Kinh Bac’s proud heritage

Among the artisans presenting their work is Meritorious Artisan Nguyen Huu Qua, a master craftsman from Dong Ho village. Qua has brought to the exhibition a collection of handmade paintings on do paper, shimmering with scallop-shell powder, a signature material of the Dong Ho tradition.

Meritorious Artisan Nguyen Huu Qua (far left) and his son, artisan Nguyen Huu Dao, demonstrate and introduce Dong Ho woodblock paintings to visitors.

His works, deeply infused with what he calls the “soul of the nation,” include timeless themes such as Prosperity and Honor, Motherhood, Sisterhood, Humanity, Righteousness, and Buffalo Boy Playing the Flute.

“Each painting tells a story, a philosophy of life and carries a message of happiness that our ancestors passed down,” Qua said. “This is not just an opportunity to showcase our craft. It is a chance for Dong Ho paintings to shine in a national event that embodies political, economic and cultural values.”

At the exhibition, Qua does more than display. He demonstrates the process live, bringing along woodblocks, natural colors, and traditional do paper for visitors to experience. “I want people to see, touch, and feel the heritage,” he said.

Born in 1963, Qua is the son of the late artisan Nguyen Huu Sam, who devoted much of his life to preserving Dong Ho painting through times of upheaval. From childhood, Qua was surrounded by the rhythmic sound of chisels, the crackling of do paper, and the glitter of scallop-shell powder. By age 12, he was already skilled in mixing colors and printing trial sheets.

He formally entered the craft in 1975, trained by his father and village elders. Over nearly five decades, he has mastered every stage of the art—from design and woodblock carving to color mixing and printing.

To deepen his knowledge, he taught himself Han-Nom scripts to fully grasp the meanings behind ancient motifs. Today, Qua is recognized as one of the leading artisans of Dong Ho paintings.

Between 2011 and 2015, with support from French researcher Jean Pierre Pascal, Qua recovered 149 lost designs dating back to Vietnam’s resistance against the French. He has since restored about 80 of them and now owns nearly 800 woodblocks covering 250 designs—what he calls a “living archive” of the tradition.

His creations have won recognition at national handicraft competitions, with works such as Blessings, Longevity and Prosperity and Four Seasons earning top honors between 2009 and 2011. Seven of his paintings and woodblocks are on display at the Chiaksan Folk Woodblock Museum in South Korea.

Home preserves nation’s soul

Qua has also introduced Dong Ho art to international audiences, from the ASEAN Traditional Arts Festival in Thailand in 2006, to folk woodblock events in South Korea in 2015, and a solo exhibition at East China Normal University in 2016.

In each event, he personally demonstrated techniques, allowing foreign visitors to print their own keepsakes and understand the “soul” of Vietnamese culture.

Beyond exhibitions, Qua is deeply involved in teaching. Every year, he conducts workshops for students, tourists, and young artists, ensuring Dong Ho painting lives not just in books but in practice.

For his contributions, Qua has received multiple honors, including the Medal for the Cause of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 2011 and the title Vietnamese Craft Artisan in 2012. In 2020, the State President conferred on him the title Meritorious Artisan, one of the country’s highest recognitions for craftsmanship.

Today, his home in Dong Khe, Bac Ninh, doubles as a family workshop, where his wife, son and daughter-in-law all work together. Visitors are greeted by the sounds of chisels and brushes, and the sight of walls glowing with traditional colors. His son, artisan Nguyen Huu Dao, is already following in his footsteps, continuing the lineage.

While Vietnam showcases highways, industrial zones, and high-tech products at the exhibition, the presence of Dong Ho paintings underscores a different dimension of achievement—the endurance of cultural heritage.

The national exhibition, running from August 28 to September 5 in Hanoi, is expected to draw wide attention. Amid images of modern development, the shimmering Dong Ho paintings of Nguyen Huu Qua stand as a reminder that Vietnam’s identity is rooted not only in progress but also in memory, tradition and artistry.

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