1997
to present, Thuan Thanh is a part of Bac Ninh province.
About 3500 years ago, the village where it was first set up in the yard up
high along the river. At the end of the bronze age and Iron age, region in the Middle
Gia Binh, Thien Tai, Lien Lau began clearing. The archaeological relics found here
date back to the Dong Son period. The village's name, name of the land called

Cham, Khe, Dia, Van Ty, Van Tai, recalled a lowland, marsh and river origin of
people who have put up this village.
At the Hung Vuong time, Thuan Thanh was one of two main regions of Vu
Ninh called Dau. Here mulberry cultivation, silk pull, woven silk appeared the same
with rice cultivation, and Dau tribe centered Luy Lau became one of the most
important tribes of the country Van Lang and then Au Lac. The name was later
changed to Lien Lau, Luy Lau and Co Chau, which is the ancient name of Thuan
Thanh district today.
In 207 (BC), Au Lac was invaded by Trieu Da, then merged into invading
South Vietnam (circa 179 - BC), then Au Lacwas assigned only two districts Giao
Chi and Cuu Chan. By the year 111 (BC) Han dynasty conquered South Vietnam
and divided the county into 10 districts. Dau area quickly became the center of our

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country's rule of the Han dynasty, then this role for centuries AD. The Luy Lau
developed as a treatment facility at this time .
By the end of the second century, Luy Lau was placed under the rule Si
Nhiep. At that time, the foreign commercial customers, such as China, Tan - Gia -
Va and went beyond Red River and Dau River in the Luy Lau gathered to exchange
trading. Therefore, Luy Lau became a bustling ancient town and development. The
result of the struggle of acculturation and the development of economic activity this
period gave rise Luy Lau into a center of economy, culture of Giao Chi district at
that time.
In the feudal era of independence, a landmark event in 1068, king Ly
Thanh Tong in a sightseeing trip in the tank, met the girl picking berries and
then put on the cervix to Y Lan. King was renaming Tho Loi to Sieu Loai
[10, pp.56], then upgraded to Sieu Loai district, later Thuan Thanh District and
neighboring areas today.
In the time of Le dynasty, in 1469 changed the government to town. Tran
Kinh Bac (Bac Ninh today) there were four Governments, 21Districts.

In 1822, Kinh Bac town was renamed by Bac Ninh [1, pp.179].
In 1831, Bac Ninh town had changed Bac Ninh province. Bac Ninh
provincial had four phu then, two sub- divided into 20 districts and phu.
In 1862, phu changed its name from Thuan An phu to Thuan Thanh. The
name of Thuan Thanh existed to day.
Bac Ninh Province in 1895 divided into two provinces of Bac Ninh and Bac
Giang, Cau river taken as the dividing line. At the end of the nineteenth century,
early twentieth century continued to change the boundaries of the province. The
French colonial Phu Thuan had 9 districts, 75 communes. After the success of the
August Revolution, Thuan Thanh renamed Thuan Thanh district.
On 27-10-1962 the National Assembly Resolution II merge the two
provinces of Bac Giang, Bac Ninh to Ha Bac. On 6-11-1996 at its 10th session
period, the Ninth National Assembly approved a decision to re- establish the two

15
provinces of Bac Ninh and Bac Giang, the date 1-1-1997, Thuan Thanh Bac Ninh
province.
Through the evolution of history, Thuan Thanh still existed as a relatively
stable population. The process of change, consolidation or separation of the
administrative unit was for the purpose of facilitating the administration and
management of economic development, culture and society in every period of
history. During this transformation, the highlight in this land was the stability, unity,
cohesion and development of a residential community and territory.
1.1.1.3. Economic - Social
In 2011, after 15 years re-establishment of Bac Ninh, the economic - social of
Thuan Thanh developed fast. From producing agriculture gradually to produce
goods, industry, craft careers, trade and services were well developed.The
infrastructurewas improving, the system of electricity, roads, schools, stations,
cultural institutions where had religious activities, were also completing.
In 15 years, from 1997 to 2011, the economic structure of the positive

changes: Density - area construction industry and services accounted for 74.7%,
24.6% increase over 1997; agricultural sector, forestry and fisheries declined from
49.9% to 25.3%. From an agricultural district, producing mainly agricultural district
now has two industrial parks and three industrial parks with an area of 1167
hectares, the district has 126 industrial enterprises. Commercial activities, services,
transportation changed positive. The system of fair was invested and upgraded
(including 7 districts and 1 rural market center market , regardless of market toads
distributed in the village).
In the field of culture and society: the cultural institutions is enhanced with
79/108 is the cultural village, that village has post office, health centers are national
standards, the school system are upgraded (district has 49 national standards
schools, ).
Regarding religion, the ancient land of Thuan Thanh including Buddhism
and Christianity. In particular, Buddhism spread from very early on and had a very

16
large role in affecting people's lives. From 1954 onguilds, in Thuan Thanh,
Christians also developed but not strongly. Now some people follow Christianity
are very limited and only two parish district with approximately 40 households in
the village Khuong Tu (Thanh Khuong) and Ngoc Kham (Gia Dong).
1.2.1.4. The Culture
Over thousands of years of the history building and defending the country,
the land and people of Thuan Thanh produced many material and spirit values
which are existed until now, that is the historical and cultural system, the customs,
festivals, all have made the spiritual life of the residents enrich and cultural of
Kinh Bac.
Thuan Thanh is a land of culture, with a long history and almost meets the
traditional identity of the cultures of Kinh Bac. Over thousands of years of history
of building and defending the country, the land and people of Thuan Thanh
production of material values and spiritual diversity, rich but leave remnants today.

It still retains many traces and legend of start up period as Lang Kinh Duong Vuong
countries in Asia Tour (Datong City), Lac Long Quan Temple in Binh Ngo - Au (An
Binh), pad Ovum Bach Duong riverside church, many village churches the
communications minister Vuong time. The archaeological evidence such as
terracotta mesh graphite, furnace and casting in bronze drums Bai Dinh (Thanh
Khuong), ancient pottery in the Dai Trach, Lac Tho, The legend and traces confirmed
that this is where the center of the civilization of ancient Vietnamese rice.
Thuan Thanh is also home to a large number of monuments and dense houses,
temples, pagodas, towers. The Kinh Duong Vuong temple, Dau Pagoda, But Thap
Pagoda, Kham Temple, Nguyen Phi Y Lan Temple, Tomb and Temple Si Nhiep,
churches and tombs Nguyen Gia Thieu, Village festival with the rich form , the
implementation code ; along the folk cultural activities (theater in the county, ca tru
singing, puppet show,…) and folk festivals typical traditions such as the Dau pogoda
festival, the But Thap pagoda festival, the Doai temple festival, made for the spiritual
life of residents and enriching cultural identity imbued Kinh Bac region.

17
In Thuan Thanh, many renowned craftsmanship and long known as: Vit
village and Dai Mao sericulture fabric, twine De Cau casting, Dong Coi knitting
bam boo, Thanh Hoai oil pressure, Dong Ngu water puppetry, posture as pens,
Dong Ho paintings, All material values and spirit that makes the rich cultural
diversity of Luy Lau Thuan Thanh historical - cultural development in Vietnam.
Today, there have few districts that preserved the heritage of the Kinh Bac
civilization as rich and distinctive Thuan Thanh district, which is the compelling
evidence that this is the economic interest - culture of Vietnamese people in the Red
River delta from the first foundation of country.
1.2.2. The factors affected to the foundation of craft and traditional craft villages
in Thuan Thanh District
As mentioned above, the general features of the natural conditions,
geography, transportation, have influenced to produce agricultural of Thuan

Thanh district. Along with the history of formation and development for a long
time, fertile soil, flat land, mild climate, convenient transportation, has created
favorable conditions for developing agriculture and industry. Because of the
seasonality characteristic of agricultural operations (harvest time is relatively long),
and to meet the demand for ancillary products formed and develop traditional craft
serve effectively for agriculture. The jobs that are closely connected, intertwined,
are embedded with agricultural activities in the district. During the development
process, a number of traditional craft has gradually separated from agriculture and
asserted its role for the socio-economic development of the district. The waterway,
created the favorable trade for the district with the vicinity, including the
transportation of raw materials and consumer products industry. That is the
advantage for the formation and development of a system of vocational and
traditional craft villages of the district.
1.2.3. Overview of craft and traditional craft villages in Thuan Thanh district
According to the French geographer Pierre Gourou had a statistic about 14
crafts and 17 craft villages in the book Nguoi Nong dan chau tho Bac ky written in
1936 wrote refers to those crafts typical of Thuan Thanh district as follows (Table 1.1).