Bac Ninh Province: Dong Ho folk painting needs urgent safeguarding

Currently, only three households in Dong Ho village continue to practice the folk painting craft

Dong Ho folk paintings encompass a wide range of genres and themes, including poetry illustrations, depictions of daily life, historical events, scenes inspired by folk tales, and landscapes. Each painting is typically printed using multiple woodblocks, with each block corresponding to a specific color. The colors are from natural materials: white from seashell powder, vermilion red from red gravel in the hills, yellow from the flowers of the pagoda tree, and black from burnt bamboo leaves. The printing paper, known as giấy dó, is crafted from the bark of the dó tree found in the forests.

According to leaders of the Bac Ninh Provincial Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, Dong Ho folk paintings reflect the cultural, social, and daily life of the Vietnamese people in the Red River Delta. Common themes include buffalo herding, flute playing, kite flying, coconut catching, and scenes of jealousy. Therefore, Dong Ho artisans are required to have talent, cultural knowledge, and refined skills to effectively convey ideas and themes so that their work can leave a strong impression, showcasing a distinctive style that highlights the relationship between the craft of painting and the cultural life and religious practices of the community.

From a once-thriving village with over 100 families engaged in the craft, Dong Ho painting now survives in only three households, involving about 30 people spanning four generations. Faced with this situation, the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO and the People’s Committee of Bac Ninh Province have submitted a dossier to UNESCO, seeking the recognition of Dong Ho folk painting as an intangible cultural heritage element in need of urgent safeguarding in 2024.

This demonstrates the State’s care for Vietnam’s unique traditional crafts in general and for Bac Ninh’s in particular. It also presents an opportunity for the Government, local authorities, and relevant agencies to issue appropriate directives and implement specific action plans to develop the Dong Ho painting craft, making it known to more domestic and international visitors.

To preserve and develop the folk painting craft, artisans in Dong Ho village have diversified their products. Customers now buy Dong Ho paintings not only for home decoration, but also as gifts for foreign partners, such as clients from Japan, Europe, the US, the Republic of Korea, Canada, and other countries.

Addressing the Bac Ninh Provincial People’s Committee’s regular meeting on November 18, Chairman of the Committee Vuong Quoc Tuan instructed the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism to develop a plan to safeguard Dong Ho folk painting as intangible cultural heritage in need of urgent safeguarding with UNESCO.