Man dedicated to preserving Hanoi’s traditional silver crafting

In the heart of Hanoi’s Old Quarter, Hang Bac street has been famous for jewelry for hundreds of years. Just 500 meters long, the street has hundreds of shops selling jewelry. The silver handicraft is still practiced by a handful of families living there. Nguyen Chi Thanh is one of the few craftsmen who still practice Hanoi’s traditional silver craft. Mr. Thanh’s small shop in busy Hang Bac street is one place preserving the craft. Thanh said: ‘My family has been involved in the silver craft for five generations. Until today we practice the traditional craft’. Thanh’s family came from Dinh Cong, a craft village in Hanoi, which is famous for its long history of jewelry crafting. (Photo: Vietnam+)

In 1902, Thanh’s family moved to Hang Bac street and continued their silver craft. Though Hang Bac has many jewelry shops, not many make jewelry in the traditional way using hammers and anvil as Mr. Nguyen Chi Thanh does. Silver products made using traditional methods require a lot of time and meticulous attention. It may take 2 or 3 days to make a ring. Mr. Thanh works in a small room at a small table covered with tools. With advances in technology, jewelry making has changed considerably, but Nguyen Chi Thanh still prefers using traditional methods to give each product a soul. (Photo: Vietnam+)

With advances in technology, jewelry making has changed considerably, but Thanh still prefers using traditional methods to give each product a soul. Maybe for that reason, Mr. Thanh’s small shop continues to attract lots of customers despite being surrounded by hundreds of more glamorous shops in Hang Bac street. Thanh said: ‘Though modern machinery facilitates the craft a lot, I still use the traditional methods of my family and make my handicraft products by hand. Products made with machines all look exactly the same, but products made by hand look are unique’. Maybe for that reason, Mr. Thanh’s small shop continues to attract lots of customers despite being surrounded by hundreds of more glamorous shops in Hang Bac street. (Photo: Vietnam+)

Thanh’s family came from Dinh Cong, a craft village in Hanoi, which is famous for its long history of jewelry crafting. In 1902, the family moved to Hang Bac street and continued their silver craft. Though Hang Bac has many jewelry shops, not many make jewelry in the traditional way using hammers and anvil as Mr. Thanh does.Thanh said Dinh Cong’s silver craft was also different from that of Chau Khe village in Hai Duong province or Dong Xam village in Thai Binh province. “Dong Xam village focuses on carving, and silversmithing large silver items, while Dinh Cong primarily makes earrings, bracelets, and rings. We carve on gold, not on bronze or silver as craftsmen do in Dong Xam,” said Mr. Thanh. (Photo: Vietnam+)

Thanh is now the fifth generation in his family, which came from Dinh Cong, a craft village in Hanoi, to keep the silver craft. Thanh said: “My family has been involved in the silver craft for 5 generations. Until today we practice the traditional craft”. Thanh’s family came from Dinh Cong, a craft village in Hanoi, which is famous for its long history of jewelry crafting. In 1902, the family moved to Hang Bac street and continued their silver craft. Though Hang Bac has many jewelry shops, not many make jewelry in the traditional way using hammers and anvil as Mr. Thanh does. (Photo: Vietnam+)

Silver products made using traditional methods require a lot of time and meticulous attention. It may take 2 or 3 days to make a ring. Mr. Thanh works in a small room at a small table covered with tools. Thanh says most of the tools were made by him: “A craftsman needs to create his own tools. I made most of the tools, except for the scissors and the file which I had to get the blacksmith to make for me”. With advances in technology, jewelry making has changed considerably, but Thanh still prefers using traditional methods to give each product a soul. (Photo: Vietnam+)

Thanh said: ‘Though modern machinery facilitates the craft a lot, I still use the traditional methods of my family and make my handicraft products by hand. Products made with machines all look exactly the same, but products made by hand look are unique’. Maybe for that reason, Mr. Thanh’s small shop continues to attract lots of customers despite being surrounded by hundreds of more glamorous shops in Hang Bac street. “At first, every product looks the same. But, in fact, each has a small difference which is imbued with the soul of the craftsman. Products made today are different from those made tomorrow. Each handmade craft product is unique,” said Thanh. (Photo: Vietnam+)

Hanoi’s Old Quarter is a charming place that many want to explore. The area is made attractive by its culture, history, architecture, and especially its traditional crafts. The Old Quarter has 36 streets, each of which is associated with a handicraft. In the heart of Hanoi’s Old Quarter, Hang Bac street has been famous for jewelry for hundreds of years. Just 500 meters long, the street has hundreds of shops selling jewelry. The silver handicraft is still practiced by a handful of families living there. Nguyen Chi Thanh is one of the few craftsmen who still practice Hanoi’s traditional silver craft. Mr. Thanh’s small shop in busy Hang Bac street is one place preserving the craft. (Photo: Vietnam+)

With advances in technology, jewelry making has changed considerably, but Thanh still prefers using traditional methods to give each product a soul. Maybe for that reason, Mr. Thanh’s small shop continues to attract lots of customers despite being surrounded by hundreds of more glamorous shops in Hang Bac street. Thanh said: “Though modern machinery facilitates the craft a lot, I still use the traditional methods of my family and make my handicraft products by hand. Products made with machines all look exactly the same, but products made by hand look are unique”. Maybe for that reason, Mr. Thanh’s small shop continues to attract lots of customers despite being surrounded by hundreds of more glamorous shops in Hang Bac street. (Photo: Vietnam+)

Mr. Thanh’s family came from Dinh Cong, a craft village in Hanoi. He is now the 5th generation to keep the silver craft. Thanh said: “My family has been involved in the silver craft for 5 generations. Until today we practice the traditional craft”. Thanh’s family came from Dinh Cong, a craft village in Hanoi, which is famous for its long history of jewelry crafting. In 1902, the family moved to Hang Bac street and continued their silver craft. Though Hang Bac has many jewelry shops, not many make jewelry in the traditional way using hammers and anvil as Mr. Thanh does. (Photo: Vietnam+)

Silver products made using traditional methods require a lot of time and meticulous attention. It may take 2 or 3 days to make a ring. Mr. Thanh works in a small room at a small table covered with tools. Thanh says most of the tools were made by him: “A craftsman needs to create his own tools. I made most of the tools, except for the scissors and the file which I had to get the blacksmith to make for me”. With advances in technology, jewelry making has changed considerably, but Thanh still prefers using traditional methods to give each product a soul. (Photo: Vietnam+)

In the heart of Hanoi’s Old Quarter, Hang Bac street has been famous for jewelry for hundreds of years. Just 500 meters long, the street has hundreds of shops selling jewelry. The silver handicraft is still practiced by a handful of families living there. Nguyen Chi Thanh is one of the few craftsmen who still practice Hanoi’s traditional silver craft. Mr. Thanh’s small shop in busy Hang Bac street is one place preserving the craft. Thanh said: “My family has been involved in the silver craft for 5 generations. Until today we practice the traditional craft”. In photo: Some meticulous products made by Nguyen Chi Thanh (Photo: Vietnam+)

Thanh said: ‘Though modern machinery facilitates the craft a lot, I still use the traditional methods of my family and make my handicraft products by hand. Products made with machines all look exactly the same, but products made by hand look are unique’. Maybe for that reason, Mr. Thanh’s small shop continues to attract lots of customers despite being surrounded by hundreds of more glamorous shops in Hang Bac street. ‘At first, every product looks the same. But, in fact, each has a small difference which is imbued with the soul of the craftsman. Products made today are different from those made tomorrow. Each handmade craft product is unique,’ said Thanh. (Photo: Vietnam+)