The brocade weaving village Lung Tam Ha Giang is located not far from Quan Ba heaven gate. Lung Tam is a small valley between four rocky mountains and a river flowing through the Mien river. Coming to the village, visitors have the chance to get a deeper insight into the long-standing tradition of linen weaving of the H’mong ethnic on Dong Van karst plateau.
The Lung Tam linen weaving village of The Mong people is popular with both domestic and foreign tourists. Come to Lung Tam weaving village, besides buying unique gifts. You can learn the uniqueness of an old brocade weaving village of Ha Giang mountain land.
Linen weaving in Lung Tam Ha Giang is a traditional handicraft with a long history, not only generating income for households in Lung Tam village but also contributing to preserving the traditional cultural values of Mong people.
Lung Tam linen weaving village produces a variety of products such as clothes, purses, towels, blankets, tablecloths, brocade bags, decorative sheets, pillow covers, etc. The highlight of the products is 100% linen material and hand-made by manual method from ancient times till now.
Linen weaving is an heirloom of many H’mong families in Lung Tam. In the past, cloth was made only to serve the needs of the family. Because the process of making products was completely done manually, the productivity is not high. Moreover, due to the lack of sensitivity to the market, Lung Tam’s linen products are little known to outside consumers.
The main material to make brocade sheets is from flax fibers. The flax trees are grown in the commune or surrounding area and selected very carefully, after soaking and plucking will separate each strand.
Next, H’mong women will boil and steam the flax. The dyeing process is also very special. All colors are made from forest leaves such as tea, guava or brown tubers or other wood with absolutely no industrial chemicals.
The Mong people in Lung Tam prefer flax linen over cotton, saying that flax is more durable than cotton. Moreover, they perceive that linen is the bridge that connects people to the spiritual world.
They believe that flax yarn is a guide for the dead to return to their ancestors and reincarnate as a human. For the Mong people, weaving linen also shows skill and hard work and becomes one of the criteria for evaluating a woman’s talent and virtue.
The linen weaving products of the Lung Tam Ha Giang are mostly exported to foreign markets, rarely appearing in the domestic market, so many people may not know these sophisticated handmade products.
Each textile product has traditional patterns, the images have their own meanings and are mainly motifs of the Mong people on this land. You can hear the loom sound of weaving looms right from the top of the village or you can see large molds for stretching and flax or big brocade hanging on the fence around the house.
Not only good at weaving, but Mong people in Lung Tam also have indigo dyeing techniques that are hardly anywhere else. Indigo dyeing is hard work, takes a lot of time and requires a lot of patience.
Want the indigo black as you like, the fabric must be dyed over and over again, many days. People often soak cloth in indigo solution for about an hour, then take it out to drain and then soak again.
That process was repeated 5-6 times before drying the fabric. When the cloth is dry, it is brought in to soak again; like that about 8-10 times. Soaking time for fabric on glossy black water depends heavily on the weather.
How to go to Lung Tam village?
How to get to Lung Tam village: When you start to leave Ha Giang city, go about 50km to the twin mountains and Quan Ba heaven-gate. Afterward, follow the pass to go through Tam Son town, then go through Tam Son petrol station for a few more kilometers to reach the place called Cua Tay in Coc Ma village (there are seven crabs). Go to the 7th bend and turn right on the small road leading to Lung Tam Ha Giang.
Interesting experiences when traveling to Lung Tam
Traveling Ha Giang, coming to Lung Tam linen weaving village, you can explore and learn or sit or weave or hand sewn with women here. Witness the meticulousness, skill, and patience of the Mong woman. You will see all the hard and challenging stages to make an exceptional product.
In the past, linen was often woven and made for dresses worn during festivals or New Year, now used to make dozens of different souvenir products.
After exploring and understanding each stage of linen weaving, you can also continue your journey to explore other destinations in Ha Giang. Such as the Dong Van stone plateau, the majestic Quan Ba mountain, or the pine forest in Yen Minh.
