Dai Bai bronze casting village

(CPV) - Dai Bai village, Gia Luong district, Bac Ninh province is famous among handicraft villages for its bronze casting products – a profession that has been practised for many generations.

The bronze casting occupation was established in 998. In the 15^th century, the village was divided into different hamlets, each with their own professional skill including bronze kettles, bronze pots, bronze basins, bronze food trays and one hamlet which specialized in providing materials and selling products.

Dai Bai village includes four hamlets: Tay, Giua, Ngoai and Son. Each hamlet specializes in producing a given product. Dai Bai bronze products, made by the skilled hands of craftsmen, not only have practical value but also are precious works. Specializing in making copper food trays is Tay hamlet, specializing in making cauldrons is Ngoai hamlet, specializing in making water pots is Giua hamlet, and specializing in making vessels is Son hamlet.

According to artisan Nguyen Van Luc at Son hamlet who won "golden hands" prize of Southeast Asia: to produce a product, the workers must go through 4 main steps such as setting up the bronze casting furnace, inlaying and striking products. From the crude raw-cast products or slender-inlaid copper foil, the artisans have created the products. The beauty of each work depends greatly on the lines of carving and emotion, as well as the subtle sensation of the workers.

For centuries, Dai Bai citizens have developed the traditional handicraft profession with precious knowledge passed down as a heritage. In the  photo: Artisan Nguyen Van Luc manipulating the traditional products

Not only bronze household articles, Dai Bai citizens have been dynamically developing different types of products requiring high professional skills, such as fine craft articles, bronze statues  and fine art works

Casting and moulding techniques

Carving techniques

Subtle grafting techniques

All are blended together to create quality Dai Bai bronze products

On the bronze products, we can feel the individual identities of Dai Bai artisans

Dai Bai bronze products are very diverse, including objects for worship such as urns, pots and cranes…

....Plentiful materials and designs

Born in this land of tradition, each generation in Dai Bai village grows into the work and adds their own touch to the localities quality products