Famous for its unique Dong Ho paintings, Dong Ho painting village is a place that attracts many tourists when traveling to Hanoi because this location is not far from the capital. Let's learn detailed information about this traditional folk painting village through the article below!
1. Introduction to Dong Ho painting village
Where is Dong Ho Painting Village?
Where is Dong Ho Painting Village or which province Dong Ho Painting Village is in is a question that many tourists are interested in when learning about this famous tourist destination. This folk painting village is located on the banks of Duong River, in Song Ho commune, Thuan Thanh district, Bac Ninh province, about 16km from Bac Ninh city center. Because it is not far from Hanoi, about 35km, this place is also called Dong Ho Hanoi painting village.
History of Dong Ho painting village
Visiting here, tourists will be introduced to the history of Dong Ho painting village by artisans. Starting in the 17th century in Dong Ho village, Song Ho commune, Thuan Thanh district, Bac Ninh province, up to now, the painting profession here has been around for more than 400 years.
According to historical records, around 1945, Dong Ho village had 17 families, all of these families made paintings. Having gone through the ups and downs of history, Dong Ho village currently has two families practicing painting: the families of artisans Nguyen Dang Che and Nguyen Huu Sam.
2. What is special about Dong Ho Bac Ninh folk paintings?
Ho village paintings are loved because they show familiar themes, associated with the image of the countryside and the simple daily life of Vietnamese people. The people of Ho village know how to filter and apply natural materials to create traditional colors that are both fresh and highly durable: indigo from the Cham tree, crimson from the bark of the Van tree, black from Bamboo leaf ash or Chiffon ash,...
Unique paintings are printed on Do paper. This type of paper is handcrafted from the Do tree growing in the forest. The paper background is often coated with a layer of resin or a layer of paste mixed with a little powder from Scallop shells to create a sparkling color. Therefore, Do paper is also called Diep paper.
To make vivid paintings, craftsmen need printing boards. There are two types of engraved and printed boards: color printed boards and sharp printed boards.
- Printed boards are usually made from squid wood or thi wood. Printing board engraving tools are chisels, also known as ticks, made from hard steel.
- Colored printed boards are made from fatwood because they have a higher ability to retain color.
The process of making Dong Ho folk paintings includes the following steps:
- Step 1. Prepare Do paper: After picking it from the forest, the worker will pound it, sift it into fine powder and process it into Do paper.
- Step 2. Printing the painting: The artist prints colors on the painting to create shapes. Normally, a painting requires 5 engravings, printed in 5 times.
- Step 3. Drying the painting: After printing, the painting needs to dry to prevent smudging and color durability.
3. Discover the beauty of Dong Ho painting village in Bac Ninh
Dong Ho Painting Village is one of the famous tourist destinations near Hanoi. Coming here, visitors will experience many interesting activities, contributing to making the trip to Dong Ho painting village more attractive and memorable. Some activities that visitors should not miss when coming to Dong Ho painting village include:
Check-in to Dong Ho painting craft village
Ho village's paintings are realistic and vivid, expressing a meaningful message. Visiting here, you can check-in with unique paintings created by the people of Ho village.
Learn how to make paintings following the instructions of artist Dong Ho
Not only admiring Dong Ho paintings, visitors can also directly participate in the painting process to better understand the unique features of this traditional craft. Through the guidance of artisans at Dong Ho painting village, Bac Ninh, you can absolutely create a vivid and beautiful painting.
Participate in the interesting Dong Ho painting exhibition
More than 100 artifacts and paintings from the Dong Ho painting craft village are displayed at the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum. Coming here, you can admire up close the paintings that have made the Dong Ho painting brand such as Mouse Wedding, Vinh Quy Bai To, Rose Rooster, Vinh Hoa of Wealth, Buffalo Shepherd Playing the Flute...
Watch the Dong Ho folk painting festival in Bac Ninh
Dong Ho Village Festival takes place from March 14 to 16 of the lunar calendar every year, attracting many tourists with unique folk paintings. This is one of the unique festivals, suitable for spring tourists.
Meet the elite artisans of Dong Ho painting village
Visiting Dong Ho painting village, tourists can also meet elite artisans such as Artisan Nguyen Huu Sam and Artisan Nguyen Dang Che to learn about the history and discover the uniqueness of traditional crafts here.