XQ Historical Village
It's a big chance to watch charming ladies in Áo Dài (Vietnamse traditional dress) sitting with the embroidery frames and producing remarkably beautiful works.
Located on the beachside Tran Phu Street, in the heart of the tourist hub, XQ Historical Village is a private wonderland of the art of embroidery. In this lively craft village, visitors can immerse themselves in admiration of the intricate embroidery works and take in some of the historic photographs and items on display.
XQ Historical Village
Since the ancient time, embroidery and needle have become Vietnamese women's best friend. That time, art of embroidery skills became one of the measures for women's virtues. The image of graceful women working on tambours was once a very familiar sight, which all older people have strong memories about when they are at work. Nowadays, it is not commonly seen, but in XQ Historical Village, people can still get a chance to take a look at women in Vietnamese traditional costume "ao dai" working on tambours with beautiful embroidery.
Women doing embroidery in XQ
Created in 1999, XQ is the brainchild of Madam Hoang Le Xuan, a Royal lady born in Hue, and her husband Sir Vo Van Quan. They are a talented artistic couple who first conceived the idea to combine the traditional art of embroidery and painting. Different from a normal picture created by pencil or brush, handmade silk embroidery is intertwined with traditional music, poetry and painting. The artists believe that working in the right atmosphere is vital to help express the ideas and beauty that the original artist first conceived. Hence, one can hear music and poetry within the working spaces and gallerys as it is not only a showroom, but also an active and functioning artists’ studio. That is also the reason why the artists only work on their embroidery at the historical village, inspired by harmonious music, the emotive melodies of poems while sipping flavorful Vietnamese tea! The process is long and intricate, with a great number of craftsmen and artists involved in its final creation.
Open from 7:30am until 10:00pm, XQ Historical Village, with its ancient architecture, superb works of art and working craftsmen is a uniquely cultural location for anyone visiting Nha Trang. If you are an appreciator of fine art, then it is even more impressive, and you will be very tempted to take something home. They say, “A picture tells a thousand words”, but the original works here are far more expressive than that, telling a thousand years or more of art, culture and traditon in Vietnam.
