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The Silver-carving going with unique excellent goods is named
Lang Dong Xam (Copper-Engraving Village), a well-known and
age- old centre for jewelry.
When the main product of Chau Khe(Hai Hung) is gold, Dinh
Cong(Ha Noi) is gold jewel but Dong Xam (Thai Binh) is expert
in carving silver.
Dong Tam Carving silver trade village ( the old name is Duong
Tham) is located in the right bank-side of Dong Giang river
in Hong Thai village, Kien Xuong district, Thai Binh province.
According to the note in the historic down-notes, this village
was known at the end of the Tran-Ho Dynasty(times) for over
600 yearsn but after the very long time the silver-carving
has been seen.
There are still a small Pagoda and a stone tablet in the Area
of Duong Pagoda ( present Thuong Gia Hamlet), that is the
tablet of ancestral work with the words: "Hoàng
tri?u Chính Hoà th?p niên, T? ph? Nguy?n
Kim Lâu (...) B?o Long t? l?c h?c ngh?, dáo Ð?ng
Xâm x? ki?n l?p th?p nh? ph?ng kim hoàn truy?n
ngh?". That means: In the 10th year under the reign of
Chinh Hoa (1689), Nguyen Kim Lau, progenitor, is a gold and
silver smith in Chau Long. He went to Dong Tam region and
set 12 guilds to hand down profession.
Nguyen Kim Lau lived in round the early time of 17 century
so the silver-carving and copper-engraving Dong Xam is existed
for about 400 years. It started at first with the copper-
welding, tank-making, knife and scissors making, knock-repairing,
pottery-making... after that jewelry-making and becomes expert
in carving silver.
The same as the other superior handicrafts as cooper-casting,
metallurgy... as jewelry work gets high profits for worker
and demands complex technique so it is always kept as a trade
secret. So far, the technique is not exclusive but some methods
and arts are still esoteric. The Ancient Silver-Carving Group
forms a strict rule in Village regulation as follow: The people
handing down profession to the other area, the person of other
village or imitating to cheat other person, losing prestige
is punished heavily... or is caned in front of the ancient
worship house or has to be expunged in group.
The silver-carving Dong Xam is very different and superior
to the other; It has new style of cubic, style of shape, well-decorated
form and balance. The feature is based on the way to use the
dark and light of the light reflection of silver material.
The specific characteristic of Dong Tam products is very skilled
and perfect. It may say the talent and caution of craftsman
in Dong Tam Village have met the demand of strict customer
who is the most well- informed art.
During the war of resistance against French colonialists for
9 years (1946-1954), the silver carving was brought to a standstill.
Till The Day of reformed Peace, from 1945 up to now gold and
silver production is rehabilitated and developed. But under
the system based on administrative subsides products are negligible,
monotonous and short of creation. Till the innovation times,
some years recently, the silver-carving workman is fully "free
Struggle" in market mechanism. They do business themselves
as small trades, family models, direct exporters... new opportunity
is coming back to the Dong Tam person and the silver carving.
Most Dong Xam worker practice a profession in village, many
families is getting wealthier. Some worker, mainly young workers
go out to produce and train. At any times, DongTam silver-carving
worker always put the prestige and talent at the first rank
to keep their virtue, conscience and the genius profession
of VN. So their product still get the faith of customers,
that is the truth, non-mixture, non-carelessness.
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