Aside from its magnificent beaches and sceneries, Da Nang is home to the Non Nuoc Stone Carving Village, a traditional and one-of-a-kind craft hamlet in the city’s south. The Stone Carving Village, located at the foot of the Marble Mountains, has a proud history dating back hundreds of years. It is the ideal destination for travelers to see and buy a variety of unique and traditional stone crafts. The place is becoming an increasingly appealing tourism destination for both domestic and international travelers.
– Opening Hours: daily from 8:00 AM to 07:00 PM.
– Entrance Fee: Free
Table of Contents
1. Where is Non Nuoc Stone Carving Village?
Non Nuoc Stone Carving Village is situated at the base of the Ngu Hanh Son Mountains (also known as the Marble Mountains), in Hoa Hai Ward, Ngu Hanh Son District, Danang City. It is conveniently positioned about 8 kilometers from Da Nang’s city center and 15 kilometers from Hoi An Old Town.
2. The history of Non Nuoc Stone Carving Village?
Non Nuoc Stone Carving Village’s old carving masters claim that this traditional trade village has been around for approximately 200 years. Non Nuoc Stone Carving Village first appeared in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. During this time, Mr. Huynh Ba Quat, a Thanh Hoa native who had resided in Ngu Hanh Son mountain, discovered a cluster of marble mountains. He began to create art stone works from marble mountains. Following that, he passed the stone craft down to his descendants and the village residents.
However, this Stone Carving Village did not grow until the early nineteenth century, under the Nguyen Dynasty. The Nguyen Dynasty ordered the construction of numerous mausoleums and palaces decorated with elaborate fine art stones. This was an excellent opportunity for Non Nuoc artists to demonstrate their skills and contribute to the magnificence of these royal palaces.
The stone carving village now includes over 500 production facilities and is designated as a national intangible cultural heritage. This Stone Carving Village is also recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage because of its cultural value to Da Nang.
3. What to explore at Non Nuoc Stone Carving Village?
Admire works of great artistic significance
Visitors to Non Nuoc Stone Village will be greatly interested in and amazed by the artistic stone works shown here. Non Nuoc craft village produces a wide range of stone objects, all of which are expertly carved. Each work is a miracle created by the talented hands of artisans to form a beautiful and meaningful shape. These artisans’ drills and chiseled feature express their passion for lifeless rocks.
Visitors will be unable to resist the stunning sculptures and flawless shine of the marble layer that are unique to the Marble Mountains. Rings, bracelets, necklaces, and pendants are among the handcrafted jewelry fashioned from precious stones that visitors can purchase.
Because of its closeness to several old pagodas in the Marble Mountains, Non Nuoc Stone Village also features complex marble statues that reflect Vietnam’s religious artistic. This village’s skilled artists have created countless stunning sculptures and carved objects for Buddhist and Taoist temples. These include magnificent Buddha statues, imposing stone dragons, and delicate lotus flowers of varying sizes. These stone works not only highlight the artists’ extraordinary craftsmanship, but they also add to the spiritual atmosphere of these important sites.
Explore the ancient Champa and Vietnamese cultures
Non Nuoc stone village is an area that demonstrates cultural interaction between Champa and Vietnamese cultures. Visitors can see the influence of Cham sculpture in Non Nuoc villagers’ stone art works from ancient times to the present. Hundreds of Champa statues of various forms and sizes are delicately crafted by artists from the stone village. These are statues of Apsara’s female statue, Indra, Nadin cow, Garuda bird, Siva, Yoni, and Linga statues. When you admire at these statues, you feel as if you’re standing in the middle of My Son sanctuary, surrounded by dust-covered antique towers and moss. Furthermore, there are also works depicting ancient Vietnamese culture, such as dragon sculptures, phoenixes and turtles on tombstones, mausoleums, and temples. You will be astounded by the Non Nuoc people’ inventiveness, as they can build such magnificent pieces of art with their own hands.
4. How to get here?
Non Nuoc Stone Carving Village is only a 20-minute car ride from Da Nang City. This stone village is easily accessible due to a variety of transportation choices (motorbike, taxi, Grab or private car,..). In addition, most day tours to the Marble Mountains include a visit to this village.
If you are in Hoi An Old Town, using the bus is an inexpensive option. The bus stop is ideally placed on Le Hong Phong Street, near Hoi An Silk Village. The bus ride to Non Nuoc Stone Carving Village takes around 40 minutes.