Handicrafts in Central Vietnam under the French colonial period

Abstract

Handicrafts in Vietnam in general and in Annam (Central Vietnam) in particular have been a long tradition and always closely linked to agriculture and rural life. During the French colonial period, the penetration of trade and commodity economy caused handicrafts tended to differentiate: some crafts suffered a decline due to external competition such as making cotton, silk…, some crafts were under government’s control such as producing alcohol
and salt. Despite of many fluctuations due to French policy, some crafts had successfully stabilized and developed in Annam in the early years of the twentieth century. In this article, we explore some typical handicrafts in the French colonial period in Annam. On that basis, we provide some comments on the role of handicrafts for the lives of people in Central Vietnam during the French colonial period.