| Description |
The Traditional Bronze Casting of Che village (Tra Dong) has a history of thousands of years and has been preserved, maintained and promoted to this day. According to legend, the profession dates back to the end of the Tien Le dynasty and the beginning of the Ly dynasty, brought to the village by two people with the surname Vu. The mold-making stage with two types of outer molds and molds is the most important. Bronze casting tools include: a pot, a tube and a fire-blowing tank. The main materials are copper and metals mixed according to a secret formula. The fuel for cooking copper is coal. The melting temperature is about 800 to 1000 degrees Celsius. The practitioner is male. When cooking, the craftsman observes by experience to know when to pour it into the mold. When pouring copper into the mold, the copper must flow evenly and pour continuously until it is full. They have experience so that the copper expands and releases gas quickly, does not stick to the mold and cracks the product. The final stage is to cool and polish the product.
Many bronze casting products are rich in form and diverse in types and are consumed nationwide and exported abroad. With skillful and talented hands, artisans have restored traditional products such as: casting bronze drums, bronze gongs, bronze statues, worship items, incense burners, animal figures... and the most outstanding is the art of casting Dong Son bronze drums with sophisticated patterns and details according to ancient patterns and designs. Currently, the number of establishments maintaining and developing the bronze casting profession in Tra Dong craft village is more than 130 households. These establishments provide regular jobs for nearly 400 workers. In 2018, The Traditional Bronze Casting of Che village (Tra Dong), Thieu Trung commune, Thieu Hoa district, Thanh Hoa province was recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage. |
