Gold laminating and gilding in Kieu Ky village

The Kieu Ky gold laminating craft village (Gia Lam district, Hanoi) has a history of about 400 years. Through ups and downs, people still retain their traditional profession with stages that require ingenuity and sophistication.

Ultra-thin gold leaves for gilding are distinctive products made by artisans in Kieu Kỵ commune, Gia Lam district, Hanoi, which cannot be found elsewhere in Vietnam (Photo: Tran Viet/VNA)

Gold leave making is a sophisticated work which requires consummate skill and patience as artisans need to complete eight major steps with dozens of small tasks (Photo: Tran Viet/VNA)

Artisan Nguyen Van Chung’s workshop (Hoang Hieu/VNA)

Gold leave making is a sophisticated work which requires consummate skill and patience as artisans need to complete eight major steps with dozens of small tasks (Photo: Tran Viet/VNA)

Gold leave making is a sophisticated work which requires consummate skill and patience as artisans need to complete eight major steps with dozens of small tasks (Photo: Tran Viet/VNA)

Gold leave making is a sophisticated work which requires consummate skill and patience as artisans need to complete eight major steps with dozens of small tasks (Photo: Tran Viet/VNA)

Artisan Nguyen Van Chung’s workshop (Hoang Hieu/VNA)

To create a smooth and shiny golden coat for products, gilding craftsmen need to overlay the products with super-thin gold leaves while the paintwork is still wet (Photo: Tran Viet/VNA)

To create a smooth and shiny golden coat for products, gilding craftsmen need to overlay the products with super-thin gold leaves while the paintwork is still wet (Photo: Tran Viet/VNA)

To create a smooth and shiny golden coat for products, gilding craftsmen need to overlay the products with super-thin gold leaves while the paintwork is still wet (Photo: Tran Viet/VNA)

To create a smooth and shiny golden coat for products, gilding craftsmen need to overlay the products with super-thin gold leaves while the paintwork is still wet (Photo: Tran Viet/VNA)

To create a smooth and shiny golden coat for products, gilding craftsmen need to overlay the products with super-thin gold leaves while the paintwork is still wet (Photo: Tran Viet/VNA)

(Photo: Tran Viet/VNA)

(Photo: Tran Viet/VNA)

Kieu Ky people built a temple dedicated to Nguyen Quy Tri to show their gratitude to the ancestor of the craft (Photo: Tran Viet/VNA)

Kieu Ky people built a temple dedicated to Nguyen Quy Tri to show their gratitude to the ancestor of the craft (Photo: Tran Viet/VNA)

Kieu Ky people built a temple dedicated to Nguyen Quy Tri to show their gratitude to the ancestor of the craft (Photo: Tran Viet/VNA)

Kieu Ky people built a temple dedicated to Nguyen Quy Tri to show their gratitude to the ancestor of the craft (Photo: Tran Viet/VNA)

VNA