Van Lam Lace Embroidery Craft Village: Preserving the Art of Traditional Hand Embroidery

Van Lam lace embroidery craft village dates back to the Tran Dynasty (13th century), with a history of over 700 years. According to legend and historical documents, the craft originated from Lady Tran Thi Dung – wife of Imperial Grand Tutor Tran Thu Do. She instructed royal court maidens to teach royal court embroidery and lace techniques to the villagers of Van Lam. Initially, the products mainly served spiritual and cultural rituals, such as embroidering ceremonial robes, hats, parasols, and altar curtains in communal houses, temples, and shrines. This not only helped the craft village flourish but was also closely tied to the spiritual life of the community.

By the early 20th century, specifically in 1910 during the French colonial period, Van Lam lace embroidery entered a new chapter. Two villagers, Mr. Dinh Ngoc Henh and Mr. Dinh Ngoc Xoan, went to Hanoi to learn lace embroidery techniques (zen Jour – cutwork lace) from the French. After returning, they taught the villagers, combining traditional Vietnamese techniques with European methods, helping the craft village diversify its products and skills. Today, Van Lam is one of the only lace embroidery craft villages in Vietnam that still preserves the techniques of thread pulling and thread weaving, a unique secret that no machinery can replace.

The village also has a temple dedicated to the craft founders with a famous parallel sentence: “Fine artistic patterns passed down to posterity - Brilliant brocade talents admired by masters”, showing deep respect for ancestors. Through historical ups and downs, Van Lam lace embroidery craft has overcome the risk of fading away, becoming a recognized intangible cultural heritage, contributing to the richness of the ancient capital Hoa Lu's culture.

The art of hand embroidery in Van Lam village requires meticulousness, patience, and high skills, completely handcrafted without relying on machines. The production process of a lace embroidery product can range from a few days to several months, depending on the complexity.

The main steps in the traditional lace embroidery process include:

• Drafting/Drawing preparation: Artisans transfer patterns onto transparent films, then use sharp needles to punch holes along the lines. Next, oil and printing ink are brushed over the draft to highlight the details.
• Color embroidery and cutwork embroidery: These are the two main techniques. Color embroidery requires harmonious combination among thread colors, smooth thread surface, using techniques like satin stitch, long-and-short stitch, and French knot. Cutwork lace embroidery is more complex, with hundreds of embroidery styles mainly using white thread: from a piece of fabric, artisans use small scissors or a pointed blade to pull out individual threads, then weave them into patterns like flowers and leaves. The comb-tooth embroidery technique requires exact needle placement, creating fluidity and vividness.
• Product finishing: After finishing the embroidery, the product is inspected, washed, and packed. In particular, Van Lam village is famous for monochrome embroidery (using only white thread), highlighting craftsmanship without needing vibrant colors.

However, embroidery requires good health as it easily causes eye strain and backache, leading to challenges in passing the craft down to the younger generation.

Van Lam lace embroidery products not only possess high aesthetic value but are also diverse, suitable for modern needs. From traditional worship items to fashion products and souvenirs, all demonstrate exquisiteness in every needle stroke.

Some prominent products:

• Embroidery paintings: Landscape themes of the homeland such as Hoa Lu Ancient Capital, Tam Coc, Phat Diem Stone Cathedral; or folk paintings like The Rat's Wedding, lotus flowers. Notably, large-scale paintings can take from several months to a whole year to complete, typical of which is the 200m long painting “Coi Xua” (Ancient Roots) – proof of the impressive meticulousness and creative capacity of Van Lam artisans.
• Interior decor and fashion: Tablecloths, curtains, bedding sets, handkerchiefs, dresses, handbags… Many products also combine traditional lace embroidery with ramie fabric of the H'Mong people, creating a very unique nuance and bearing the imprint of unique cultural intersection.
• Export products: High-end handcrafted bedding sets valued at over 100 million VND are exported to the US, Japan, UK, Spain, Italy, and South Korea. Many products of the village have achieved 4-star OCOP certification and hold potential for upgrading to 5-star OCOP in the future.

Each lace embroidery product of Van Lam is a crystallization of inherited craftsmanship, local culture, and an endless creative spirit, making this craft village a pride of the land of Ninh Binh.

Located right next to the Tam Coc - Bich Dong tourist area, Van Lam lace embroidery village is an ideal stop for tourists who love traditional culture. You can:

• Visit embroidery workshops: Observe artisans at work and learn about the hand embroidery process.
• Hands-on experience: Try embroidering a simple product under the guidance of skilled artisans.
• Shopping: Choose souvenirs such as embroidered handkerchiefs and handbags priced from a few hundred thousand to millions of VND.

To get here from Hanoi, you travel about 100km south via the expressway, taking 2-3 hours. Combine with a Tam Coc tour for a perfect journey. Craft village tourism not only brings cultural experiences but also contributes to supporting the preservation of traditional crafts.

Van Lam Lace Embroidery Craft Village is not only a destination preserving the essence of traditional hand embroidery art, but also a place helping visitors clearly feel the dexterity, meticulousness, and soul of the people of Ninh Binh. If you are planning to explore the ancient capital land, do not miss this unique craft village to understand more about the culture and skillful hands of the artisans. To learn more Ninh Binh travel tips and select quality tours, you can visit Sovaba Travel – a reputable agency accompanying thousands of travelers every year.