Silver street glitters for centuries

Hang Bac (Silver) street was founded in the mid-15th century under the Le Thanh Tong dynasty and renamed Rue de Changeurs (silver exchange) in the early 20th century y the French. The street was the venue of the Capital's artisans most skillful in making silver and gold jewellery, most of whom came from Chau Khe village in the northern province of Hai Duong.

Old people say a mandarin, named Luu Xuan Tin and originally from Chau Khe village, was assigned by King Le Thanh Tong to set up a kiln to cast solid silver panels, which were used as currency in the ancient time.

It is said that the mandarin sent for artisans from his native village in Chau Khe to the capital to set up a cast silver kiln. Chau Khe artisans finally learnt to make silver and gold jewellery rather than simply casting solid silver. Jewellery had since became the village's traditional craft.

Although King Gia Long in the early 19th century moved the kiln to the then-imperial city of Hue, a majority of artisans from Chau Khe stayed o­n in Thang Long, now Ha Noi, to make their living with jewellery.

They formed a jeweller's community o­n what is now Hang Bac street, which was busy all the day with the making and trading of jewellery.

Pham Dinh Dau, a 73-year-old jeweller of Chau Khe origin, now living at No. 43 o­n Hang Bac street, told Viet Nam News Agency that jewellers in the street mostly chisel silver or gold objects of certain designs such as a set of four animals considered to be most valuable to Vietnamesee people, namely dragon, unicorn, tortoise and phoenix. Other favourite designs include golden bamboo or several trees which are symbols of respected characteristics of gentlemen, according to Oriental beliefs.

Jewellery crafts have been handed down from Mr. Dau for generations and with some 40 years' experience to his children and grandchildren, who have managed to create numerous modern designs to meet diverse market demands.