Hoi An Silk Journey in Vietnam-International Silk and Brocade Culture Festival 2019

August 9, 2019, during the Vietnam-International Silk and Brocade Culture Festival, accompanied by Le Thai Vu, chairman of Hoi An Silk Group, International Silk Union (ISU) delegation started a day “Hoi An Silk Journey”, visited silk special attractions and world cultural heritage including site of Giao Thuy Silk Reeling Factory, Ma Chau Silk Village, My Son Sanctuary, and Hoi An Old Town. After then, attended the cultural festival celebration dinner.

ISU delegation was invited to visit the site of Giao Thuy Silk Reeling Factory, which was the largest silk reeling factory established by the French in Hoi An, Vietnam. Now, On the basis of the original industrial sites, Hoi An Silk Group re-planned and developed, and planned to build a silk industrial site museum and 1000 hectares of mulberry gardens, supporting hotels to create a silk-themed comprehensive tourist resort.

Silk Industry Site Museum Planning Map

In terms of building industrial sites, Vietnam Television (VTV) interviewed Fei Jianming, secretary-general of ISU, he said that there are many successful industrial sites in China, which is conducive to the protection of local industrial civilization, by combining industrial heritage with modern design concepts and contemporary lifestyles, industrial protection can be truly realized.

Later, ISU delegation visited the My Son Sanctuary, It is the Hindu Champod Kingdom that once ruled the central and southern parts of Vietnam for 14 centuries.  In 1999, it was included in the World Cultural Heritage List by UNESCO.

On the afternoon, the delegation visited Ma Chau Silk Village, famous for its 16th century silk activities. As early as the 15th century, Ma Chau silk was mainly supplied to officials of the court. The use of mechanical equipment began at the end of the 19th century, greatly improving production efficiency.

The delegation visited the process of silk reeling, warping, weaving, jacquard, degumming, finishing, etc., to understand the local weaving skills and feel the silk culture atmosphere of Silk Village. As the origin of silk, China has spread to Vietnam through the “Maritime Silk Road”, and in the future communication and cooperation, it has greatly promoted the development of the local silk industry. Ma Chau is one of the 18 handicraft villages in Vietnam, and it has become one of the must-see places in Hoi An in the annual “heritage tour” of Quang Nam.

In Ma Chau Silk Village, secretary-general Fei accepted an interview with the Vietnam Radio Stations and shared the exchanges and cooperation of silk industry in various countries and the platform role of ISU in the international silk industry exchange.

The last route of Silk Journey was Hoi An Old Town, ISU delegation took the boat along the Thu Bon River all the way to the east, enjoy the scenery and ancient villages along the way, and come to the Hoi An Old Town.

It is a well-preserved traditional trading port in Southeast Asia. In 1999, it was listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The old city is full of Chinese and Japanese architecture, the streets are criss-crossed, and the orange-colored houses are decorated with various handicrafts and silk costumes, especially Ao Dai.

In the evening, the delegation attended the closing ceremony of  Vietnam-International Silk and Brocade Culture Festival 2019. Chairman Le Thai Vu once again expressed his gratitude to the guests and arranged a celebration party to invite everyone to enjoy the performance and dinner. Secretary-general Fei presented a gift to the chairman Le Thai Vu and expressed his gratitude. The representatives of ISU member units toasted to the chairman for thanks, and  congratulated to the success of the event.