Ninh Van Fine Art Stone Carving Village: The Essence of Centuries-Old Stone Crafting

Ninh Van Fine Art Stone Carving Village dates back to the 10th century, when Hoa Lu was known as the "Stone Capital" due to massive stone architectural structures such as city walls and historical monuments. Through various dynasties, the stone carving craft of Ninh Van flourished. From the 17th to 18th centuries, artifacts such as the Long Sang (dragon beds) at the temples of King Dinh Tien Hoang and King Le Dai Hanh in the Ancient Capital of Hoa Lu showcased exquisite carving techniques with motifs of the four sacred creatures and aquatic animals. By the 20th century, Ninh Van artisans contributed to constructing major landmarks such as Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum at Ba Dinh Square (Hanoi), Khai Dinh Tomb (Hue), and Phat Diem Stone Cathedral (Kim Son, Ninh Binh).

• Craft Ancestor Hoang Sung: According to legend, the founder of the stone craft in Ninh Van was named Hoang Sung, originally from Nhoi Village, Thanh Hoa. He was a talented stonemason who migrated here, established his career, married into the village, and passed down the essence of the stone craft to the locals.
• Architectural Heritage: The talent of Ninh Van artisans is affirmed through surviving stone artifacts and structures such as: the Buddhist scriptures pillar at Nhat Tru Pagoda, the stone Long Sang (dragon beds) at King Dinh and King Le temples in the ancient capital of Hoa Lu, Buddha statues at Huong Tich Pagoda, Phat Diem Stone Cathedral, Khai Dinh Tomb (Hue), and many other key historical sites.

Following the Doi Moi reforms in 1986 and the re-establishment of Ninh Binh province in 1992-1993, the craft village boomed with the emergence of private enterprises. On December 20, 2019, Ninh Van fine art stone craft was officially recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage under Decision No. 4607/QD-BVHTTDL by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Today, the craft village is not only a production hub but also a symbol of preserving Vietnamese cultural identity.

From a small-scale, manual craft village, Ninh Van has transformed dramatically into a thriving, large-scale fine art stone crafting center.

• Impressive Scale: According to statistics, Ninh Van currently has around 80 enterprises and 600 production households/cooperatives. The entire commune has 10 villages recognized as traditional craft villages. The typical villages recognized by the State are Xuan Vu, Duong Thuong, and Duong Ha.
• High Revenue: The total annual revenue of the craft village reaches nearly 200 billion VND, not only creating tangible value but also providing sustainable livelihoods for thousands of households.
• Diverse Products: Ninh Van stone products are extremely diverse, ranging from Buddha statues, incense burners, stone scrolls (cuon thu), horizontal boards (hoanh phi), monuments, stone steles, and stone gates, to architectural works like tombs and ancestral halls... All are delicately and vividly crafted with elegant and fluid lines.

Ninh Van fine art stone products are not only favored by domestic customers but are also exported to many countries, affirming master craftsmanship and position in the international market.

The Ninh Van fine art stone carving process is entirely handcrafted, requiring patience and dexterity from artisans. The craft is passed down from father to son, but expanded across individual steps to attract labor. Below are the main steps:

• Selecting Raw Materials: Stone is extracted from local quarries such as Ninh Binh mountains, prioritizing blue stone or white stone with high durability and ease of carving.
• Rough Chiseling: Using hammers and chisels to remove excess material and create the basic shape of the product.
• Detailed Carving: This is the most crucial step, where artisans carve intricate patterns such as dragons, phoenixes, floral motifs, or human figures. The secret lies in individual creativity and experience.
• Refining and Finishing: Smoothing surfaces and polishing to make the product glossy, aesthetically pleasing, and weather-resistant.

The entire process can take from a few days to several months, depending on the product size. Today, some facilities integrate modern technology like cutting machines to increase productivity, but the handcrafted element remains the core.

The interplay of selected raw materials, traditional techniques, dedication, and hard work is the golden secret, creating the soul and eternal value for every fine art stone creation born from the skillful hands of Ninh Van artisans.

Ninh Van fine art stone carving products are diverse, ranging from daily items to high-end works of art. Initially consisting only of stone mortars, grinders, or stone tables and chairs for agriculture, they have now expanded to:

• Worship Items: Incense burners, stone scrolls (cuon thu), horizontal boards (hoanh phi), Buddha statues, commonly found at pagodas like Bai Dinh Pagoda or Huong Tich Pagoda (Hanoi).
• Architectural Structures: Monuments, mausoleums, stone ancestral halls. Notable works include the Mother Suot statue (Quang Binh), Tran Hung Dao statue (Hai Duong), and the monument complex at Truong Son Cemetery.
• Decorative Items: Stone tables and chairs, decorative screens, animal statues, suitable for modern spaces.

In 2019, the Ninh Van Fine Art Stone Craft was officially inscribed on the National Intangible Cultural Heritage list by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. This is a recognition not only of the tangible value of the structures, but also of the spiritual cultural values and traditional identity of the stone carvers here.

Visiting Ninh Van, tourists not only admire but also have the opportunity to:

• Visit Crafting Workshops: Directly observe the process of selecting stone, chiseling, carving, and crafting manual patterns combined with modern machinery.
• Admire Artworks: From giant Buddha statues and majestic stone gates to delicate decorative objects, all testify to the master craftsmanship of the artisans.
• Explore Culture: Learn about the history of the craft village, stories of talented artisans, and combine visits to famous nearby historical sites like Hoa Lu and the Trang An Landscape Complex.

Ninh Van Fine Art Stone Carving Village is eloquent proof of the essence of Vietnamese stone crafting art, where every stone block is "transformed" into a soulful work of art that stands the test of time.

Existing and developing for over four centuries, Ninh Van Fine Art Stone Carving Village has proven to be not only a bustling economic center with hundreds of billions of VND in revenue, but also a vivid symbol of perseverance, creativity, and heritage preservation. Every delicate line on Buddha statues, stone scrolls, or majestic stone gates represents the crystallization of inherited experience and a deep love for the craft. Honored as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage, Ninh Van stone craft continues its mission of spreading spiritual cultural values, affirming the master artistry of Vietnamese craftspeople, and serving as the strongest proof that, in the heart of the ancient capital Hoa Lu, stone carving art has created and continues to create eternal hallmarks defying the changes of time.