At the age of 70, Trieu Thi Chung (R) is still dedicated to the embroidery craft.

Chung learned to embroider at the age of 7 from her grandmother, mother, and older sisters. While other children played, she sat surrounded by pieces of cloth, stitching motifs symbolizing the sky, the earth, forests, mountains, birds, animals, and rivers. Those early stitches became the foundation of a lifelong devotion to her ethnic group’s traditional craft.

“Now, as I grow older, I want to pass it on to my children and grandchildren to preserve our ethnic identity. If we don’t continue teaching it, the tradition will disappear,” said Chung.

Since 2020, Chung has devoted herself to teaching embroidery at Thien An Cooperative, where she is one of the most dedicated members. A patient and approachable teacher, Chung has trained more than 80 young people.

After completing her course, her students are able to create sophisticated embroidered bags, scarves, and hats on their own, increasing their income while renewing their pride in their culture.

Trieu Thi Chung instructs Red Dao trainees in traditional embroidery (Photo: VOV collaborator Thuy Kieu)

“Mrs. Chung is an extremely enthusiastic and dedicated teacher. She teaches us stitch by stitch, thread by thread, and always shows great patience. Learning embroidery is meaningful. It helps to preserve the Dao identity and cultural heritage passed down by our ancestors,” said Hoang Thi Tuyen, one of Chung’s students. 

14-year-old Nong Thu Ha, another student, said, “Mrs. Chung teaches me many things. I really like embroidery and will do my best to carry on the tradition.”

Chung’s classes have given livelihoods to many women. The scarves, hats, face masks, table runners, and bolster pillows they produce are becoming very popular with shoppers at the cooperative’s store and at agricultural fairs under the One Commune, One Product (OCOP) program.

Chung’s trainees, regardless of their age groups and backgrounds, all share a passion for preserving the traditional cultural heritage of the Red Dao people

Thien An Cooperative sells more than 200 brocade or herbal products per month, providing some 20 Dao and Tay women with an average monthly income of 240 USD.

“Mrs. Chung is a devoted member. She is highly skilled in embroidery, deeply responsible, and always ready to pass the craft on to younger generations. The younger generation like us, must preserve our brocade patterns and pass the torch to those who come after us,” said Ly Thi Quyen, Director of Thien A Cooperative.