Development opportunities of Chàng Sơn carpentry village (Thạch Thất district, Hà Nội) in the current socio economic and cultural context (approached from the perspective of cultural studies)

In recent years, Vietnam rural development toward industrialization modernization is received concern of the State and Party. It has positive results, gradually changed the Vietnam rural areas, especially handicraft villages, traditional handicraft villages. Vietnam officially intergration on the WTO (2007) was a great advantage to improves Vietnams position and joins with internation on many fields, especially economy, trade. Moreover, it opened favorable conditions for developing the traditional handicraft village. Chàng Son carpentry village (Thạch Thất Hà Nội) is one of dynamic traditional handicraft villages of Thạch Thất district and Hà Nội city with the handicraft products of high quality, sophistication. However, the problem is how bring products and reputation of the Chàng Sơn village to develop but still preserve the villages traditional culture? From this desire, we chose Master thesis’ topic: “Development opportunities of Chàng Sơn carpentry village (Thạch Thất district, Hà Nội) in the current socio economic and cultural context (approached from the perspective of cultural studies)”.

Development opportunities of Chàng Sơn

carpentry village (Thạch Thất district, Hà Nội) in the current socio - economic and cultural context

(approached from the perspective

of cultural studies)

Phí Thị Bình Viện Việt Nam học và Khoa học phát triển Luận văn Thạc sĩ Chuyên ngành: Việt Nam học; Mã số: 60 31 60

Người hướng dẫn khoa học: PGS.TS Phạm Hồng Tung

1 Reason for the study

In recent years, Vietnam rural development toward industrialization - modernization is received concern of the State and Party It has positive results, gradually changed the Vietnam rural areas, especially handicraft villages, traditional handicraft villages Vietnam officially intergration on the WTO (2007) was a great advantage to improves Vietnam's position and joins with internation on many fields, especially economy, trade Moreover, it opened favorable conditions for developing the traditional handicraft village Chàng Son carpentry village (Thạch Thất - Hà Nội) is one of dynamic traditional handicraft villages of Thạch Thất district and Hà Nội city with the handicraft products of high quality, sophistication However, the problem is how bring products and reputation of the Chàng Sơn village to develop but still preserve the

village's traditional culture? From this desire, we chose Master thesis’ topic: “Development opportunities of Chàng Sơn carpentry village (Thạch Thất district, Hà Nội) in the current socio -

economic and cultural context (approached from the perspective of cultural studies)”

2 Purpose and significance of the study

2.1 Purpose of the study: Thesis contributes deeper study of the production cultural life

and community cultural life in Chàng Sơn carpentry village; It shows strengths, weaknesses,

opportunities and challenges in the process of socio - economic development, from there, giving specific solutions to develop traditional village towards sustainable development

2.2 Scientific, practical significance of the study: The study of Chàng Sơn village

carpenter has practical significance in the determination and assessment of development situation

of a specific traditional handicraft village on the socio - economic and cultural aspects

3 Overview of previous studies: Development of handicraft village, traditional handicraft

village is a subject which many researchers care and it has achieved certain results So far, there are many research works published They help readers to have a overview look of traditional handicraft villages in Vietnam

4 Object and scope of the study: Thesis focuses to study a typical traditional handicraft

village which is Chàng Sơn carpentry village (Thạch Thất district - Hà Nội city) from 2001 to now

5 Methodology: During the implementation of research, we used a system of research

methods such as research methods of area and development; fieldwork, statistical method and expert method, especially the SWOT analysis method is used as a basic research method to evaluate the development status of Chàng Sơn carpentry village

6 Contribution of the study: Thesis has contributed to study a traditional handicraft

village as a cultural space - identified development space Thesis uses systematic methods, which focuses on the SWOT analysis method to indicates the development status of Chàng Sơn traditional carpentry village in socio - economic and cultural aspects Therefore, we can see the history and development of it, the carpentry’s impact for villagers; change of the production trend; the existent problems and the strengths to develop carpentry's production; priority policies

of local government for carpentry's development Thesis is also the most general view of the cultural life of a specific traditional handicraft village in the Red River delta It shows a interactive and supporting relation between a outstanding handicraft (carpentry) with other jobs; the close relation among tangible culture and intangible culture of village Through it, we can see the occupational conciousness of villagers with artists, good handicraftmen They have a important role in the preservation, restoration and development of traditional carpentry of village

7 Structure of thesis: Besides the introduction and conclusion, content, table, chart and

map, the thesis includes 3 main parts as follows:

- Chapter 1: Theoretical basis of study on traditional handicraft villages

- Chapter 2: The development status of Chàng Sơn traditional carpentry village

- Chapter 3: Solutions for Chàng Sơn carpentry village in the development of traditional handicaft and improvement its cutural values

Chapter 1 Theoretical base of the study on traditional handicraft village 1.1 Concepts and classifications

1.1.1 Concepts of handicraft village and traditional handicraft village

- Traditional handicraft: Traditional handicrafts were appeared long in history They included

handicrafts which had been improved or used modern machinery to support production However, they still must comply with traditional technology, and their products express unique culture of nation

- Handicraft villages: They can be understood as villages in rural areas that they have

non-agriculture sectors to dominate about the munber of households and labors, and income proportion of them is higher than agriculture

- Traditional handicraft villages: Traditional handicraft villages were formed and

developed in long history (including one or many traditional handicrafts) to dominate about household joining the handicraft by hereditary form They have general ancestors Their members always obey the laws, conventions and social institutions which are defined in the family, clan

1.1.2 Classifications of handicraft village: The traditional handicraft village are shared into 4

basic villages: - the traditional handicraft villages specialize in producing the handicraft products; - they specialize in manufacturing the goods for production and life; - they specialize in producing goods of the consumption service; they specialize in food processing

1.2 Characteristic of traditional handicraft villages

1.2.1 Economic and social aspects

- The traditional handicraft villages were existed in rural areas, inextricably linked with agriculture: Traditional hadicraft villages were existed, developed from agriculture villages due

to needs of labor division and production specialization They impacted rapidly of Vietnam’s agriculture and rural area with characteristics of water-rice culture and material economy, production of self-sufficiency Operation of handicrafts is developed strongly and linked closely with the goods and monetary relation, market relation but it does not leave agriculture This development is expressed under two angles: firstly, the exchange relation of production documents; secondly, the exchange relation of consumption associated with improving the material and spiritual life as well as the process of rural urbanization

- The using manual labor is a outstanding characteristic in the traditional handicraft villages

Artisans are considered as spritit of traditional handicraft village They have a important role with the process of manuafacturing and products’ creation Training the handicrafts is done by method of handing down Nowadays, this method has many changes and more diverse, in which, combination

between the opening of training classes and the teaching follow the form of tutoring is considered as

a effective method in conservation and development of traditional handicrafts

- About market: Consumer market of the traditional handicraft villages has small and local natures It is formed based on production development and demand of goods exchange To day,

the main consumer market of them is domestic market, export market is small but it has a important role and gradually expanded to other countries in the region and the world

- Characteristics on the form of production organization: In history as well as present,

household form is a popular form of production and business Besides, there are many different forms formed, developed as production group, cooperative, private enterprise, join stock company, etc

1.2.2 Issues of the production technology and product

- Aspect of production technology: Basic characteristics of production technology in

traditional handicraft villages are: - Technology, manual production technique has bring natures

of tradition, inheritance and clan’s secrets, so handicraftmen’s subjective with products is huge; - production technology is primitive and backward; - Technique and technology are combined between tradition and modernization The replacement of modern technology only show in a certain stages of production that can not completely replace the traditional manual technology

- About products: Characteristic of traditional hadicraft products are idividual and single

They have unique, highly artistic, bold cultural identity and represented the unity quintessence between tangible culture and intangible culture of handicraft villages

1.3 Conditions for formation of the traditional handicraft village

1.3.1 Constituents: Traditional handicraft villages are formed based on the handing down

mainly However, the handing down is not copy perfectly that has innovation and subtle creation,

in which the artisans, families and clans are a core element

1.3.2 Conditions of formation: The formation and development of traditional handicraft villages

depend on basic conditions as follow: - Near traffic road; - Near consumer market of products or main market; - Near sources of raw material; - Economic pressure; - Labors and production practice

1.4 Role of traditional handicraft villages

1.4.1 Contribution for economic structure toward industrialization and modernization of agriculture, rural area: The development of traditional handicraft villages contribute to increase

proportion of industry, small industry and service, and reduce proportion of agriculture It moves labors from agriculture which has low income into non-agriculture which has more income The spread development of traditional handicraft villages has expanded scale and area of production

In these villages, economic structure has inclined to industry and service, account for 60 – 80%, agriculture is account for 20 – 40%

1.4.2 Increasing the GDP for national economy: Capacities of production and business of

traditional handicraft villages are important promoted the development of commodity production

in rural areas Practice of locals demonstrated that the value of commodities in handicraft villages reached substantial numbers It has a certain growth rate over years For example, Bắc Ninh province has many traditional handicraft villages In 1998, the value of commodities reached 210 billions, account for ¾ of production value total of non-state industry

1.4.3 Solving the job, raising income for rural labors: Development of non-agriculture

industries, especially traditional handicrafts has solved job for 10 millions of labors, account for 29,5% rural labor force It creates jobs more, improves income for rural labors Average income of handicraftmen is higher 2 to 4 times than agriculture labors In which, average income of a labor in households specializing in non - agriculture is 430.000 - 450.000 VNĐ/person/month, 190.000 - 240.000 VNĐ/person/month in handicraft pluralist households and 70.000 - 100.000 VNĐ/person/month

1.4.4 Attracting idle capital in population, improving living standard of population and restricting free migration: The most of production facilities in the traditional hadicraft villages is

small scale They do not require to invest a big capital So, they easily mobilize sources of idle capital to develop handicraft production that have salvaged and attracted labors Development of these villages has restricted situation of free migration through opportunities of creating job and increasing income for local population

1.4.5 Improving quality of life for rural population and constructing new countryside: The

development of traditional hadicraft villages has improved, enhanced the quality of material and spiritual life for rural population Moreover, it creates conditions to promote improvement and construction of rural infrastruction; contributing renew Vietnam’s rural areas and constructing new countryside toward modernization

1.4.6 Contribution for the conservation and preservation of traditional cultural values of the local and nation: Products of these villages contain unique characteristics of national culture and

individual identity of each traditional handicraft village The restoration and development of them will have special meaning for the preservation of nation’s cultural values in the process of industriliazation – modernization today

1.4.7 Contribution for the development of tourism:

Traditional handicraft villages help to diversify tourism’s products They not only through existent functions to service activities of community but also attract tourists visitting handicraft villages and buying products through their cultural, historical and scientific values Thence, their image and product’s brand are enhanced Thus, their consumer market is expanded and developed

Evaluation of chapter 1

Traditional handicraft villages are formed, developed long in history and associated with certain conditions of nature, market, etc The handing down, training the handicraft are basis forms in these villages, determinant is artisans, techniques and trade secrets Their products are unique and characterised for cultural identity of region In the process of industrialization - modernization today, these villages are gradually restored and developed toward the sustain due

to practical benefits on economy, culture and society that they bring

Chapter 2 Development status of Chàng Sơn carpentry village in the current socio - economic and cultural context 2.1 Overview of the Chàng Sơn carpentry village

2.1.1 History of the Chàng Sơn village

Chàng Sơn is one of villages which have long civilized nation of Thạch Thất district According folk documents, Chàng Sơn village is formed for first years of A.D The name

“Chàng” is associated with manual tools of traditional carpentry – Đục tool, Chàng tool Since its appearance to now, this village has 2 names which are Chàng and Chàng Sơn It is in different regions depends on periods of different history In Tran dynasty, Chàng Sơn was in Kẻ Nủa region (Nủa canton) and renamed Nguyễn Xá in Hồng Đức dynasty (1496), Thạch Xá in the end

of Tây Sơn dynasty of Nguyễn Quang Toản with Cảnh Thịnh date (1798 - 1800) In 1955, Chàng hamlet was separated from Thạch Xá village and became Chàng Sơn village (based on the 69/NV resolution issued on 24/4/1955 of the Ministry of Interior Department)

2.1.2 Geographical position: Chàng Sơn’s geographical position is located in the West

of Hà Nội, its geographical coordinate from 20058’23” to 21006’10”N latitude, 105037’54” to

105038’22”E longitude The North borders on Hương Ngải village, the West borders on Kim Quan village, the Eastsouth borders on Thạch Xá village

2.1.3 Natural conditions: Topography of Chàng Sơn – Thạch Thất region is located in the

transitional zone between the mountain of Hòa Bình and the Red River Delta Its average height is 2 – 3m

compared with the sea and lower height on the Southeast, so it has many advantages for agriculture production Its climate has specific characteristics of the North delta with raining season and dry season in a year Natural resources have mainly land resource and water resource, but their economic value is not high

2.1.4 Socio – ecomic conditions

- Economic condition: Chàng Sơn village is in region of old Hà Tây The village is famous

with traditional carpentry and other handicrafts Economic space of village has mix between production of small industry and agriculture It created premises to supports economic

development for many industries Besides, this village is located in handicraft villages’ strip of Thạch Thất district That is favorable condition to develop traditional handicrafts and village’s trading activities

- Social condition: Chàng Sơn village has early formation history It is considered region

which has typical space of geography, culture and history of Đoài country’s culture and located

in a famous land’s strip of academic culture of Thạch Thất district

2.1.5 Population and change of administive boundary: Chàng Sơn is one of the villages

having the most populous and highest density of population in Thạch Thất district In 2010, its population is 8362 persons with 24 clans who live intercalately in 7 hamlets Population density

is 2962 người/km2

From old history to now, Chàng Sơn’s administive boundary has certain changes depends

on zoning policies of different historical periods During the monarchy, this village was in the boundary of Thạch Thất district, Quốc Oai palace (Quốc Oai lộ in Trần dynasty), Sơn Tây town

or Thừa Tuyên Sơn Tây (Tây Đạo) To the socialism republic of Vietnam, Chàng Sơn was sometimes on Sơn Tây, Hà Tây and Hà Sơn Bình provinces, Hà Nội city Today, Chàng Sơn is again merged into Hà Nội city on 01/8/2008 according to the 15/2008/NQ/QH12 resolution issued on 29/05/2008 of the twelfth congress

2.2 Development status of Chàng Sơn carpentry village today

2.2.1 The productive cultural life

2.2.1.1 The development and extent of the handicraft village

- Overview of Chàng Sơn’s handicrafts: Chàng Sơn is a typical occupational unit which

has most handicrafts in Thạch Thất district Before the revolution in 1945 August, Chàng Sơn had 18 handicrafts Then, some handicrafts were eroded and disappeared Today, there are 6 main handicrafts existed as netting, carpentry, making fans, sewing, repairing bicycles, making food, in which the carpentry is account for large amount of labors It offers higher income than other handicrafts

- History of formation and development: Carpentry of Chàng Sơn village is a famous

handicraft with unique, sophisticated products The formative history of it is associated with estabished process of village and legends of ancestors who Phó Sần, Nguyễn Đường Before the revolution in 1945 August, it was developed as sideline job after the agriculture, account for 1/3

of labors in village They mainly focused in public organizations such as guild, cooperative Nowadays, the carpentry is developed to main hadicraft of village It contributes creating the job, improving the life’s quality for villagers Its nature has been changed to adapts with demand of market Today, productions of traditional wooden furniture and market wooden furniture have

been developed together in Chàng Sơn village Traditional and modern elements of carpentry are mixed together

- Process of production: Wooden products of Chàng Sơn whether tradition or market are

manufactured under a rigorous process It does any skip any stage, so its products are durability and aesthetic, and meeting the stastes of market

2.2.1.2 Economic structure of village: In recent years, the economic structure of Chàng

Sơn has been strongly shifted toward raising the small industry – basic construction, service - trade and reducing the agriculture In 2010, proportion of small industry - basic construction is reached 61%, 33,5% in service – trade and proportion of agriculture is reduced quickly to 3,5% (7,04% lower than 2001)

2.2.1.3 Business structure of the village: Today, Chàng Sơn village is exsiting 2 basis economic forms which are family-based economy and private economy

- The family-based economy: It is considered as common productive form and suitable

with land of narrow area of Chàng Sơn Nowadays, there are 1025/2063 households who specialized in producing the carpentry (account for 49,68% of households) Advantages of this form are utilization of labor force in family Producers can combine to use land as production place and living of their family Extent of households have offent 4 - 5 regular labors and hired season labors depend on work situation In the family, head of household who has main role

- Form of private economy: Appearance of private enterprises, limited liability company is

considered as consistent adaption with the current conditions, especially, raw materials for production are not available in local In 2010, there are 43 private enterprises and Ltd Specialized in business in supply sector of wood and production accessories It is considered as a form of distribution mainly which ensuring input material source for carpentry’s production Manager in these form are young persons The extent of labor usually ranges around 10 people

or more depends on production situation Almost of production, business households in Chàng Sơn have applied many medias, Internet to advertise and expand the market of village

2.2.1.4 Production conditions of village

- Issue of infrastructure: To meeting the development needs of carpentry as well as other

industries, infrastructure system has been invested, upgraded by local government Traffic road system of internal village is extended, concreted Electricity system for production is invested, upgraded with 3 transformer stations which have total capacity of 890KVA They have been met ably for production demand, however, production of carpentry still is limited because of narrow internal road and situation of rotational electricity cut Area of prodution land is lack, average area of household is only 144 m2, so productive action of carpentry has many differences The households have to use their house as well as production place That causes serious pollution of

living space, productive space in village To solving this problem, the local government has planned 10,73ha of land area of industrial concluster and park depend on resolution of Hà Tây People's Committee (former), Hà Nội People's Committee It contributes to extends area of production land However, planning speed is slow, lack of management, so scarcity of productive land area is still common in Chàng Sơn

- Issue of capital resource: In Chàng Sơn, loan demand for expanding and investing in

production equipment is very large Besides self-funding, the almost of households have to borrow through bank system Loan amount ranges from 50 millions VND to many billions VND depends on production extent of households Today, the anti-inflation policy has limited households’s ability of capital loan, impacted to production rate of carpentry

- Issue of labors: Labor in village is rich in the number, its quality is raised increasingly;

Labor structure has been strongly shifted toward increasing the small industry - basis construction and service - trade, reducing the agriculture In 2005, propertion of small industry – basis construction is 65% and 5% in the service – trade and 30% in the agriculture Labors join

in making the carpentry is account for over 80% They include many labor parts from artisans to women and children They are paid different wages depend on workmanship and job’s level Average income of a labor is 18 millions VND/year However, lack of labors who have high cultural standard, technological standard caused disadvantages for applying the new technology

in productive management and business toward centralized model

- The provision and use of input materials: In Chàng Sơn village, materials of production

are imported by companies, enterprises in village Nowadays, there are about 20 companies, enterprises specialized in provide kinds of wood They import millions of wood m3 Main supply

is domestic market and other countries such as Laos, Thailand, Combodia, Germany etc This creats a close relation between supply enterprises with productive households, enterprise with enterprise to brings mutual economic benefits Moreover, it helps to develop Chàng Sơn traditional carpentry toward the industrialization and modernization

- Management issue of village: The almost of productive households and private

enterprises in Chàng Sơn are developed by forms of spontaneous, fragmentary and lack of management So, coherence of production units is not high in village It does not establishs any association of handicraft village to gathers artisans who has enthusiasm for traditional carpentry

It develops carpentry toward sustainable trend, improves income for villagers

2.2.2 The cultural life of community: In the Chàng Sơn village, production element and

cultural element have always a close relation Therefore, if we want to understand about Chàng

Sơn traditional carpentry village, we need to understand on cultural elements around it

2.2.2.1 Relationship between carpentry with other jobs in village: It is established on 2

basic aspects of economy and society Through, we can see dominant and covering natures of carpentry to others in village It facilitates to develop together with other jobs and forms a bond between handicraft with handicraft, handicraft with belief and cultural values in village Cohesion of community is presented through roles of solving the local employment for villagers, raising income, improving the quality of life and restricting the situation of free migration

2.2.2.2 The relationship among carpentry and culture, belief of the villagers: In this part,

we do not describe elements of tangible culture and intangible culture but also focus research it

in the relation with sustainable development of village

- System of tangible culture: It is occupational heritage values of old artisans such as

community hall, pagoda, etc and considered as a embodiment of talent and sophistication of Chàng Sơn’s artisans We will deeply study on meaning of community hall and Van Vo temple

restored, built again; Its architectural space is arranged in the style of the Chinese character đinh

( ), contained the talent of Chàng Sơn handicraftmen Moreover, đình is also a place to worship

the village deity (thành hoàng làng) Tản Viên Sơn Tinh - job’s ancestor of Vietnamese – and system of tiền hiền, in which has Phó Sần ancestor

Văn Võ temple: On architectural aspect, Văn Võ temple has not high artistic value but it is

considered as a cultural address honoring the tradition of education and occupation Its system of

worship characters is tiền hiền, hậu hiền of confucianism and celebrities of village Văn Võ

temple offents show incense-burning ceremonies to remembers Phó Sần carpentry’s ancestor on 15/1 (Lunar) per year

- Intangible culture: System of intangible of Chàng Sơn is associated with consciousness

and belief of career It is showed through festival, belief in worshipping ancestors of carpentry and traditional water puppetry The traditional festival of village is held mainly on 18/7 (lunar) per year It includes 2 main part which are the ceremony and the assembly This combination has created a close, linked relation for villagers and it is also crystallisation of religious ideology around the form of collective worship – village deity – in folk mind What we want to emphasize

is festival more or less related the belief in worshipping ancestors of carpentry (Saint Tản Viên, Phó Sần) About this belief, Chàng Sơn is one of handicraft villages which worship job’s ancestor There seems to be the overlapping existence of three carpentry's ancestors: 1 Saint Tản Viên; 2 Phó Sần; 3 Nguyễn Đường This makes the integration and reconcilement between

village deity and job’s ancestor to enhences more the beaty of traditional culture honoring,

respecting talent persons It is also express gratitude of villagers with job’s ancestors who have taugh handicraft for them although this transmission is more or less, direct or indirect However, there is only Phó Sần who worshiped in whole village The tribute incense for him is held at Văn

Võ temple on 15/1 lunar per year; Nguyễn Đường job’s ancestor is worshiped in range of Phí Bá clan due to he had handing down for them Generally, worshipping the job’s ancestor whether village or clan, it has also contributed to enhancing the occupational tradition and expressing the moralism of drinking water, memoring source of Chàng Sơn villagers Besides these belief forms, water puppetry of Chàng Sơn village is famous in whole country and foreign due to its uniqueness and having the clarity occupational mind Puppet artists are also the talented, skillful handicraftmen They manipulate, control the puppet troops vividly associate subjects of daily life and production life Puppets and water puppetry are considered embody completely for cultural values and occupational nation of Chàng Sơn village

2.2.3 Evaluation of current development of Chàng Sơn traditional carpentry village

2.2.3.1 Economic development situation: In the current market mechanism, Chàng Sơn’s

handicraftmen have found development trend of production by combination between conservation, development of traditional wooden products with market wooden products So, its products are diverse and abundant which has dominated domestic market, gradually exported foreign market Common form of production in Chàng Sơn is household and units of private production which developed rapidly In the production process, there is combination between traditional manual production and applying the technology, machine for some production stages Therefore, it has reduced the labor, raised quality and performance of products Associating the development of traditional handicraft village with constructing new countryside has promoted the development of carpentry The economic structure is shifted strongly toward increasing the small industry - basis construction, service - trade, reducing the agriculture In 2010, proportion

of small industry - basis construction is 61%, 35,5% in the service - trade and the agriculture is only 3,5% That has contributes solving the jobs for local labors and labors in surrounding area, restricting the situation of free migration However, this devepment is fragmentative, lack of planning, not close reconhence of economic units leads to lower economic assistance and weaker competitive of products than other villages Especially, capital investment for production has

many disadvantages due to anti-inflation policy of government today

2.2.3.2 Status of cultural, educational and social development: The economic

development of traditional handicraft village is a element which dominates to activities of culture, education, society in Chàng Sơn today When economic life is enhanced, villagers focus training and improving the knowledge standard for their children Infrastructure of education is invested, constructed Today, there are 3 kindergartens, 1 primary school and 1 secondary school