Development opportunities of Chàng Sơn carpentry village (Thạch Thất district, Hà Nội) in the current socio economic and cultural context (approached from the perspective of cultural studies)

Development opportunities of Chàng Sơn
carpentry village (Thạch Thất district, Hà Nội) in
the current socio - economic and cultural context
(approached from the perspective
of cultural studies)

Phí Thị Bình

Viện Việt Nam học và Khoa học phát triển
Luận văn Thạc sĩ Chuyên ngành: Việt Nam học; Mã số: 60 31 60
Người hướng dẫn khoa học: PGS.TS. Phạm Hồng Tung
Năm bảo vệ: 2011

Keywords. Xã hội học kinh tế; Văn hóa làng; Kinh tế xã hội; Việt Nam học; Nghiên cứu
văn hóa

Content.

INTRODUCTION

1. Reason for the study
In recent years, Vietnam rural development toward industrialization - modernization is
received concern of the State and Party. It has positive results, gradually changed the Vietnam
rural areas, especially handicraft villages, traditional handicraft villages. Vietnam officially
intergration on the WTO (2007) was a great advantage to improves Vietnam's position and joins
with internation on many fields, especially economy, trade. Moreover, it opened favorable
conditions for developing the traditional handicraft village. Chàng Son carpentry village (Thạch
Thất - Hà Nội) is one of dynamic traditional handicraft villages of Thạch Thất district and Hà
Nội city with the handicraft products of high quality, sophistication. However, the problem is
how bring products and reputation of the Chàng Sơn village to develop but still preserve the
village's traditional culture? From this desire, we chose Master thesis’ topic: “Development

opportunities of Chàng Sơn carpentry village (Thạch Thất district, Hà Nội) in the current socio -
economic and cultural context (approached from the perspective of cultural studies)”.
2. Purpose and significance of the study
2.1. Purpose of the study: Thesis contributes deeper study of the production cultural life
and community cultural life in Chàng Sơn carpentry village; It shows strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities and challenges in the process of socio - economic development, from there, giving
specific solutions to develop traditional village towards sustainable development.
2.2. Scientific, practical significance of the study: The study of Chàng Sơn village
carpenter has practical significance in the determination and assessment of development situation
of a specific traditional handicraft village on the socio - economic and cultural aspects.
3. Overview of previous studies: Development of handicraft village, traditional handicraft
village is a subject which many researchers care and it has achieved certain results. So far, there
are many research works published. They help readers to have a overview look of traditional
handicraft villages in Vietnam.
4. Object and scope of the study: Thesis focuses to study a typical traditional handicraft
village which is Chàng Sơn carpentry village (Thạch Thất district - Hà Nội city) from 2001 to
now.
5. Methodology: During the implementation of research, we used a system of research
methods such as research methods of area and development; fieldwork, statistical method and
expert method, especially the SWOT analysis method is used as a basic research method to
evaluate the development status of Chàng Sơn carpentry village.
6. Contribution of the study: Thesis has contributed to study a traditional handicraft
village as a cultural space - identified development space. Thesis uses systematic methods, which
focuses on the SWOT analysis method to indicates the development status of Chàng Sơn
traditional carpentry village in socio - economic and cultural aspects. Therefore, we can see the
history and development of it, the carpentry’s impact for villagers; change of the production
trend; the existent problems and the strengths to develop carpentry's production; priority policies
of local government for carpentry's development. Thesis is also the most general view of the
cultural life of a specific traditional handicraft village in the Red River delta. It shows a
interactive and supporting relation between a outstanding handicraft (carpentry) with other jobs;

the close relation among tangible culture and intangible culture of village. Through it, we can see
the occupational conciousness of villagers with artists, good handicraftmen. They have a
important role in the preservation, restoration and development of traditional carpentry of
village.
7. Structure of thesis: Besides the introduction and conclusion, content, table, chart and
map, the thesis includes 3 main parts as follows:
- Chapter 1: Theoretical basis of study on traditional handicraft villages.
- Chapter 2: The development status of Chàng Sơn traditional carpentry village
- Chapter 3: Solutions for Chàng Sơn carpentry village in the development of traditional
handicaft and improvement its cutural values.
Chapter 1
Theoretical base of the study on traditional handicraft village
1.1. Concepts and classifications
1.1.1. Concepts of handicraft village and traditional handicraft village
- Traditional handicraft: Traditional handicrafts were appeared long in history. They included
handicrafts which had been improved or used modern machinery to support production. However,
they still must comply with traditional technology, and their products express unique culture of
nation.
- Handicraft villages: They can be understood as villages in rural areas that they have non-
agriculture sectors to dominate about the munber of households and labors, and income
proportion of them is higher than agriculture.
- Traditional handicraft villages: Traditional handicraft villages were formed and
developed in long history (including one or many traditional handicrafts) to dominate about
household joining the handicraft by hereditary form. They have general ancestors. Their
members always obey the laws, conventions and social institutions which are defined in the
family, clan.
1.1.2. Classifications of handicraft village: The traditional handicraft village are shared into 4
basic villages: - the traditional handicraft villages specialize in producing the handicraft products; -
they specialize in manufacturing the goods for production and life; - they specialize in producing
goods of the consumption service; they specialize in food processing.

1.2. Characteristic of traditional handicraft villages
1.2.1. Economic and social aspects
- The traditional handicraft villages were existed in rural areas, inextricably linked with
agriculture: Traditional hadicraft villages were existed, developed from agriculture villages due
to needs of labor division and production specialization. They impacted rapidly of Vietnam’s
agriculture and rural area with characteristics of water-rice culture and material economy,
production of self-sufficiency. Operation of handicrafts is developed strongly and linked closely
with the goods and monetary relation, market relation but it does not leave agriculture. This
development is expressed under two angles: firstly, the exchange relation of production
documents; secondly, the exchange relation of consumption associated with improving the
material and spiritual life as well as the process of rural urbanization.
- The using manual labor is a outstanding characteristic in the traditional handicraft villages.
Artisans are considered as spritit of traditional handicraft village. They have a important role with
the process of manuafacturing and products’ creation. Training the handicrafts is done by method of
handing down. Nowadays, this method has many changes and more diverse, in which, combination
between the opening of training classes and the teaching follow the form of tutoring is considered as
a effective method in conservation and development of traditional handicrafts.
- About market: Consumer market of the traditional handicraft villages has small and local
natures. It is formed based on production development and demand of goods exchange. To day,
the main consumer market of them is domestic market, export market is small but it has a
important role and gradually expanded to other countries in the region and the world.
- Characteristics on the form of production organization: In history as well as present,
household form is a popular form of production and business. Besides, there are many different
forms formed, developed as production group, cooperative, private enterprise, join stock
company, etc.
1.2.2. Issues of the production technology and product
- Aspect of production technology: Basic characteristics of production technology in
traditional handicraft villages are: - Technology, manual production technique has bring natures
of tradition, inheritance and clan’s secrets, so handicraftmen’s subjective with products is huge; -
production technology is primitive and backward; - Technique and technology are combined

between tradition and modernization. The replacement of modern technology only show in a
certain stages of production that can not completely replace the traditional manual technology.
- About products: Characteristic of traditional hadicraft products are idividual and single.
They have unique, highly artistic, bold cultural identity and represented the unity quintessence
between tangible culture and intangible culture of handicraft villages.
1.3. Conditions for formation of the traditional handicraft village
1.3.1. Constituents: Traditional handicraft villages are formed based on the handing down
mainly. However, the handing down is not copy perfectly that has innovation and subtle creation,
in which the artisans, families and clans are a core element.
1.3.2. Conditions of formation: The formation and development of traditional handicraft villages
depend on basic conditions as follow: - Near traffic road; - Near consumer market of products or main
market; - Near sources of raw material; - Economic pressure; - Labors and production practice.
1.4. Role of traditional handicraft villages
1.4.1. Contribution for economic structure toward industrialization and modernization of
agriculture, rural area: The development of traditional handicraft villages contribute to increase
proportion of industry, small industry and service, and reduce proportion of agriculture. It moves
labors from agriculture which has low income into non-agriculture which has more income. The
spread development of traditional handicraft villages has expanded scale and area of production.
In these villages, economic structure has inclined to industry and service, account for 60 – 80%,
agriculture is account for 20 – 40%.
1.4.2. Increasing the GDP for national economy: Capacities of production and business of
traditional handicraft villages are important promoted the development of commodity production
in rural areas. Practice of locals demonstrated that the value of commodities in handicraft
villages reached substantial numbers. It has a certain growth rate over years. For example, Bắc
Ninh province has many traditional handicraft villages. In 1998, the value of commodities
reached 210 billions, account for ¾ of production value total of non-state industry.
1.4.3. Solving the job, raising income for rural labors: Development of non-agriculture
industries, especially traditional handicrafts has solved job for 10 millions of labors, account for
29,5% rural labor force. It creates jobs more, improves income for rural labors. Average income of
handicraftmen is higher 2 to 4 times than agriculture labors. In which, average income of a labor in

households specializing in non - agriculture is 430.000 - 450.000 VNĐ/person/month, 190.000 -
240.000 VNĐ/person/month in handicraft pluralist households and 70.000 - 100.000
VNĐ/person/month.
1.4.4. Attracting idle capital in population, improving living standard of population and
restricting free migration: The most of production facilities in the traditional hadicraft villages is
small scale. They do not require to invest a big capital. So, they easily mobilize sources of idle
capital to develop handicraft production that have salvaged and attracted labors. Development of
these villages has restricted situation of free migration through opportunities of creating job and
increasing income for local population.
1.4.5. Improving quality of life for rural population and constructing new countryside: The
development of traditional hadicraft villages has improved, enhanced the quality of material and
spiritual life for rural population. Moreover, it creates conditions to promote improvement and
construction of rural infrastruction; contributing renew Vietnam’s rural areas and constructing
new countryside toward modernization.
1.4.6. Contribution for the conservation and preservation of traditional cultural values of the
local and nation: Products of these villages contain unique characteristics of national culture and
individual identity of each traditional handicraft village. The restoration and development of them
will have special meaning for the preservation of nation’s cultural values in the process of
industriliazation – modernization today.
1.4.7. Contribution for the development of tourism:
Traditional handicraft villages help to diversify tourism’s products. They not only through
existent functions to service activities of community but also attract tourists visitting handicraft
villages and buying products through their cultural, historical and scientific values. Thence, their
image and product’s brand are enhanced. Thus, their consumer market is expanded and
developed.
Evaluation of chapter 1
Traditional handicraft villages are formed, developed long in history and associated with
certain conditions of nature, market, etc. The handing down, training the handicraft are basis
forms in these villages, determinant is artisans, techniques and trade secrets. Their products are
unique and characterised for cultural identity of region. In the process of industrialization -

modernization today, these villages are gradually restored and developed toward the sustain due
to practical benefits on economy, culture and society that they bring.
Chapter 2
Development status of Chàng Sơn carpentry village in
the current socio - economic and cultural context
2.1. Overview of the Chàng Sơn carpentry village
2.1.1. History of the Chàng Sơn village
Chàng Sơn is one of villages which have long civilized nation of Thạch Thất district.
According folk documents, Chàng Sơn village is formed for first years of A.D. The name
“Chàng” is associated with manual tools of traditional carpentry – Đục tool, Chàng tool. Since
its appearance to now, this village has 2 names which are Chàng and Chàng Sơn. It is in different
regions depends on periods of different history. In Tran dynasty, Chàng Sơn was in Kẻ Nủa
region (Nủa canton) and renamed Nguyễn Xá in Hồng Đức dynasty (1496), Thạch Xá in the end
of Tây Sơn dynasty of Nguyễn Quang Toản with Cảnh Thịnh date (1798 - 1800). In 1955, Chàng
hamlet was separated from Thạch Xá village and became Chàng Sơn village (based on the
69/NV resolution issued on 24/4/1955 of the Ministry of Interior Department).
2.1.2. Geographical position: Chàng Sơn’s geographical position is located in the West
of Hà Nội, its geographical coordinate from 20
0
58’23” to 21
0
06’10”N latitude, 105
0
37’54” to
105
0
38’22”E longitude. The North borders on Hương Ngải village, the West borders on Kim
Quan village, the Eastsouth borders on Thạch Xá village.
2.1.3. Natural conditions: Topography of Chàng Sơn – Thạch Thất region is located in the
transitional zone between the mountain of Hòa Bình and the Red River Delta. Its average height is 2

– 3
m
compared with the sea and lower height on the Southeast, so it has many advantages for
agriculture production. Its climate has specific characteristics of the North delta with raining season
and dry season in a year. Natural resources have mainly land resource and water resource, but their
economic value is not high.
2.1.4. Socio – ecomic conditions
- Economic condition: Chàng Sơn village is in region of old Hà Tây. The village is famous
with traditional carpentry and other handicrafts. Economic space of village has mix between
production of small industry and agriculture. It created premises to supports economic
development for many industries. Besides, this village is located in handicraft villages’ strip of
Thạch Thất district. That is favorable condition to develop traditional handicrafts and village’s
trading activities.
- Social condition: Chàng Sơn village has early formation history. It is considered region
which has typical space of geography, culture and history of Đoài country’s culture and located
in a famous land’s strip of academic culture of Thạch Thất district.
2.1.5. Population and change of administive boundary: Chàng Sơn is one of the villages
having the most populous and highest density of population in Thạch Thất district. In 2010, its
population is 8362 persons with 24 clans who live intercalately in 7 hamlets. Population density
is 2962 người/km
2
.
From old history to now, Chàng Sơn’s administive boundary has certain changes depends
on zoning policies of different historical periods. During the monarchy, this village was in the
boundary of Thạch Thất district, Quốc Oai palace (Quốc Oai lộ in Trần dynasty), Sơn Tây town
or Thừa Tuyên Sơn Tây (Tây Đạo). To the socialism republic of Vietnam, Chàng Sơn was
sometimes on Sơn Tây, Hà Tây and Hà Sơn Bình provinces, Hà Nội city. Today, Chàng Sơn is
again merged into Hà Nội city on 01/8/2008 according to the 15/2008/NQ/QH12 resolution
issued on 29/05/2008 of the twelfth congress.
2.2. Development status of Chàng Sơn carpentry village today

2.2.1. The productive cultural life
2.2.1.1. The development and extent of the handicraft village
- Overview of Chàng Sơn’s handicrafts: Chàng Sơn is a typical occupational unit which
has most handicrafts in Thạch Thất district. Before the revolution in 1945 August, Chàng Sơn
had 18 handicrafts. Then, some handicrafts were eroded and disappeared. Today, there are 6
main handicrafts existed as netting, carpentry, making fans, sewing, repairing bicycles, making
food, in which the carpentry is account for large amount of labors. It offers higher income than
other handicrafts.
- History of formation and development: Carpentry of Chàng Sơn village is a famous
handicraft with unique, sophisticated products. The formative history of it is associated with
estabished process of village and legends of ancestors who Phó Sần, Nguyễn Đường. Before the
revolution in 1945 August, it was developed as sideline job after the agriculture, account for 1/3
of labors in village. They mainly focused in public organizations such as guild, cooperative.
Nowadays, the carpentry is developed to main hadicraft of village. It contributes creating the job,
improving the life’s quality for villagers. Its nature has been changed to adapts with demand of
market. Today, productions of traditional wooden furniture and market wooden furniture have
been developed together in Chàng Sơn village. Traditional and modern elements of carpentry are
mixed together.
- Process of production: Wooden products of Chàng Sơn whether tradition or market are
manufactured under a rigorous process. It does any skip any stage, so its products are durability
and aesthetic, and meeting the stastes of market.
2.2.1.2. Economic structure of village: In recent years, the economic structure of Chàng
Sơn has been strongly shifted toward raising the small industry – basic construction, service -
trade and reducing the agriculture. In 2010, proportion of small industry - basic construction is
reached 61%, 33,5% in service – trade and proportion of agriculture is reduced quickly to 3,5%
(7,04% lower than 2001).
2.2.1.3. Business structure of the village: Today, Chàng Sơn village is exsiting 2 basis
economic forms which are family-based economy and private economy.
- The family-based economy: It is considered as common productive form and suitable
with land of narrow area of Chàng Sơn. Nowadays, there are 1025/2063 households who

specialized in producing the carpentry (account for 49,68% of households). Advantages of this
form are utilization of labor force in family. Producers can combine to use land as production
place and living of their family. Extent of households have offent 4 - 5 regular labors and hired
season labors depend on work situation. In the family, head of household who has main role.
- Form of private economy: Appearance of private enterprises, limited liability company is
considered as consistent adaption with the current conditions, especially, raw materials for
production are not available in local. In 2010, there are 43 private enterprises and Ltd.
Specialized in business in supply sector of wood and production accessories. It is considered as a
form of distribution mainly which ensuring input material source for carpentry’s production.
Manager in these form are young persons. The extent of labor usually ranges around 10 people
or more depends on production situation. Almost of production, business households in Chàng
Sơn have applied many medias, Internet to advertise and expand the market of village.
2.2.1.4. Production conditions of village
- Issue of infrastructure: To meeting the development needs of carpentry as well as other
industries, infrastructure system has been invested, upgraded by local government. Traffic road
system of internal village is extended, concreted. Electricity system for production is invested,
upgraded with 3 transformer stations which have total capacity of 890KVA. They have been met
ably for production demand, however, production of carpentry still is limited because of narrow
internal road and situation of rotational electricity cut. Area of prodution land is lack, average
area of household is only 144 m
2
, so productive action of carpentry has many differences. The
households have to use their house as well as production place. That causes serious pollution of
living space, productive space in village. To solving this problem, the local government has
planned 10,73ha of land area of industrial concluster and park depend on resolution of Hà Tây
People's Committee (former), Hà Nội People's Committee. It contributes to extends area of
production land. However, planning speed is slow, lack of management, so scarcity of
productive land area is still common in Chàng Sơn.
- Issue of capital resource: In Chàng Sơn, loan demand for expanding and investing in
production equipment is very large. Besides self-funding, the almost of households have to borrow

through bank system. Loan amount ranges from 50 millions VND to many billions VND depends on
production extent of households. Today, the anti-inflation policy has limited households’s ability of
capital loan, impacted to production rate of carpentry.
- Issue of labors: Labor in village is rich in the number, its quality is raised increasingly;
Labor structure has been strongly shifted toward increasing the small industry - basis
construction and service - trade, reducing the agriculture. In 2005, propertion of small industry –
basis construction is 65% and 5% in the service – trade and 30% in the agriculture. Labors join
in making the carpentry is account for over 80%. They include many labor parts from artisans to
women and children. They are paid different wages depend on workmanship and job’s level.
Average income of a labor is 18 millions VND/year. However, lack of labors who have high
cultural standard, technological standard caused disadvantages for applying the new technology
in productive management and business toward centralized model.
- The provision and use of input materials: In Chàng Sơn village, materials of production
are imported by companies, enterprises in village. Nowadays, there are about 20 companies,
enterprises specialized in provide kinds of wood. They import millions of wood m
3
. Main supply
is domestic market and other countries such as Laos, Thailand, Combodia, Germany. etc. This
creats a close relation between supply enterprises with productive households, enterprise with
enterprise to brings mutual economic benefits. Moreover, it helps to develop Chàng Sơn
traditional carpentry toward the industrialization and modernization.
- Management issue of village: The almost of productive households and private
enterprises in Chàng Sơn are developed by forms of spontaneous, fragmentary and lack of
management. So, coherence of production units is not high in village. It does not establishs any
association of handicraft village to gathers artisans who has enthusiasm for traditional carpentry.
It develops carpentry toward sustainable trend, improves income for villagers.
2.2.2. The cultural life of community: In the Chàng Sơn village, production element and
cultural element have always a close relation. Therefore, if we want to understand about Chàng
Sơn traditional carpentry village, we need to understand on cultural elements around it.
2.2.2.1. Relationship between carpentry with other jobs in village: It is established on 2

basic aspects of economy and society. Through, we can see dominant and covering natures of
carpentry to others in village. It facilitates to develop together with other jobs and forms a bond
between handicraft with handicraft, handicraft with belief and cultural values in village.
Cohesion of community is presented through roles of solving the local employment for villagers,
raising income, improving the quality of life and restricting the situation of free migration.
2.2.2.2. The relationship among carpentry and culture, belief of the villagers: In this part,
we do not describe elements of tangible culture and intangible culture but also focus research it
in the relation with sustainable development of village.
- System of tangible culture: It is occupational heritage values of old artisans such as
community hall, pagoda, etc and considered as a embodiment of talent and sophistication of
Chàng Sơn’s artisans. We will deeply study on meaning of community hall and Van Vo temple
in villagers’ life.
Chàng Sơn community hall: Previously, Chàng Sơn had 2 community halls which are Cả
community hall and Bé community hall. Today, these village has only relic of Cả community
hall. It was built thousand of years ago and accosiated with legend on Pho San ancestor who was
invited to built temples on the top Non Tan moutain by Saint Tản Viên. To now, it has been
restored, built again; Its architectural space is arranged in the style of the Chinese character đinh
( ), contained the talent of Chàng Sơn handicraftmen. Moreover, đình is also a place to worship
the village deity (thành hoàng làng) Tản Viên Sơn Tinh - job’s ancestor of Vietnamese – and
system of tiền hiền, in which has Phó Sần ancestor.
Văn Võ temple: On architectural aspect, Văn Võ temple has not high artistic value but it is
considered as a cultural address honoring the tradition of education and occupation. Its system of
worship characters is tiền hiền, hậu hiền of confucianism and celebrities of village. Văn Võ
temple offents show incense-burning ceremonies to remembers Phó Sần carpentry’s ancestor on
15/1 (Lunar) per year.
- Intangible culture: System of intangible of Chàng Sơn is associated with consciousness
and belief of career. It is showed through festival, belief in worshipping ancestors of carpentry
and traditional water puppetry. The traditional festival of village is held mainly on 18/7 (lunar)
per year. It includes 2 main part which are the ceremony and the assembly. This combination has
created a close, linked relation for villagers and it is also crystallisation of religious ideology

around the form of collective worship – village deity – in folk mind. What we want to emphasize
is festival more or less related the belief in worshipping ancestors of carpentry (Saint Tản Viên,
Phó Sần). About this belief, Chàng Sơn is one of handicraft villages which worship job’s
ancestor. There seems to be the overlapping existence of three carpentry's ancestors: 1. Saint Tản
Viên; 2. Phó Sần; 3. Nguyễn Đường. This makes the integration and reconcilement between
village deity and job’s ancestor to enhences more the beaty of traditional culture honoring,
respecting talent persons. It is also express gratitude of villagers with job’s ancestors who have
taugh handicraft for them although this transmission is more or less, direct or indirect. However,
there is only Phó Sần who worshiped in whole village. The tribute incense for him is held at Văn
Võ temple on 15/1 lunar per year; Nguyễn Đường job’s ancestor is worshiped in range of Phí Bá
clan due to he had handing down for them. Generally, worshipping the job’s ancestor whether
village or clan, it has also contributed to enhancing the occupational tradition and expressing the
moralism of drinking water, memoring source of Chàng Sơn villagers. Besides these belief
forms, water puppetry of Chàng Sơn village is famous in whole country and foreign due to its
uniqueness and having the clarity occupational mind. Puppet artists are also the talented, skillful
handicraftmen. They manipulate, control the puppet troops vividly associate subjects of daily life
and production life. Puppets and water puppetry are considered embody completely for cultural
values and occupational nation of Chàng Sơn village.
2.2.3. Evaluation of current development of Chàng Sơn traditional carpentry village
2.2.3.1. Economic development situation: In the current market mechanism, Chàng Sơn’s
handicraftmen have found development trend of production by combination between
conservation, development of traditional wooden products with market wooden products. So, its
products are diverse and abundant which has dominated domestic market, gradually exported
foreign market. Common form of production in Chàng Sơn is household and units of private
production which developed rapidly. In the production process, there is combination between
traditional manual production and applying the technology, machine for some production stages.
Therefore, it has reduced the labor, raised quality and performance of products. Associating the
development of traditional handicraft village with constructing new countryside has promoted
the development of carpentry. The economic structure is shifted strongly toward increasing the
small industry - basis construction, service - trade, reducing the agriculture. In 2010, proportion

of small industry - basis construction is 61%, 35,5% in the service - trade and the agriculture is
only 3,5%. That has contributes solving the jobs for local labors and labors in surrounding area,
restricting the situation of free migration. However, this devepment is fragmentative, lack of
planning, not close reconhence of economic units leads to lower economic assistance and weaker
competitive of products than other villages. Especially, capital investment for production has
many disadvantages due to anti-inflation policy of government today.
2.2.3.2. Status of cultural, educational and social development: The economic
development of traditional handicraft village is a element which dominates to activities of
culture, education, society in Chàng Sơn today. When economic life is enhanced, villagers focus
training and improving the knowledge standard for their children. Infrastructure of education is
invested, constructed. Today, there are 3 kindergartens, 1 primary school and 1 secondary school
which are ensured quantity and quality of classroom; teachers has qualification who are
rejuvenated. The council of education, the encouraging learning council of local and clan are
established to enhance education nation, venrating teacher and derecting morality of villagers.
Beside traditional cultural values, handicraft village’s culture has been accepted new culture of
society. Visiting Chàng Sơn today, we can see the changes in architectural space and daily life of
community; the constructions of public culture and the collective cultural activities are
concerned by local government and villagers. Especially, when the building new countryside and
the movement of “All people unite to build cultural life” are promoted strongly to meet the
needs of cultural enjoyment of villagers and contribute protecting their living space. However,
In any aspect, new cultural elements are introduced that have caused adverse consequences on
the development of villages such as alienation in the lifestyle, thinking way, insecurity and social
order they influence on natures of tradition and link in village’s community.
2.3.3.3. Enviromental situation: Today, the living space of Chàng Sơn is being polluted
seriously due to narrow production space. Villagers despite all the environmental consequences
to develop carpentry’s production, in which we have to mention the technological use status
which are patchwork, homemade, non-standards in production. Nowadays, dust concentrations in
Chàng Sơn measured from 4.7 to 8.3 mg/m3 (many times higher than standard); amount of waste
is 6.6 tons / day (the 4th of district); the treatment and collection just account 65%, the others
still exist in the village to cause pollution situation of water, air and dust, etc which is being

serious more. It influence for villagers’s life, especially in internal village where focuses
crowded population.
Evaluation of chapter 2
Chàng Sơn is in ancient Nủa canton with job’s multicultural space. It has the combination of
traditional culture and modern culture. Carpentry is considered as main handicraft of Chàng Sơn.
It has major contribution for socio - economic and cultural life of village. When economy is
developed, Chàng Sơn villagers focus on promoting restoration and growth folklore elements,
occupational heritages such as community hall, pagoda, Văn - Võ temple, in which belief of
worshipping the village deity, job’s ancestors serves the spiritual platform and community
coherence. In new period, the village’s development requires a workforce who have the skill,
management and business capacities to promptly respond with the growth of carpentry and
market’s changes. In contrast, elements of traditional culture is more or less deformed because
of changes of lifestyle, thinking way, degradation of professional ethics in a unit of population,
enviromental pollution, etc. Therefore, Chàng Sơn carpentry village want to develop toward
positive and sustainable that it requires engagement of all level of government and industries as
well as the need for legal framework for operation of traditional handicraft village.

Chapter 3
Opportuinities, challenges and development solutions for Chàng Sơn traditional carpentry
and improvement of its cultural values


3.1. Opportunities and challenges for the development of Chàng Sơn carpentry village
(applying the SWOT)
3.1.1. Development opportunities in the current period: Begining on a foundation of ancient
traditional handicraft village with many handicrafts, Chàng Sơn’s handicraftmen formed business
psychology, easily adapted to market fluctuations. Today, the international economic integration
opens opportunities to expanding the market and promoting the production development for
Chàng Sơn; Transportation system with the provincial road, inter-district and inter-village
surrounding constitutes the conveyable system of materials and products between local with different

areas and facilitates commercial development. Labors take part in carpentry account for large
proportion ( > 80% of labor total). They include all groups, all age, especially children - who are
serial labors of carpentry. Quality of labors is quickly raised on standard of knowledge and
workmanship. Application of technological science in production is being common. In village,
organizational forms of production are diversity in which the family – based economy and
private economy are developed to organized gathering the labors, solving jobs and creating
income for villagers. In addition, the development and application of the mass media for
advertising the traditional wooden products contributed to expand output market of village. The
policies of handicraft’s development and traditional culture’s restoration are associated with
constructing the new countryside that create a legal basis for Chàng Sơn village’s development.
So, Chàng Sơn can be developed toward certain orbit of production. Capital poliy is extended
with preferential interest rates. The planning of industrial cluster and park partially meets needs
of the development and expansion for the production scale in the village.
3.1.2. Difficulties and challenges for the development of Chàng Sơn’s carpentry: The
process of economic integration has created the open market for Chàng Sơn carpentry village.
However, it also creats the fierce economic competition between the products of Chàng Sơn with
other villages such as Canh Nậu, Phùng Xá (Thạch Xá), Đồng Kỵ (Bắc Ninh) especially,
Chàng Sơn has not formed village associations to gather the producers to work together finding
the direction of market development and output for products. So, consumer market is domestic
and affected strongly by market fluctuations. The issue of labor protection in the village is not
concered. shortage of skilled labor, highly qualified labor cause disadvantages for the application
of technology in production. The products’ brand has not been properly concerned that the
village's wooden products were mixed or associated other brands, so product’s value of the
village is somewhat tarnished when they exported market. The technological innovation is done
small, spontaneous, patchy and applied in certain stages, so it has not made a systematic. The
difficulty of this problem lies in the decisive element is the capital. Nowadays, loan market
becomes difficult due to anti-inflation policy of the State. That has caused disadvantages for
production households in the developing and expanding the extent of carpentry production.
Environmental pollution in Chàng Sơn is serious increasingly. Besides, market lifestyle has
created implications as a pragmatic lifestyle, enhancing the one-dimensional physical value. In

other words, cultural values are dominanted by the strength of currency. Joneses status, deviation
and degradation in living concept of a population unit, especially young people have negatively
affected to the village’s cultural tradition. The root cause of them is lack of a solid legal
framework for operation of traditional handicraft village.
3.2. Recommendations for development of Chàng Sơn carpentry village in the current
industrialization and modernization
3.2.1. Recommendations for economic development
- Capital issue: To ensuring the necessary capital source for production activities, we need
to diversify the forms of capital mobilization; Improving and diversifying the methods of
lending; Improving the efficiency of investment capital
- Issue of technology: Innovating equipment, applying new technology in production but it has to
ensure incorporate principles with traditional technology.
- Market issue: Performing the synchronization of market policies; Boosting the domestic market
and taking measures to expand export markets; Strengthening the trade policies and trade promotion for
handicraft village’s products; Promoting the spot export through the combination between development
of handicraft village with tourism development
- Recommendation for development of human source: - Reasonable division of labor toward
point full labors; The State should have rewarded policies and appropriate incentive for artisans,
encouraging them to handing down and vocational training for young people; focusing the forms
of teaching handicraft by the handing down; training, retraining and improving the cultural
standard and workmanship standard for labor force through opening centers, short-term training
and combining these forms with the institutions of industrial art.
- The recommendations of mechanism and policy: Improving the institutional environment
and management measures of local government based on supporting the manufacturing facilities
to develop properly; forming village associations and building professional law; supporting the
innovation of production technology and promoting effective linkages in production units toward
model of development pyramid.
- Recommendations for reducing environmental pollution: Planning of handicraft village’s
space with environmental protection; enhencing standard and awareness of workers;
strengthening environmental management in the handicraft villages.

3.2.2. Recommendations for improving the cultural values of Chàng Sơn carpentry
village
Combining the preservation and promotion of traditional cultural values with scientific
and progress values of time through international exchange; forming new cultural values based
on the traditional culture; promoting the capital source of socialization; the local government
should to have development policies consistents with local practice; handicraft village
development is associated with tourism development.

Evaluation of chapter 3
From observations and objective assessments on the development status of the Chàng Sơn
carpentry village, we offer groups of specific solution to ensure that village development in a
positive and sustainable and gradually solve disadvantages, challenges in the current socio -
economic and cultural context through the system of policies and mechanisms of Party and State.
CONCLUSION
1. On the basis of inheriting previous study results, thesis presented a relatively
comprehensive and systematic for problems which have theoretical issues on handicraft village
and traditional handicraft village. That has initially analyzed, evaluated on a specific research
case which is Chàng Sơn traditional carpentry village. It is placed in the general context of the
country and the Hà Nội region.
2. Thesis has employed the different research methods, especially focusing on the SWOT
to comprihensively evaluates the status of development, shows strength, weakness, opportunity,
challenge of Chàng Sơn. From historical and cultural perspectives, Chàng Sơn is both a
population unit, administrative units and a professional unit with tradition and own cultural
identity. In this part, we emphasizes professional heritage values which be transmitted through
generations and historical relation of traditional handicrafts which be existed in Chàng Sơn
community. Especially, carpentry is associated agriculture production, life of culture, education,
belief culture and local institutions, non-local institutions. Under geograpical and economic
aspects, Chàng Sơn has strong urbanization rate, favorable conditions to develop carpentry.
However, geographical space of the village are narrow so it has affected to lives of daily and
production of villagers. Today, this village has combination between production of traditional

and market wooden production. Chàng Sơn handicraftmen have quickly accessed to markets.
They have suitable innovation and improvement of model, so their products met the tastes of
consumers. However, the nature of traditional products is somewhat fainter than other villages,
status of "eating away" is appeared. Besides the positive impact, the development of market
mechanisms have caused bad consequences to the lifestyle and way of thinking for villagers, the
traditional cultural values of village are deformed. To solve these problems, local government has
taken practical solutions as conducting the planning industrial cluster and park to expand production
land area, restore and develop the values of tangible culture and intangible culture but still limit.
3. Based on evaluating opportunities and challenges with the development of Chàng Sơn
village, thesis offers group of practical and long-term solutions to exploit advantages and
overcome disadvantages. From there, contribution for sustainable development of carpentry and
Chàng Sơn village; focusing the restoration and promotion of traditional cultural values and
professional heritage of village.

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