The craft of mother-of-pearl inlay in Chuyen My commune, Phu Xuyen district dates back to the Ly Dynasty. Over the course of a thousand years, products made from shells and mother-of-pearl inlaid into wooden furniture such as cabinets, tables, or decorative panels – once reserved only for royal families and the wealthy – have now become popular household items throughout Vietnam and are exported to many countries around the world.
One of the most important stages in the inlaying process is “can xa cu” (mother-of-pearl inlaying), which consists of three main steps: filing, carving, and trimming. These steps must be carried out in perfect harmony; if any one of them is done poorly, the final artwork will not be complete.
In addition to the mother-of-pearl inlay craft, Chuyen My is also famous for lacquerware from Boi Khe village, which originated during the Mac Dynasty. Boi Khe’s lacquer products have their own distinctive features, especially lacquerware with inlaid designs that require many intricate production stages. On average, each lacquer-inlaid product – from the raw wooden base to the finished item – must undergo about twelve layers of lacquer and takes around one month to complete a single batch.
Lustrous mother-of-pearl cabinets, tables, chairs, and paintings, along with exquisite lacquerware, have brought prosperity and vibrancy to the villages of Chuyen My commune. To preserve and promote these traditional crafts handed down from their ancestors, Chuyen My has established an Artisans’ Club that brings together talented craftsmen. The commune has also successfully founded the Chuyen My Design, Innovation and Promotion Center for OCOP Mother-of-Pearl and Lacquerware Products.
Traditional Craft Products of Chuyen My Commune
In 2025, Chuyen My has become a promising candidate for membership in the World Craft Cities Network, recognized by the World Crafts Council (WCC).
To help Chuyen My meet the requirements for joining the network, a delegation from the Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Environment, led by Deputy Director Nguyen Dinh Hoa, together with representatives from various city departments and experts from the World Crafts Council, recently conducted a field survey at the Chuyen My mother-of-pearl inlay craft village.
The survey delegation working with Phu Xuyen District
After the survey, the delegation highly appreciated Chuyen My’s potential to develop its craft village in association with experiential tourism and local culture.
In the coming time, Chuyen My needs to focus on improving its traditional craft ecosystem, supporting young artisans, enhancing production conditions, and strengthening international promotion of the Chuyen My craft village brand.
At present, the commune still faces challenges in meeting the criteria for preserving the cultural space of the craft village and ensuring environmentally friendly production conditions.
The People’s Committee of Phu Xuyen District is currently accelerating the completion of the nomination dossier on schedule, as required by the World Crafts Council.
According to Mr. Nguyen Dinh Hoa, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Environment: “The proposal for Chuyen My to become a member of the World Craft Cities Network is not only a great honor for the locality but also part of Hanoi’s long-term strategy to preserve and promote the values of traditional craft villages.
Thanh Thanh