Silversmithing on the Rocky Plateau

Silversmithing is not only a traditional craft but also an art form, handed down through generations with memory, patience, and meticulous skill. For ethnic communities in Tuyen Quang province, including the H’mong, Dao, Nung, Pa Then, Co Lao, Lo Lo, Bo Y, etc., silver products serve both as jewelry and as a reflection of their cultural heritage.

In Thac Hung Hamlet, Cao Bo Commune, Mr. Dang Van Viet keeps the craft alive in his modest silversmithing corner.

A Tay silversmith carefully engraves intricate patterns on silver jewelry. With skilled hands and an eye for detail, each piece of silver is transformed into a unique work of art.

Today, with the application of modern machinery such as electric melting furnaces, rolling mills, and polishing machines, production has become faster and the products more refined.

For the Dao people, traditional silver jewelry sets feature intricate motifs such as fish scales, flowers, butterfly wings, or flocks of flying birds, etc. Each is imbued with spiritual meaning and the community’s wish for peace and prosperity.

In Lao Xa hamlet, Sa Phin commune, a silver furnace over 100 years old still burns in the home of Mong artisan Mua Se Sinh, passed down from his forefathers.

A set of jewelry of  H’mong women’s necklaces has been completed.

At local fairs, people select from a dazzling array of silver ornaments. A complete traditional jewelry set for a woman includes necklaces, bracelets, rings, hairpins, blouse chains, and betel-nut hooks with a value ranging from VND50 million to VND60 million.

Silver adornments are a highlight of ethnic festivals. Co Lao women wear them during the Lunar New Year, each handcrafted set reflecting the unique craftsmanship and aesthetic of their community.

Dao girls pair silver jewelry with their traditional dresses, while young ethnic women across the highlands continue to cherish the glittering beauty of silver alongside their cultural attire.

During the New Rice Festival, Bo Y women in Quan Ba Commune shine in their silver ornaments. As long as traditional costumes remain in daily and festive life, the art of silver engraving will live on in the mountains and forests.

In Lung Cu Commune, Lo Lo women pair silver jewelry with their traditional costumes, proving that amid the constant changes of modern life, the silversmithing craft at the nation’s northernmost border still quietly shines - like glints of silver under the highland sun.

Le Hai