Vietnamese folk paintings have a very long history, once had a very strong development, today it is somewhat reduced but still preserved in some craft villages and some families making paintings. Due to being born to meet the cultural and spiritual needs of the people, closely attached to the daily life of rural people, the subject of the painting is very diverse. Painting reflects not only something closest to the people but also the sacred and noble things in the paintings.

Folk paintings should be in large quantity for the people but the prices are not expensive. That is the reason why the painter used the method of plank engraving and has since then printed many pictures. In general, the main method is to use engraved planks. The planks are mainly made of wood.

Coming to Co Loa vestige site, visitors will discover activities to create a traditional painting. Artisans have engraved on the wooden embossed lines to show the lines of relics and artifacts about the Co Loa vestige site such as: Co Loa citadel, Thuong temple, the bronze drum, Lien Chau crossbow ... The painting are directily printed on Do paper. The characteristics of this paper are very highly durable, light porous, not blurred when drawing, less prone to termites, or brittle, damp. With very high moisture resistance, Do paper helps paintings not to be moldy and will last for a long time. Visitors are guided and provided materials (ink, printing board, Do paper, ...). Then use a roller to dip into the ink bowl (not too dark), fill the ink on the ink cover, get the woodblock lightly stamped to even the ink, align with the paper, hold the paper upside down by one hand, use the loofah to rub evenly the back of the paper, count 1.2.3 and peel off  the picture. Waiting for the painting to dry, visitors keep them  as souvenirs.

Putting the images of relics and artifacts into the folk paintings to help the vestige come closer to the community to understand and practice is also an effective way to preserve the national  cultural heritages.

Students experience printing painting at the Co Loa vestige site

               MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT OF COLOA VESTIGE SITE