Jewellers stick to their roots on Hang Bac

 Holding his tweezers with trembling hands, trying to lock a tiny silver bracelet, Nguyen Chi Thanh is stuck in concentration, not even pausing to wipe a falling bead of sweat from his brow.
Sixty-year-old Thanh is one of the very few experienced goldsmiths left on Hang Bac (Silver) Street, one of the oldest streets in the Old Quarter of Ha Noi, and one that has retained much of its traditional trade over the centuries.
Thanh and his relatives have been through some tough times over the years, in terms of political and economic turmoil, but they have always maintained their family’s traditional craft.
"Everything will be fine, if you have a passion for what you do," he says.
With a 10sq.m shop facing the popular street, Thanh could make an easier living renting out his store for around US$1,500 per month and spend his time travelling around the country rather than sitting at his old table with his obsolete tools, in his dark corner every day.
"This is my life, my family’s traditional business," Thanh says. "People will say that it’s trite to talk about family pride, but it exists within everyone."
Sitting at a table behind him, Thanh’s 25-year-old son, Nguyen Manh Tuan, is wrapped up in his work, filing down an ancient coin-shaped earring with a needle-thin tool. The young man slowly moves the jewellery in his hand as he gently etches away zigzag patterns with the thin awl.
Having tried different jobs like bartender and tour guide, Tuan finally decided to follow his father’s profession two years ago.
"Everyone wants to do something for themselves; and I was just the same. But the more people I met, the more I thought of my father and my family, and I realised that nothing would ever inspire me more than working with these treasures," says Tuan.
"Since I’ve worked with many people from different countries and cultures, I have been able to come up with different designs and ideas from the other shops in the area," he says.
With the invasion of new technologies, jewellery products have become easier to produce. Tuan has to think of new ways to break though into the market and avoid being taken over by wealthy, new immigrants to the street.
According to vice chairman of Hang Bac Ward’s People’s Committee, Vo Ha Bac, 60 out of 160 household businesses along the street trade jewellery. Another 10 households trade jewellery-related components such as tools and boxes.
Back to history
Hang Bac, which is 280m long, begins at the intersection between Hang Be, Hang Ngang and Hang Dao streets.
Based on a stele at No 58, the name Hang Bac has been given to the street since the 15th century, when King Le Thanh Tong (1469-1497) assigned Luu Xuan Tin, then the Minister of the Interior, to establish an ingot factory for the court. The minister then returned to his village, Trau Khe in Hai Duong Province, which was famous for silver casting, to bring casters into the capital to work in the factory.
After a ceremony to transfer their craft from their village to Ha Noi, they set up two temples, Truong and Kim Ngan, to honour the founders of their craft. At Truong Temple, currently at No 50, the silver was melted down and poured into moulds. At the Kim Ngan Temple, now at No 42, the moulds were further processed for delivery to the minister.
At the turn of the 18th century, the street took on more varied functions. In addition to the casting of silver ingot, the street attracted more jewellery makers and moneychangers.
The factory has been closed since the beginning of the 19th century, when the capital was moved to Hue. However, the street kept its original craft, though since then money exchanges have become much more popular along the road. During the French colonial period, the street was named Rue des Changeurs, or Exchange Street. Although paper currency was later used, the word bac was still used when referring to the businesses.
Later on, goldsmiths from Dinh Cong Village founded a temple dedicated to the three Tran brothers, who learned their art in China during the 6th century, and who are considered the patron saints of Vietnamese jewellery.
Residents of Hang Bac have changed throughout the years. Only a few households have retained their family businesses. Original Hang Bac’s residents have moved to other regions and overseas since 1954, since the liberation of northern Viet Nam and during nationalisation, during which the State controlled all private businesses.
Most of the houses facing the street have been rebuilt or upgraded due to poor conditions.
Under the national restoration plan for Ha Noi’s Old Quarter, the city will pick some of the oldest houses at numbers 47, 51, 97 and 100 that reflect ancient architectural styles along each street, and invest money into the restoration of these homes.
However, details have not yet been finalised, due to a lack of budget.