Nho Lam – The oldest iron forging village in Vietnam
Located on the banks of the Sat River, Nho Lam village (Tan Chau commune, Nghe An province) is considered the cradle of Vietnam's iron forging craft. From archaeological remains thousands of years ago to everyday stories, the Nho Lam flame still burns steadfastly, shining brightly in history and stirring up the desire for revival in the present.
Nho Lam Fire – A Thousand Year Mark
According to the results of the archaeological excavation at Dong Mom Site (former Dien Tho Commune) of the Vietnam Institute of Archaeology, there were many ore smelting furnaces and iron forges dating from the 4th to the 1st century BC. These furnaces prove that ancient people knew how to mine ore, smelt iron, forge production tools and even combat weapons.
According to legend, Cao Lo - a great general of Thuc An Duong Vuong, who contributed greatly to the cause of building and defending the country, people in many places built temples to worship him. Particularly in Nho Lam, the temple worshiping Cao Lo was ranked as a national cultural relic since 1995, becoming a spiritual symbol, closely associated with the blacksmithing profession of the village.
Throughout history, Nho Lam blacksmithing has not only served agriculture but also accompanied the nation in resistance wars. During the anti-French period, blacksmiths burned furnaces day and night to forge spears and iron spikes. Ms. Hoang Thi Minh, a daughter-in-law of the blacksmithing village since 1973, recounted: “The elders still say that in the past, our ancestors forged harrows, hoes, and shovels for plowing, but when the country needed them, the forges immediately became places for producing weapons. Spears, spears, swords, iron spikes… were born from the hands of Nho Lam people to contribute to the revolution.”
Mr. Vo Van Khue - a fifth generation descendant of a blacksmith family, remembers clearly those turbulent days: “The whole village was on fire, the sound of hammers echoed throughout the neighborhood. From raw iron ore, people smelted steel, then forged hoes, shovels, knives, swords, tridents, sharp spears, machetes, all were tempered by hand. In August 1945, the whole village made weapons for the guerrillas. Despite the hardship, everyone was proud to contribute fire to their homeland.”
During its heyday, Nho Lam village had about 20 blacksmiths operating day and night. Smoke from the blacksmiths dyed the sky black, the sound of hammers became a familiar melody, associated with the childhood of many generations. Nho Lam people grew up with the sound of hammers and anvils, considering blacksmithing as the lifeblood of the village.
Hope to revive the forging fire
Nowadays, after its golden age, Nho Lam blacksmithing faces many difficulties. Many families have abandoned the profession, switched to trading, and gone to work far away. On the old walls, there are still traces of black iron slag, many anvils and hammers lie quietly in the corner of the garden as witnesses of a glorious past.
Mr. Phan Van Hung - Chairman of Tan Chau Commune People's Committee worried: "Currently, there are only a few households in the commune who maintain the craft. To restore the craft village, it takes time and cooperation from many sides. First, it is necessary to restore the village communal house, collect traditional tools, connect with households who still practice the craft, and then gradually develop it in association with tourism."
In May 2025, Thanh Kieu village - Nho Lam village was recognized as the village with the oldest iron forging craft in Vietnam. This is both a source of pride and puts the responsibility on the people to preserve and promote the heritage.
In the village today, blacksmiths are becoming fewer and fewer, most of them are old. Young people are almost no longer interested in the profession because of the hard work and unstable income. According to many opinions, if supported with capital, product promotion and application of new technology, Nho Lam blacksmithing still has the opportunity to be restored and maintained.
The biggest difficulty today is that cheap industrial products with rich designs are flooding the market, making it difficult for handmade products to compete. However, the value of Nho Lam forged products lies in their durability, sharpness, and sophistication - things that mass-produced products cannot have. If well preserved, a hand-forged knife can last for decades and still be sharp. This unique feature is becoming an opportunity to develop in the direction of "traditional products associated with tourism experiences".
Mr. Vo Nguyen, now over 90 years old, one of the blacksmiths in the village, said: “I followed my father to work since I was 12 years old. During the war years, the whole village forged knives, hoes, shovels and weapons day and night. Now I am old and no longer have the strength, but hearing the sound of forging hammers somewhere, I feel warm in my heart.”
Not only for blacksmithing, Nho Lam is also famous for being a land of learning. Many families set up education promotion funds, built family bookshelves, and cared for their children's education. The fire of the furnace and the lamp of learning have merged together, creating a unique identity: a Nho Lam that is hard-working, persistent, but also rich in wisdom.
The recognition of the national record has added to the belief in the revival. Local people hope that in the future, visitors to Nho Lam will not only visit Cao Lo Temple and Thanh Kieu Communal House, but also witness artisans lighting furnaces, forging knives, and testing their skills with hammers and anvils. Each product brought back is not only a tool but also a memory, a piece of history.
Nho Lam blacksmithing has gone through thousands of years of ups and downs, contributing to the cause of building and defending the country. Although the fire has sometimes died out, the belief that one day the fire will be rekindled still burns in the hearts of the people.