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Visiting Dong Cuu Village in Dung Tien Commune, Thuong Tin District, Hanoi, people are very interested in the colourful embroidered products reserved for festivals. The villagers have revived the old embroidery designs for traditional festive costumes which seemed to have been lost.
Situated on the right bank of the Nhue River, Dong Cuu Village has long been known for its craft of embroidered products used in traditional festivals. These products include altar curtains, couplets, hangings, parasols and dresses for rituals that are sold nationwide.
Legend has it that the saint of the embroidery craft in Dong Cuu Village was Doctor Le Cong Hanh (1606-1661). He learned embroidery while he worked as the King’s envoy to the Qing Dynasty in China. Back home, he taught the craft to the people in his native village of Quat Dong and neighbouring areas, including Dong Cuu Village.
According to the village elders who have a lot of experience in embroidery, the tools for the craft are simple. They include needles, frames in different shapes (circles and rectangles), scissors, rulers, pen brushes, chalk, threads with different colours and cloth (white cotton, satin and silk).
The combination of colours is an important technique which creates the beauty of the embroidered item and affirms the skills of the embroiderer. On a piece made by an excellent embroiderer the stitches are always equal, the threads blend with one another and the lines look soft.
In the past, the embroidery technique was simple and there were not as many colours as today. Embroidered items were mainly altar curtains, hangings, couplets and the ritual costumes of sorcerers.
It was not until the early 20th century that the craft developed due to the importing of different types of thread and colours from western countries.
Over the years, the craft has developed rapidly, creating embroidered products of high quality and fine art. Dong Cuu embroiderers have skilled hands. From designs drawn with chalk on the cloth they can create lively pictures.
Many artisans in the village wish to preserve and develop the old embroidery designs. Vu Van Gioi in Dong Cuu Village is renowned for the embroidery technique to restore the clothing of the kings and lords during the Nguyen Dynasty.
At present Dong Cuu villagers mainly create ancient decorative patterns on objects used in festivals and on the costumes of the artistic ensembles. The number of customers coming to Dong Cuu Village during festival season is on the rise.
The embroidery craft has increased the Dong Cuu villagers’ income. Developing the craft to stabilise the economy and restore and preserve the old embroidery designs are a target of the village.
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