Sung Thi Co, an elderly artisan from the former Ha Giang Province, gained global attention after saying a simple “Hello” to a tourist in a video that has drawn more than 12 million views.
Visitors to the mountainous region often stop at the Lung Tam linen weaving cooperative in Tuyen Quang Province, where Co continues practising the traditional Hmong technique of drawing patterns on linen with melted beeswax.
Traveller Linh, who recently visited the cooperative while touring the region, said she had already heard about the artisan through online videos shared by tourists.
“At the cooperative I met Co in person. She was smiling with a warm, toothless grin while carefully drawing patterns on linen with beeswax,” Linh said.
According to Vang Thi Mai, manager of the cooperative, Co began learning the craft at the age of 13 and has practised it for more than eight decades. She has also demonstrated the technique at museums and cultural events in Hanoi.
Now nearing 100, the artisan works at a slower pace but still creates intricate designs when her health allows, continuing to attract visitors.
Mai said Co is widely respected for her dedication and kindness, and has spent many years helping younger villagers learn the craft in order to preserve the cultural heritage of the Hmong community.
The cooperative currently has about 150 members organised into nine production groups. Senior artisans, including Co, help conduct training sessions each year to teach the traditional beeswax drawing technique.
However, Mai said many young people now prefer to work in industrial zones, raising concerns among elders about the future of the craft.
Products made by cooperative members are collectively evaluated before being sold to tourists, with prices ranging from VND 120,000 to VND 800,000 (about USD 4.56-30.42) per item.
“We do not commercialise the craft. Every product is handmade and carries the cultural story of our people,” Mai said.
Creating a finished linen product involves up to 41 steps, beginning with harvesting flax about three months after planting. The fibres are dried, spun into thread, then woven and dyed with indigo.
After weaving, artisans draw traditional Hmong motifs on the fabric using heated beeswax before dyeing it, revealing white patterns against a dark blue background.
For experienced artisans, the designs exist entirely in memory, allowing them to produce intricate motifs without reference drawings.
Linen garments hold deep cultural significance for the Hmong community and are traditionally worn during important life events such as weddings and funerals.