Tra Dong Bronze Casting Village and the 900-year-old origins of metalworking.

1. Overview of Tra Dong Bronze Casting Village

1.1 Location and Outstanding Features

Tra Dong Bronze Casting Village , also known as Che Village, is located in Thieu Trung Commune, Thanh Hoa Province. The village is about 12 km northwest of Thanh Hoa city center. It is an attractive destination for tourists who want to explore the traditional bronze casting art of the Thanh Hoa region.

The craft village space is filled with the sounds and colors of manual labor: the rhythmic sound of hammers on metal, the bright red glow of furnace fires, and the faint scent of bronze smoke in the wind. Tra Dong is likened to a "living museum" of the bronze casting craft, where each family preserves the secrets of crafting bronze drums, bells, statues, and exquisite religious items through generations.

1.2 Origins of the Bronze Casting Craft

According to the elders, the Tra Dong bronze casting craft originated from the Ly Dynasty. At that time, the Vu family brought the bronze casting technique to teach the local people, creating the traditional saying: "Land of the Le family - Craft of the Vu family".

The bronze casting craft dates back hundreds of years. (Source: Collected)

Another legend attributes the bronze casting craft in Che Village to Mr. Khomg Minh Khong (real name Nguyen Minh Khong), the famous Ly Quoc Su during the Ly dynasty. During the reign of King Tu Duc (1848 - 1883), the people of Tra Dong established a temple to honor him as the Ancestor of the bronze casting craft. Annually, on the Ancestor's death anniversary, the village holds a solemn ceremony, parades sacred fire, and demonstrates traditional bronze casting techniques to honor their ancestors' heritage.

1.3 Cultural and historical values of the craft village

Having existed and developed for over 900 years, the bronze casting craft of Che Village - Tra Dong still retains its unique characteristics and values. This place is famous for its exquisite products such as bronze drums, gongs, religious items, incense burners, or animal figurines, crafted by talented artisans who love their profession and are persistent with traditional work.

The bronze casting craft in Tra Dong has its own unique historical and cultural imprints. (Source: Collected)

Every pattern and line on the products carries profound spiritual meaning, reflecting the worldview and philosophy of life of the Vietnamese people. Despite experiencing many ups and downs, especially the period from the late 1980s to the early 2000s when the craft village declined due to the influence of the market mechanism, the Tra Dong bronze casting craft has now been gradually restored thanks to the dedication of passionate artisans.

In 2018, the Tra Dong bronze casting craft was recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage, marking an important turning point in the journey of preserving and promoting Vietnam's traditional cultural values.

2. How to Travel and Experience the Journey

From Thanh Hoa city center, visitors only need to travel about 12 km along National Highway 45 towards Thieu Trung commune to reach the Tra Dong bronze casting village. The road is short and easy to travel, with peaceful Northern Central Vietnamese countryside scenery on both sides, featuring green bamboo rows, red tiled roofs, and the rhythmic sound of hammers echoing from afar.

From Hanoi, visitors can travel by car or motorbike along the Hanoi - Ninh Binh Expressway, then continue on National Highway 1A before turning onto National Highway 45 for another 12 km to reach Tra Dong village. The total distance is about 150 km, with an average travel time of 2.5 - 3 hours. The journey takes visitors away from the bustling city, crossing lush green fields to reach the rustic yet vibrant atmosphere of the craft village.

3. Ideal Time to Explore

The Tra Dong bronze casting village can be visited year-round, as each season offers its own beauty and experience. Thanh Hoa's climate is generally mild, with average temperatures ranging from 22-28°C, providing favorable conditions for visitors to explore the craft village comfortably, even when standing near the blazing furnaces. Spring and autumn are the most favored times by many tourists, when the weather is cool, the air is fresh, and the flickering flames of the bronze furnaces further highlight the vibrant scene of manual labor.

Tra Dong bronze casting village is located in Thieu Trung commune. (Source: Collected)

Especially, during the Lunar New Year and the Ancestor's Day of the bronze casting craft, Tra Dong is adorned with a vibrant festive atmosphere. The whole village jointly organizes ceremonies of incense offering, sacred fire procession, and traditional bronze drum casting technique demonstrations. Visitors can witness firsthand dozens of artisans coordinating harmoniously in the casting process, feel the resounding drumbeats mixed with the sound of hammers, and the warm welcome of the locals. All this creates a vivid cultural picture, rich in the identity of Vietnamese craft villages.

4. Outstanding experiences at Tra Dong bronze casting village

4.1 Admiring the quintessence of the traditional bronze casting craft

Visiting Tra Dong bronze casting village, tourists have the opportunity to learn about one of the cradles of Vietnam's bronze casting craft with a history of hundreds of years. Currently, the craft village still maintains 25 large casting furnaces, along with 4 companies producing and trading bronze products, providing employment for hundreds of local workers. The bronze casting craft accounts for up to 44% of the total budget revenue of Thieu Trung commune, demonstrating the enduring vitality of a traditional craft village in the modern era.

Vietnam's record-holding bronze drum at Tra Dong village. (Source: Collected)

This place proudly boasts 4 Outstanding Artisans awarded by the President, including Le Van Bay, Nguyen Ba Chau, Le Van Duong, and Dang Ich Hoan. They are the ones who have contributed to reviving and “breathing life” into the craft, helping Tra Dong continue to shine. Under their hands and intellect, a series of large-scale bronze casting works were born: the Ngoc Lu bronze drum replica in 2000, Vietnam's largest bronze drum in 2007 (diameter 1.51 m, height 1.21 m), and the world's largest Ngoc Lu bronze drum in 2013 (height 2 m, weighing about 8 tons, diameter 2.7 m). Besides that, 1,000 exquisite statues of Au Co Mother were chosen as gifts for the APEC event, demonstrating the skillful craftsmanship and passion for preserving national culture of the people of Tra Dong.

4.2 Experiencing the Manual Bronze Casting Process

The most memorable experience when coming to Tra Dong is witnessing the entire manual bronze casting process. This is a job that requires strength, meticulousness, and patience. Artisans begin by making clay molds: the clay is pounded, sifted, and then mixed with rice husk ash to create durability. Every detail and pattern is meticulously shaped and carved into the mold before being dried and hardened by firing.

Empty molds are meticulously crafted by the hands of artisans. (Source: Collected)

When the mold is ready, the craftsman will melt the copper alloy at a temperature of about 1,200°C, then pour it into the mold, requiring a harmonious coordination between experience and skill. After the copper cools, the product is removed from the mold, polished, carved, and buffed to completion. Every line and pattern is done by hand, bearing the personal imprint of the artisan, while still retaining the spirit of traditional motifs.

4.3 Visiting the Exhibition House and Craft Village Cultural Space

Visitors to Tra Dong can visit the craft village exhibition house, which preserves hundreds of artifacts, images, and ancient tools such as casting hammers, clay molds, traditional pattern samples, along with precious photographs documenting the village's development journey through each stage.

Tra Dong village exhibition space. (Source: Collection)

The open space, natural light reflecting on the shiny copper surface, makes this an attractive stop for those who love handicraft art.

5. Experience and notes when visiting

To have a complete experience at Tra Dong copper casting village , visitors should prepare carefully from clothing, safety when visiting the workshop to choosing meaningful souvenirs.

Prioritize choosing light, airy clothing for easy movement and comfort during the trip.

Wear closed-toe, non-slip shoes to ensure safety, as the workshop floor may be slippery or have small metal fragments.

Maintain a safe distance when observing the melting and molding stages; absolutely do not touch equipment unless permitted by the artisan.

Respect the artisan's workspace; listen to instructions to better understand each stage of the copper handicraft process.

Take time to visit handicraft stalls in the village to buy souvenirs such as the 12 zodiac animals, Maitreya Buddha, God of Wealth statues (prices from about 300,000 - 800,000 VND).

Choose mini bronze drums, bells, incense burners, or small worship items as gifts, priced from 400,000 - 3,000,000 VND depending on the design and sophistication.

Communicate directly with artisans if you wish to order custom-made pieces for a personalized bronze gift.

6. Combine tourism in Thanh Hoa

6.1 Nui Nua - Am Tien

Not far from Tra Dong copper casting village , Nui Nua - Am Tien is a famous spiritual destination associated with the legend of Trieu Au, a proud female hero in national history. The mountain is covered by lush green forests year-round, interspersed with winding paths leading to the ancient Am Tien temple - which was once considered the base of Trieu Au's uprising in the 3rd century.

The Am Tien Legend Project will feature the world's largest Buddha statue. (Source: Collected)

Not only holding historical value, this place is also a serene space for visitors to find inner peace, admiring the panoramic view of the Thanh Hoa plains stretching out at the foot of the mountain in the early morning mist. Currently, at Nua mountain, the "Am Tien Legend" project is under construction. With its scale and professional investment, the project is promised to become a new spiritual tourism center for Thanh Hoa.

6.2 Sam Son Beach

From Tra Dong village, visitors only need to travel about 30 km to reach Sam Son Beach, one of the most famous coastal tourist destinations in Central Vietnam. With its long sandy beaches, clear blue waters, and year-round vibrant atmosphere, Sam Son is an ideal choice for relaxation after a journey exploring craft villages.

Sam Son Sea Square is sparkling when lit up. (Source: Collected)

Besides swimming and enjoying fresh seafood, don't forget to visit Sam Son Sea Square. This is where large-scale cultural events, music, and festivals are frequently held. As sunset falls, the space here becomes sparkling with brilliant lights, cool sea breeze, and a youthful, vibrant pace of life.

6.3 Cam Luong Sacred Fish Stream

Finally, Cam Luong Sacred Fish Stream is a unique destination attracting tourists with its fascinating landscape and deep spiritual value. At the foot of Truong Sinh Mountain, the crystal-clear stream year-round is home to thousands of large fish, which local people respectfully call “sacred fish”. The cool, never-drying stream water and the strangely tame fish create a mystical scene, making this an ideal stop on your journey to explore Thanh Hoa land.

Tra Dong Bronze Casting Village is not only a cultural tourist destination but also a journey to explore the soul of Vietnamese handicraft. Every hammer sound, every spark of fire contains the dedication of artisans over more than 900 years of history. Come to Tra Dong to feel the special attraction when metal transforms into art.