Ngu Xa bronze casting village
Overview:
- Located in the west of Hanoi, Ngu Xa village emerges as a small peninsula nestled by Truc Bach Lake. This is the place where beautiful and durable brass products are produced for the ancient Thang Long citadel.
- Over time, the Ngu Xa bronze casting profession was respected and flourished. At that time, Ngu Xa bronze casting was considered as one of the four elite professions of ancient Thang Long. This is expressed in the sentence: “Yen Thai flower gardener, Bat Trang pottery, Dinh Cong goldsmith, Ngu Xa bronzer".
- Ngu Xa Village is located on the banks of Truc Bach Lake in the west of Hanoi, Truc Bach Lake connects with the immense West Lake. Around the shore of West Lake, there are famous handicraft villages of Thang Long citadel for many centuries – flower weaving and Yen Thai do paper craft, Ngu Xa bronze casting… Ngu Xa means 5 villages (Eastern). Mai, Chau My, Thuong Village, Dien Tien and Dao Nien belong to Van Lam – Hai Hung and Thuan Thanh – Ha Bac districts) which have handicraft casting profession. People of 5 villages moved to Thang Long to set up a business and establish a new craft village, taking the name Ngu Xa to remember their 5 original villages. They organized into separate craft wards, called Ngu Xa bronze casting ward.
History:
- Ngu Xa bronze casting village has a long history, nearly 500 years old now. According to historical records: Around the Le dynasty (1428-1527), the people of 5 villages of Dong Mai, Chau My, Long Thuong, Dien Tien and Dao Vien whose names were the villages of Ha, Dragon, Di Thuong, Di Ha… ) belonging to Van Lam district – Hung Yen and Thuan Thanh district – Bac Ninh today, which had a bronze casting profession, went to Thang Long citadel to take a stance on minting coins and worshiping objects. Here, they had a chance to set up a career, create a new village on Thang Long land and take the name Ngu Xa, which means 5 villages to remember their 5 original villages. Later, the village was organized into a separate craft ward, called Ngu Xa bronze casting ward, now Ngu Xa street, in Ba Dinh district – Hanoi.
- In the last years of the 21st century, the bronze casting village of Ngu Xa was affected by the process of urbanization, the traditional bronze casting industry was narrowed down and replaced by a new neighborhood with many famous culinary services of Hanoi, especially Hanoi. Especially the famous dish noodle rolls, a new, fancy and strange dish unique to Hanoi today, the dish attracts many young men and women and domestic and foreign tourists to enjoy.
- Currently, there is Ngu Xa Pagoda (the name is Than Quang Tu or Phuc Long Tu, built in the 18th century, worshiping Buddha and the forefather of the bronze casting profession Nguyen Minh Do not take the name Than Quang after the main temple to worship him in Thai Binh). and Ngu Xa Temple to worship Mother
Product:
- The success of the Ngu Xa people in casting bronze products for several hundred years has confirmed their strange talent. Besides creative intelligence, precise eyes, skillful hands and careful virtue, the craftsman also has long-standing professional know-how and experience. The secret of bronze casting of Ngu Xa, according to tradition, is in the stages of mold making, copper cooking, and pouring copper into products.
- The bronze statues and worshiping objects of Ngu Xa were present in many large communal houses and pagodas in Vietnam. One of the most mentioned products of Ngu Xa is the statue of Amitabha Buddha at Than Quang Pagoda located in Ngu Xa village. The statue is 3.95 m high, the distance between the knees is 3.60 m, there are no errors in casting technique. Other famous works such as the black bronze Tran Vu statue in Quan Thanh temple cast in 1677, the One Pillar Pagoda bell is also recognized by many documents as the product of the Ngu Xa bronze casting artists.
Jobs:
Families who still practice bronze casting are now only making handicrafts such as copper urns, bronze trays, bronze bells, etc., but all are small in size, in which part of it serves the needs of the local community. Foreign tourists. Those who have been away for a long time, returning to Ngu Xa village for a long time, must not help but feel sad when the soul of Ngu Xa village is no longer there.
Ancestors:
Right at the temple of Ngu Xa village named Than Quang Pagoda, there is a product that is considered very delicate and very magnificent. It is a statue of Maitreya Buddha nearly 4m high, weighing 11 tons, located on a bronze lotus with 96 petals, looking very majestic. Not only is this statue magnificent in size, but this statue is cast according to the hollow hollow technique, an esoteric technique that only Ngu Xa village has.
Booking center:
- Email: hanohandicrafttours@impresstravel.com
- Tel: (+84) 912 379 189 is available on Whatsapp, Zalo, Viber, Messenger.
- Keywords: Hanoi tours, Hanoi package tours, Hanoi city tour, Hanoi private tours, tours to explore outskirt of Hanoi.
Map of Ngu Xa bronze casting village
Private Tour to Ngu Xa bronze casting village and Hanoi package tours
Day 01
HANOI ARRIVAL – GREETING – HANOI CITY TOUR– Private Tour (L)
- Good morning, pick you up at Noi Bai International
- Airport and transfer to Hanoi Capital city.
- Check-in the hotel then have lunch at the restaurant.
- Afternoon sightseeing tour begins with a visit to President Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum ( closed on Monday and Friday, every afternoon, and whole from 15 June – 15 August, view the outside the building). Inside the mausoleum, there are sightseeing of the Presidential Palace (view from outside), President’s Fishpond, House On Stilts, and One Pillar Pagoda.
- Next, we will pay a visit to the Temple of Literature. It is where Confucius – The founder of Confucianism was worshiped. This place as known as the first National University of Vietnam. It is where kings, mandarins, talented people of Vietnam training to the functionary.
- To explore Thang Long Citadel ( Kinh Thien Palace, House D67, North Gate, Hau Lau)
- Our tour continues with an exciting visit. We will visit one of the most beautiful lakes in Hanoi is Hoan Kiem Lake. Then, we will go to the Ngoc Son Temple, which is in the middle of Hoan Kiem Lake.
- Continue a short walking tour around the old quarter with a tour guide.
Day Inclusions: Private A/C transfer, English-speaking tour guide in Hanoi, lunch, entrance fee, hotel in Hanoi
Day 02
HANOI – NINH BINH (TAM COC, HOA LU) TOUR (B/L)
- Good morning, have breakfast at the hotel.
- 7.30 – 8.00 AM: Pick you up at your hotel in the Old Quarter and transfer to Tam Coc.
- 8.00 – 10.00 AM: After two hours of transferring, our tour guide will introduce you to Vietnam as the history, culture, lifestyle of local people. On the conical hat, we will have a mini-game show to teach you how to say and write some Vietnamese simple words such as Xin Chào, Tạm Biệt, Tôi yêu Ninh Bình, etc. We will give you a little souvenir and you can wear it during the trip.
- 10 AM: We will prepare for a boat trip to visit the beautiful Tam Coc. It takes 1.30 hours rowing along the Ngo Dong river through the three mysterious caves. You can enjoy spectacular scenery surrounded by rice paddies and towering limestone mountain peaks.
- 11.30 AM: We will get on Thanh pier for a short walk to visit Thai Vi Temple, which is one of the well-known temples in Ninh Binh, Vietnam. We will continue 10 minutes walking along majestic valley with rice fields, rivers and lotus ponds for Tam Coc Nature Lodge where we will relaxing
- Enjoy your lunch in here – Vietnamese food.
- 1.30 PM: you have a chance to be a fisherman and learn how to catch the fish in the pond or river.
- 2:00 – 3:00 PM: We ride a bike to Thung Nang, along the river among the rice field, lotus ponds, and limestone Mountains. We will continue to through a peaceful Dan Khe Trong village. This area is a real picture of the rural countryside in the north of Vietnam.
- 15: 00: Return the van, drive to visit Hoa Lu Ancient citadel which was built in the 10th century, and the temple dedicated to King Dinh and King Le
- 4:00 PM: Back to Hanoi Capital.
- 18:30: Arrive in Hanoi & we will drop you at your hotel in the Old Quarter.
- Have dinner is available on your request.
- Overnight at the Hanoi Hotel.
Day Inclusions: Car/Mini-Van, Outstanding English speaking guide, Lunch – Vietnamese Cuisine at Tam Coc Nature Eco Lodge, All sightseeing tickets, Good bike with gears, 02 bottles of Mineral water, Services charges and government tax, Rowing boat to visit Tam Coc, One conical hat as souvenir, Demonstration of teaching to learn how to write, speak Vietnamese, and catch fish
Day 03
HANOI – HALONG CRUISE (B/L/D)
- Good morning! Enjoy your with have breakfast at your hotel, then check-out the hotel.
- 07:30 am – 08:00: Pick up from your hotel to travel to Halong Bay (notice: pickup time can be a bit flexible depending on each different Cruise, distance Hanoi – Halong bay is 160km, a stop for break time on halfway for a refreshment).
- You enjoy the drive and sightseeing the peaceful countryside scenery during the bus trip (4 hours), we arrive at the Ha Long bay seaport at around noontime.
- 12h 30: You will aboard the cruise, check-in & enjoy a welcome drink while your cabin will be assigned.
- Check-in your cabin and put your luggage in, relax and may do a short inspection tour by moving around the cruise to discover about the cruise’s architecture & design
- Enjoy the sumptuous lunch with fresh seafood meal while cruise slowly gliding out into the Halong bay.
- 15h00 – 16h00: Explore the amazing Sung Sot Cave – the most beautiful cave in Halong Bay.
- 16h00 – 17h00: Cruising to Titop Island. Go swimming and relaxing at the beach of Titop or climb up to the top of the island for a view panorama of Halong Bay.
- 17h00 – 17h30: Return to the boat, enjoying beautiful seascape on the way.
- 17h30 – 19h00: Enjoy Sunset Party on the sundeck and admire the best moments of the day when the sun starts to set.
Day Inclusions: Hotel breakfast, shuttle bus A/C transfer, English speaking tour guide on CRUISE only, entrance fee, full board, joint Cruise in Halong bay with private cabin (2 persons share 1 cabin)
HALONG BAY – HANOI (B/L)
Day 04
- Start your day with Tai Chi exercises or a photo hunt.
- 07h00 – 07h30 Have breakfast on board and enjoy the peaceful morning of Halong Bay.
- 08h30 – 09h30 Kayak among the hidden areas of the bay, around the Drum Cave.
- 09h45 Return to the boat. Freshen up and check out of your cabin.
- 10h00 – 10h30 Continue your cruise exploring the Bay, passing Ba Hang fishing village, Dog Islet, and more.
- 10h30 – 11h30 while heading back to the harbor, watch the fruit carving demonstration and participate in the Cooking Class before enjoying a traditional Vietnamese lunch.
- 11h45 – 12h00 Disembark V’Spirit Classic.
- 12h15 – 12h30 Transfer back to Hanoi.
- About 16:00 – Arrival back to Hanoi central city, recheck in the hotel
- Dinner is available on your request.
- Free time & Overnight in Hanoi city
Day 05
HANOI CITY CENTER TO NOI BAI AIRPORT – DEPARTURE (B)
- Good morning, enjoy breakfast at the hotel. Then, you have some free time to explore Hanoi city before going to Noi Bai airport for your scheduled flight.
- The end of the tour, thank you and see you again!
What’s included in this trip :
- A/C accommodation with DOUBLE or TWIN ROOM (2 persons share 1 room; single room can be available on request) with daily breakfast
- A/C transfer from Airports to the hotel and other tourist destinations according to the itinerary
- Bus round trip to Hanoi – Ha Long Bay; (private land transfer available on request)
- 2 days 1 night on Joint Cruise trip in Ha Long Bay, with DOUBLE or TWIN (2 persons share 1 cabin; single cabin can be available on request), full meals on board
- Kayaking in Ha Long Bay
- Meals as indicated in the itinerary. (Breakfast = 04; Lunch = 04; Dinner = 01)
- English- speaking guides as specified (Chinese/ Malaysian speaking guide can be available on request)
- Entrance fees
- Mineral water (2 bottles/ per day with sightseeing tour)
What’s excluded in this trip:
- All international and domestic flights
- Specified as Chinese/ Malaysian/ Indonesian/Thai speaking guide can be available on request to pay for extra-fee.
- Travel Insurance
- Airport taxes
- All meals not mentioned
- Tips for tour guides, drivers, crew members in Ha Long Bay, other attendants if may have (3 USD/pax/day)
- Other personal expenses not mentioned.
You feel like organized tour, but you are in a privet tour. Impress Travel make the different.
We went on a private trip to Vietnam and Cambodia, the whole trip plan was organized for us by the Impress Travel Company from Vietnam, the company did an amazing job, the whole trip was organized in a wonderful way with an amazing match between the various parties, their choices were correct and the quality of the hotels chosen were very high quality and it is important to note that the price was low in comparison To other agencies, thanks to Impress Travel and especially to Daniel who was tolerant and open to changes and organized the route for us.
Tour of Vietnam
Impress travel were amazing. Did my bookings with Daniel for our tour of Vietnam and I must say Daniel was very professional and prompt with his services. All the arrangement, plans, pick-up & drop-off services, hotels, vehicles, sightseeing tours and guides were spot on and excellent. Did 4 nights Hanoi, 1 night Hà Long Bay cruise, 3 nights Hoian, 4 nights Saigon and 1 night in Can Tho. It was totally awesome. Every part of the journey was superbly arranged and planned. I will highly recommend Impress Travel for anyone interested in visiting Vietnam. Very organized and reliable!
The tour was fantastic
I booked with Impress Travel in July. My contact person was Tommy Thang. He is an amazing person. He was very helpful. He changed my program twice for me. Very accommodating!
We started our holiday in the north (Sapa)of Vietnam and travelled down to HCMC.
The tour was fantastic, Tommy's arrangements were to the"T".
I will always use them if I have to visit the area again and recommend them to one and all.
Thank you once again Mr.Tommy and the Impress Team.
Sulaiman Pochee
Great value for money with 4 stars hotel
Great value for money with 4 stars hotel accommodation for 4 couples. The tour guide has been very helpful and brought us to amazing places in Sapa. We want to thanks Thuy the tour guide and especially Mark from Impress Travel for his great service and assurance throughout our trip. We’ll definitely use his service for other tour packages in other parts of Vietnam.
We enjoyed our holiday with Impress travel
This is the second time we travel to Vietnam with IMPRESS Travel. First time, we booked our holiday to Hanoi, Halong Bay & Sapa during Dec 2018 with Impress.
Second time, we travel to Hoi An, Hue & Danang (Central Vietnam) during Jan 2019.
My friends & I are very glad & happy with all the hotels stay in Central Vietnam, the meals provided are delicious. We are greatly appreciated with all the tour arrangement by Tommy & his team (tour guide).
Especially, Mr. NHAT C.V. He is helpful, cheerful, knowledgeable and very professional. He always volunteer to take a nice pictures for six of us (group) .
We enjoyed our holiday with Impress travel. We will definitely come back to Vietnam again with Impress
