Beauty of Chuon Ngo mosaic craft village

Through Over thousands of years of ups and downs, with skillful hands, Chuon Ngo village artisans have turned pieces of mussel and snail shells into sophisticated masterpieces, imbued with the cultural quintessence of the Vietnamese people.

Coming to Chuon Ngo village, visitors will have an opportunity to admire wood paintings, tables and chairs, etc., which are inlaid with mother-of-pearl. The process of making mother-of-pearl inlay consists of many complicated stages, including pattern drawing, cutting the shell into its final shape, paint spraying, wood carving, and sticking the shell into the carved wood, to name but a few.

Sophisticated mother-of-pearl mosaic products often sold at prices ranging from VND 30 million to 50 million.

Previously, mussel shells were chosen for the material. At present, artisans also use different kinds of snail shells for their vivid colors and easy usage.

An artisan inlaying shell pieces on wood

Artisan Nguyen Thi Vui polishing a hairpin

Calloused hands and crooked index and little fingers are features of mosaic artisans.

Translated by Quynh Oanh