Foreign tourists try carpentry at Temple of Literature in Hanoi

As they walked through the shaded grounds of the Temple of Literature, Alexandra's children, who were visiting from France, were drawn to the steady tapping sounds coming from a wood-carving workshop.

"I thought this was a wonderful opportunity to take a break and try making handicrafts with everyone. It is such a great idea, especially for my children.

"They chose to carve the Vietnamese flag because they are having so much fun on their trip to Vietnam. A souvenir featuring the Vietnamese flag will be a lovely memory of their vacation," Alexandra said after spending 30 minutes at the workshop.

This is Alexandra's second trip to Vietnam, 20 years after her first visit. 

This time, she is traveling with her husband and their three children.

"When I met my husband, he told me that he wanted to visit Vietnam with his family one day. So a few months ago, when we were thinking about our next vacation, we decided on Vietnam.

"This is the first time we have tried a craft activity like this. My husband was even telling our son that perhaps we could buy a similar kit when we return to France, so the children can practice their patience and develop their skills," Alexandra said.

The wood-carving experience is part of the 'Bringing Crafts to the Streets' series, organized by the management board of the Temple of Literature and Bui Trong Quan, a woodworker from Ngoc Than craft village in Hanoi.

According to Quan, Vietnam's traditional woodworking craft dates back thousands of years, with many wooden doors and statues still preserved today. 

Yet the craft largely remains confined to craft villages and is kept alive by artisans.

"We have always wondered how to bring the craft beyond the villages and the hands of artisans. It needs to be brought into public spaces, where local people and visitors can see and experience the craft for themselves. That is how the craft can stay alive," Quan said.

This led to the creation of a hands-on craft space at the Temple of Literature. 

Visitors can learn about and try using simple woodworking tools such as mallets, chisels and carving boards.

The carving boards feature a variety of patterns and motifs, all centered around the theme of learning and scholarship.

According to Quan, the Temple of Literature is closely associated with Vietnam's tradition of valuing education and academic achievement. 

Allowing visitors to make a craft inspired by this tradition themselves can therefore leave a lasting impression, he said. 

After nearly two months of trial runs and 13 workshops, the 'Bringing Crafts to the Streets' program has attracted nearly 2,000 visitors.

After learning about the activity on social media, Nguyen Thi Khanh Huyen, a student at the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, came with a friend to try her hand at wood carving.

"I expected it to be crowded and knew I would have to wait, but I was still surprised to see that not only young people but also many foreign tourists were eager to try it. I had to wait 30 minutes for a seat.

"After watching videos online, I thought the simple patterns would be easy to carve. But once I got here, I realized that carving wood is not simple at all. Most people take about 30 minutes to finish their pieces," Huyen said.

The 'Bringing Crafts to the Streets' workshops are free and held every Saturday and Sunday at the Temple of Literature, from 9:00 to 11:30 am and from 1:30 to 5:00 pm, from June 20 through August 20, 2026.