According to local elders, the founder of the craft village passed away on that day, so the annual event is to celebrate his death anniversary and to pay tribute to his successors, who have fostered this craft and developed Kim Bong into a famous craft village.
From early morning of the festive day, village elders and locals hold the offering and incense ritual at the ancestral house in commemoration of those who gave birth to carpentry and founded Kim Bong Carpentry village ages ago.
The offering and incense ritual at the ancestral house. Photo: cand.com.vn
After the ritual ceremony, locals and tourists take part in activities in the central yard of the village. Traditional Kim Bong village’s crafts were recreated in a very lively way. These include weaving sedge mats, making household items from bamboo and carving wood, which are performed by local artisans.
Many folk games, such as pot-hitting (a player is blindfolded and directed to hit clay pots) and "Bai Choi" singing (a typical local singing style), and famous Hoi An specialties, namely "Cao Lau" (noodle with greens, pork, shrimps and various spices), Quang noodle (another kind of spicy local noodle), attract a large number of tourists.
Kim Bong Carpentry Village was recognized as the national intangible cultural heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in November 2016. In celebration of such honor, Hoi An has opened the farm trip program "Nostalgia Kim Bong." It aims to preserve and promote the value of the village as well as to introduce the image of the carpentry village to the world.
Kim Bong Carpentry Village was founded in the XV-XVI century by migrants from Thanh Hoa. Thanks to the development of Hoi An ancient town and the local commercial port, Kim Bong carpentry has had opportunities to exchange and introduce goods and experience with businessmen from all over the world as well as to promote the village’s trademark internationally.
For centuries, wooden products of Kim Bong Carpentry Village have been famous for their finishes and fineness. The village has also contributed to shaping the unique wooden architecture, fine art works, and designs in projects in Hoi An, Hue and Da Nang. Today, Kim Bong carpenters are continuously improving their techniques and skills and promoting innovation in carpentry while preserving the village’s traditions. Kim Bong products are diversified to meet the need of tourists but still hold its typical traditional features. In other words, the village has a good opportunity to develop its carpentry and create jobs for locals.
And that is the way the locals have been preserving and fostering the traditional craft as well as their craft village for hundreds of years now.
Source: TPO and VNExpress
Translated by Linh Chi