Dong Ho Paintings and a 500-Year Historical Journey
Dong Ho folk paintings, also known as Dong Ho folk woodcut paintings, are prints made from carved wooden blocks originating from Dong Ho village (now Dong Khe quarter, Thuan Thanh town, Bac Ninh province). According to historical sources, the craft emerged about 500 years ago. Over the centuries, Dong Ho paintings have transcended their role as mere handicraft products to become an indispensable cultural feature in the spiritual life of Vietnamese people, especially during the Lunar New Year (Tet) and Mid-Autumn Festival.
Unlike other folk painting traditions such as Hang Trong paintings (Hanoi) or Kim Hoang paintings (Hanoi), Dong Ho paintings stand out for their printing technique from carved wooden blocks, the use of natural colors, and the characteristic dzo paper coated with powdered oyster shells. These elements create a distinct identity, contributing to the unique artistic value of this painting tradition.
Crafting Technique: The Union of Hand and Wood
A Fully Handmade Production Process
The core value of Dong Ho paintings lies in the entirely handmade production process. Every step, from composing the design, carving the printing blocks, preparing colors, to printing, is done by hand, requiring meticulousness, skill, and years of experience from the artisans.
- Design and block carving: The initial design is drawn with a brush and ink on paper. The craftsman then carves this design onto a wooden block, usually made from jackfruit wood. This is the most challenging step, demanding high craftsmanship and a deep understanding of composition, lines, and the painting's spirit to accurately transfer the artistic intent onto the wood surface.
- Making natural colors: One of the most distinctive features of Dong Ho paintings is the use of colors derived entirely from natural materials. Green comes from indigo leaves, red from cinnabar stones, yellow from pagoda tree flowers and gardenia fruits, white from weathered scallop shells, and black is made from the ash of bamboo leaves or sticky rice straw. Using natural colors not only yields earthy, familiar tones but also ensures the paintings' colorfastness over time.
- Printing on dzo paper coated with oyster shell powder: The paintings are printed on dzo paper, a traditional Vietnamese handmade paper. Before printing, the paper is coated with a layer of pulverized scallop shells mixed with sticky rice paste to create a shimmering background and enhance color adhesion. The printing technique is called "up-block printing," with a strict order of colors: red is printed first, followed by green, yellow, and white. Finally, the black outline block is printed on top to complete the painting.
The Role of Carved Wooden Blocks
In Dong Ho painting, carved wooden blocks are not merely tools but are considered "family heirlooms." Each artisan family owns sets of blocks passed down through generations. Although the blocks act like a "photocopier" for printing, each painting still carries the artisan's personal touch. Differences appear in color intensity, shading, color blending, and printing precision. Skilled practitioners can identify which family produced a painting simply by looking at its colors.
Painting Themes: A Mirror of Culture and Daily Life
Dong Ho paintings boast a rich and diverse range of themes, reflecting various aspects of cultural, spiritual, and social life of ancient Vietnamese people. The main themes include:
- Worship paintings: Serving religious needs, ancestor worship, and deity veneration.
- Congratulatory paintings: Expressing wishes for good fortune such as Happiness, Prosperity, and Longevity. Designs like "Full Blessings and Prosperity" or "Peace" are popular and bought for Tet with hopes of a lucky new year.
- Historical paintings: Depicting historical events or figures, educating traditions across generations.
- Genre paintings: Portraying everyday activities and labor, such as "The Whirlpool Pig," "A Flock of Chickens," or "Jealousy Scene." These works offer a sense of familiarity and rusticity, revealing the artisans' keen observation of life.
- Landscape paintings: Illustrating scenic spots and beautiful landscapes of the homeland.
This thematic diversity shows that Dong Ho paintings are not only an artistic product but also a channel for transmitting culture, ethics, and life values. The elders often taught children values like the Five Blessings, Five Constant Virtues, and Four Virtues of women through the paintings.
From Tet Painting Markets to the Craft Village's Ups and Downs
Memories of the "Paper Sellers"
In the past, every Tet season brought bustling painting markets that people eagerly awaited. The painters, often called "anh hang to" (paper sellers), carried bundles of paintings to sell at markets across the region, from nearby ones to far markets in mountainous areas like Lang Son, Cao Bang, Thai Nguyen, and even Tuyen Quang. They often traveled for weeks or months, with some not returning home until the 30th of Tet or the morning of the first day of Tet. This image is captured in a folk verse: "Having daughters, don't marry them to paper sellers, who roam the streets until Tet's eve."
A Period of Hardship and Decline
Over time, Dong Ho village has weathered many ups and downs. In the 1980s-1990s, during economic difficulties, painters could not make a living solely from their craft. Many families took on other jobs, such as making colors for firecracker shells or paper for votive offerings. Devoted artisans struggled greatly to preserve the craft, such as Meritorious Artisan Nguyen Huu Qua, who overcame numerous obstacles to set up his own workshop at age 38.
Today, the number of households still practicing Dong Ho painting has sharply declined. The main reasons include younger generations showing little interest in traditional crafts, the craft's inability to provide stable livelihoods, and a significant drop in demand for woodcut paintings during traditional festivals. Skilled and dedicated artisans capable of passing on the craft are now very few, putting the craft at risk of disappearing.
UNESCO Recognition: Acknowledgement and Conservation Opportunity
At 2:38 PM local time on December 9, 2025, during the 20th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in New Delhi, India, UNESCO officially inscribed the "Dong Ho folk painting craft" on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding. This is the 17th Vietnamese heritage to be inscribed by UNESCO on its intangible cultural heritage lists.
This inscription is a significant international recognition and also a warning about the craft's endangered status. According to the nomination file, the Dong Ho painting craft meets all criteria for inclusion on the Urgent Safeguarding List:
- Severe decline in practitioners: Only a few households continue the craft, while the number of highly skilled and devoted artisans is too small to sustain training and production.
- Risk of tradition rupture: Difficult steps like designing and block carving require extensive training and years of experience, while the younger generation shows little interest.
- Declining demand: The market for woodcut paintings during traditional festivals is shrinking, directly affecting artisans' livelihoods.
Safeguarding Plan and the Craft Village's Future
The UNESCO inscription opens a new chapter for Dong Ho painting. The safeguarding plan outlines seven main objectives to revive the craft village:
- Open training classes: To train the next generation, especially youth, in skills from basic to advanced levels.
- Inventory heritage: To compile comprehensive records of painting designs, blocks, techniques, and related knowledge.
- Design new templates: To create new designs that appeal to modern tastes while preserving traditional spirit.
- Diversify markets: To seek and expand distribution channels, both domestic and international.
- Improve access to raw materials: Ensure stable and sustainable supply of natural materials like dzo paper, shell powder, leaves, fruits, and minerals for color making.
- Provide protective equipment: Ensure labor safety for artisans during production.
- Integrate into education: UNESCO encourages Vietnam to incorporate this heritage into formal and non-formal education programs to help youth understand and value the traditional craft.
The UNESCO inscription is not only meaningful for the craft community but also a source of pride for Bac Ninh residents and the whole of Vietnam. It affirms the historical and artistic value of Dong Ho painting, motivating artisans to continue preserving and promoting the tradition. It also offers a valuable opportunity to promote Vietnamese culture worldwide, nurture national pride, and protect the diversity of Vietnam's cultural identity.
