Unable to rely solely on love for the craft or pride in the past, Hue’s craft villages must step beyond traditional pathways toward a new journey: Transforming production thinking, applying technology, embracing green transition, elevating quality, and telling cultural stories in more modern ways.

With the development trends of the new era, many craft villages have fallen into decline, with fragmented production, a lack of capital, and outdated technology. These difficulties are major barriers that cause traditional crafts to lose their place in today's socio-economic life gradually.

For centuries, the land of Hue has been renowned for the skillful hands of its artisans. This region is a place not only preserves the cultural heritage of the imperial court, but also serves as the cradle that maintains and develops hundreds of unique traditional craft villages. However, in the face of global integration trends, Hue’s craft villages are confronting numerous challenges.

A wide range of rare artifacts crafted from jade and ivory are on display at the exhibition “Jade - Ivory in religious art”, organized by the Museum of Nguyen Dynasty Commissioned Porcelains (114 Mai Thuc Loan, Phu Xuan Ward), which opened on the morning of August 28.

Artisans from Thanh Lieu craft village (Hai Duong) have recently given a performance and recounted the journey of reviving and preserving the traditional art of woodblock printing passed down by their ancestors.

Stumbled upon the technique of indigo dyeing online by chance, like a twist of fate, a young couple, Dang Cong Bang (1996) and Pham Minh Nguyen (1997), were captivated by this age-old craft. They began exploring and experimenting, eventually creating their very first indigo-dyed pieces. This marked the beginning of Tiem Chi, a small studio the couple established with the hope of introducing others to handmade clothing and fashion items that they personally design and dye using the distinctive blue of indigo.

Thanh Tien Paper Flower Village - the cradle of traditional paper flower craftsmanship - is not only a place that creates vibrant blossoms, but also a space where the essence of spiritual culture, skilled hands, and a deep love for national heritage are preserved and nurtured.

Phuoc Tich is an ancient village located in Phong Hoa Ward, Phong Dien Town, Hue City. The village was established in 1470. Though small, Phuoc Tich boasts 12 river wharfs, symbolizing the 12 founding families who first settled the land. Along with the founding of the village, migrants from Đàng Ngoài (Outer Realm) who came to this land to make a living also brought with them the traditional craft of pottery.

More than just creating a space to promote and support craft villages on-site and bring Hue’s specialties farther afield, the young founders of Dac san Kinh Do – Songcentre Hue (Imperial Specialties – Hue Living Center) brand also embed a story in each product and apply technology to production, with the aspiration to fulfill the mission of inheriting and renewing traditional crafts so that Hue’s craft village brands can take off and expand their markets.

Without fanfare or grand stages, artists, artisans, and skilled craftspeople are quietly passing on and preserving traditional crafts in the ancient capital. They are the “extended arms” for the journey of preserving intangible cultural heritage and Hue’s historical monuments.