The meticulous blacksmithing of Yen Dong

(Baonghean) - Upon arriving at the entrance of Yen Dong village (Dien Van commune, Dien Chau district), the sound of hammers and drills echoed from the house of Mr. Tran Van Thanh (64 years old). He and his wife were rhythmically swinging their hammers, their shirts soaked with sweat. Mr. Thanh is the only person in Yen Dong village still dedicated to this arduous profession.

Stopping his hammering work to greet guests, Mr. Thanh thoughtfully recalled the heyday of his family's traditional blacksmithing trade, which once provided a livelihood for around 20 households in Dien Van. "My ancestors, originally from Ha Tinh, brought the blacksmithing trade here to establish their business. It's a family trade passed down from father to son, so sons in the family inherit the secrets from their fathers. Therefore, the blacksmithing trade in Dien Van is mainly practiced by families belonging to the Tran clan. I am the fifth generation to carry on the traditional craft of my ancestors," Mr. Thanh shared.

Mr. and Mrs. Tran Van Thanh are diligently working at the blacksmith's forge.

About 20 years ago, when Yen Dong village still had nearly 20 families engaged in the blacksmithing trade, the atmosphere in the forges was bustling with buying and selling. Standing across the stream, you could hear the lively sounds of hammers striking and the sizzling of various agricultural tools being tempered...

Each forge typically had three main craftsmen and one apprentice to meet the production targets set by the blacksmithing cooperative. The products of the blacksmithing trade in Dien Van included many types, mostly agricultural tools such as hoes, shovels, knives, and machetes. In those days, at any given time, Yen Dong village had many famous and skilled craftsmen such as Tran Ninh, Tran Tinh, Tran Phuong, and Dao Hai…

Their products play a crucial role in building the reputation of the Dien Van blacksmithing craft. Blacksmithing is a laborious profession, and to produce high-quality products, skilled craftsmen possess their own secrets. These secrets are essential for survival in the trade, and therefore, they are only passed down to sons within the family.

From a young age, Mr. Thanh was taught the secrets of the trade by his father. He became a renowned skilled craftsman at a young age. Agricultural tools engraved with his name were the preferred choice for customers at markets, and wholesalers sought him out to distribute throughout the country. Despite the availability of more attractive and diverse products from factories on the market, the handcrafted blacksmithing products of his family still held a special place in the hearts of customers.

Anh Thu inherited the blacksmithing trade from his wife's family.

To produce high-quality products, craftsmen must master all technical stages, possess experience in adjusting furnace temperatures, and accurately assess the maturity of the steel. In recent years, due to declining health, Mr. Thanh has worked at a reduced pace, mainly to preserve his craft, but he still places special importance on maintaining his credibility with customers. His products are guaranteed, and he is ready to remake them according to customer requests.

The blacksmithing craft in Dien Van is now dying out; only a handful of households in the entire commune still practice it, including some who specialize in buying used goods to process and resell. Mr. Thanh and his wife have five children, but all three of his sons have left home to pursue other careers. Therefore, the worry about the craft disappearing constantly weighs on his mind… Since his sons didn't continue the trade, Mr. Thanh decided to pass it on to his son-in-law, hoping that his children would both have a livelihood and preserve the family's traditional craft.

Mr. Thanh was tormented by his desire to preserve the blacksmithing craft.

Mr. Bui Sy Thu, Mr. Thanh's son-in-law, said: "When I first started learning the craft, I was discouraged and wanted to give up because I lacked experience, so the products I made were often flawed. But then, with encouragement from my wife's family, I gradually became passionate about blacksmithing!" To date, Mr. Thu has been in the profession for nearly 20 years, producing many types of products from knives, scissors, machetes, axes, hoes, shovels, etc., which are always trusted and chosen by customers.

Leaving the blacksmith village of Dien Van, we didn't carry with us Mr. Thanh's fervent desire to preserve the craft, and we couldn't help but feel a sense of regret for the fading atmosphere of a long-standing traditional craft closely linked to the working life of the rural community.

Thai Orchid