Van Phuc Silk Village or Ha Dong Silk Village (In Van Phuc Ward, Ha Dong District, Hanoi City) is a trade village having developing history a long time ago. The products of Van Phuc Village have gone into poetry, music, Art like the cultural beauty of Vietnam traditional trade village.

The ancient books that are still saved in Ha Dong District show Van Phuc area was taken from in 865 AD and weaving occupation was born in about the 13th century. All have been the foundation to come in to being Van Phuc Silk Village. Through developing periods, Van Phuc Silk gradually affirmed reputation. It used to be chosen to make court clothes, especially was loved by the court of Nguyen dynasty. Van Phuc Silk was first introduced at Marseille fair (1931) and was thought to be the kind of skillful product in Indochina region. Since 1958, Van Phuc silk has been exported to the countries of Europe. Since 1990, Van Phuc silk has been exported widely to many countries in the world.

Nowadays, Van Phuc Silk Village looks spacious with stores rising up very close to each other. The silk street is longer all the time, busy with steps of people coming in and out. However, the village remains some ancient characters with sights of big old banian-tree, well and afternoon market sessions met at temple yard.

Van Phuc Silk Village has about 800 households living on weaving job (60% of households living here). Many households used ancient weaving frames beside modern mechanical frames. Besides the main job, they work as tourist guides to guide travelers to trade villages.

Working in occupation for a long time, villagers have connected each other into a producing chain: people providing silk cords, people dying, people weaving, people drawing flowers. In the village has also taken from some businesses of big size, so silk products are richer and richer.
The products of Van Phuc Silk Village are very diverse of colors, rich of styles, strong and beautiful. They give soft, light sensation warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Poet Nguyen Sa wrote:

In Vietnamese:
“Nắng Sài Gòn anh đi mà chợt mát
Bởi vì em mặc áo lụa Hà Đông”

In Enlish:

“I am going in Saigon sunshine, but feel cool.

Because you are in the dress of Ha Dong silk.”

The patterns decorated on Ha Dong silk are taken care particularly according to traditional art styles such as symmetric decoration and simple shape. We can say the products of Van Phuc Silk Village reach to perfect level now.

Van Phuc Silk Village or Ha Dong Silk Village is one of the longest and the most famous traditional trade village in North Vietnam. If you have an occasion to come to Hanoi City, do not forget to visit this special trade village. By the way, you can also visit some other traditional trade village in the city such as Bronze Casting Village in Ba Dinh District, Vong Village’s Green Sticky Rice in Cau Giay District, Thanh Khuc Banh Chung Village in Thanh Tri District.