For ages, bamboo ranges are the familiar images of Vietnamese countries. Cuong village of Hung Yen is the place treasuring that bamboo culture. “Cuong window shade and Hoi mat” is an old saying recalling a famous job in Cuong village (now called Da Quang, Di Che, Tien Lu). There were times when no villagers were unaware of doing the work. Children helps their parents with knitting the window shades after school. Weak elderly still try to convey this job to the next generations. To residents here...

Each year, the village produces and sells over 300,000 pieces of all kinds generating hundreds of VND. The average income per capita is from VND 700,000 to 800,000 per month. While the income is not so high, the elderly and dedicated artisans are still close to this traditional product to create jobs and earn money in their free time.

Bamboos in Vietnamese country are abundant. Bamboos grow in lush clusters on embankments or around the village like the solid walls embracing the village. Bamboo is the material for household gadget of Vietnamese people in general and villagers in particular. Some products are chopsticks, narrow bamboo beds, chairs, broad flat drying baskets and other farming products such as rakes, hoe handles. Clever hands of artisans shave the slender and smooth bamboo strips from rough ugly bamboos to make the window shades.

The bamboo window shade is the combination of numerous thin bamboo strips, assembled by solid and durable ties and then hung in the front door, window or on the altars in the family, communal house or temple.

The raw material must be old bamboo with long knots to make sure that the window shade is durable. Whether or not the window shades are beautiful depends on the strength and skills of artisans splitting bamboos. The selected bamboos are cut into pieces fitting sizes of each window shades and then split into smaller thin strips. Knitting is the final step implemented by children and the elderly provided that they are working fast. The window shades are sprayed with a layer of paint to keep them smooth and durable.

The bamboo window shades not only prevent sun, wind, dust or pests but they also reflects Vietnamese culture. They are normally rolled up to light up the house and put down to keep it private and secret at lunch time or whenever there is the important discussion in the family. In the village stores or restaurants, the bamboo window shades are the shelters for tourists to have comfortable rests.

Today, restaurants are mushrooming but there are a few that still keep these bamboo window shades. In addition, concreted canals, village roads, alleys diminish bamboo clusters. However, the simple beauty of bamboo window shades will never fade away.

Currently, the bamboo window shades are also made of other bamboo-like plants and becoming the favorite products. The combination between luxurious architecture and the rustic feature of bamboo window shades create pleasant atmosphere amid busy center of the city.

The bamboo window shades are popular and sold in large quantity due to its practical use in cultural and aesthetic life.

Each window shade contains sweat, effort, energy and dedication of rustic people. Cuong bamboo window shade is still maintained today. It is not only consumed within the province but it is also sold in neighbor regions and throughout the country.