Famed artisan of Hue invited overseas to cast bronze bells
Born into a family that has cast bronze items in Hue City for several generations, Nguyen Van Sinh has pursued the tradition to become a well-known bronze caster.
Mr. Sinh (second from right) donates a bronze drum to the Museum of Antiquities of the Hue Imperial Court.
In 1954, at the age of 16, Mr. Sinh quit school to learn the craft. In 1977, he joined the Thang Loi bronze casting cooperative and produced many valuable works to serve spiritual beliefs.
In 2000 he cast the bronze statue (10 meters high and weighing 22 tons) of Great General and national hero Tran Hung Dao, which is now located at Vi Hoang Park in the northern city of Nam Dinh. He then made a 30-ton bell for the Bai Dinh Temple in Ninh Binh province and many huge bells for other provinces.
Sinh has also been invited to many countries around the world, including Laos, Thailand, India, Japan, Australia, France, and the United States, to cast bells.
In 2004, he went to India to cast a three-ton bell, carved with a Buddhist prayer in English, Vietnamese and Sanskrit. In 2008 he travelled to Japan to make a three-storey bell tower.
According to Sinh, bronze bell casting has two distinct elements: technique and spirit. To cast a good bell with a nice sound, artisans must comply with casting techniques, using standard materials, proper blending, and precise molding. They must also ensure the right temperature of bronze.
"Casting bells and statues is different from the other crafts and fine art trades because it reflects the spiritual life and beliefs of the people," Sinh said.
To preserve the craft, Sinh has not only transferred trade secrets to his sons but also trained many skilled young workers in Hue City.
Sinh is now the Chair of the Hue City Fine-Art Handicrafts Association and a commissioner of the Vietnam Craft Village Association. The Thua Thien-Hue province has proposed to the President that he be awarded the title of "People's Artisan" in 2015.
