 Embroider workers are patiently creating landscape pictures. (Photo: Dinh Chau/VOV2) |
“Minh Lang is primarily an agricultural area. In the early 20th century, local pioneers Nguyen Nhu Khang, Nguyen Nhu Ca, and Nguyen Nghia traveled to other regions to learn embroidery techniques and brought them back home. Since then, the craft has flourished and transformed.”
Le Xuan Hoi, owner of the Thanh Nam embroidery enterprise in Vu Thu, told VOV the origin of the village and said the 1970s and 1980s were the golden age of their embroidery. The village became a massive embroidery hub, engaging thousands of households. The village’s products gained regional fame and were even exported to the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe.
Later on, shrinking markets and fierce competition caused a decline in Minh Lang’s embroidery industry. But local officials and artisans have worked hard to find new markets and revive the craft. Villager Do Xuan Phuong said, “The 1990s were difficult. Artisans traveled far and wide to secure orders and bring them back to the village. This ultimately preserved the craft and boosted the local economy.”
Today, visitors can admire lifelike portraits and landscape pictures depicting tranquil rural scenes meticulously embroidered in three-dimensional detail. Embroidery artist Pham Thi Ve told VOV, “Creating beautiful embroidered pictures requires passion. You must first imagine the scene, what is near, what is far, to stitch it accurately. Only by accurately envisioning the scene can you create a stunning work.”
 Artisan Nguyen Cao Binh is completing the embroidery portrait of President Ho Chi Minh working in the Presidential Palace. (Photo: Dinh Chau/VOV2) |
Among the village’s master artisans, Nguyen Cao Binh stands out. His home is a gallery of masterpieces embroidered from tens of thousands of needle stitches. He is especially proud of his portraits of prominent figures, notably President Ho Chi Minh.
“Portrait embroidery is extremely challenging. If the likeness isn’t right, customers won’t buy it. My success rate is over 95%. I’ve embroidered portraits of President Ho Chi Minh working in the Presidential Palace and of General Vo Nguyen Giap. These are lifetime works for me. I deeply revere President Ho Chi Minh, so I embroider and display his portraits.”
Minh Lang embroidery products, known for their diverse designs, exquisite craftsmanship, and reasonable prices, have found a market in Vietnam, the US, France, Italy, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan (China). Dozens of foreign partners have signed direct contracts with Minh Lang enterprises, bypassing intermediaries.
Several thriving embroidery businesses have emerged, said Hoang Dinh Chiem, Director of the Tuan Duong Export Embroidery Company, adding that between 1990 and 1994, the village recovered its embroidery craft. “We ensure that products satisfy customer expectations, are delivered on time, and never include mistakes in stitching or pattern. Our mission is to preserve and pass on the art of handmade embroidery,” said Chiem.
Minh Lang is one of Vietnam’s most renowned embroidery villages. Its intricate high-end products grace domestic and international markets, have improved the lives of local residents, and are contributing to Vietnam’s new rural landscape.