The late Mr Tran Huu Vien was born in 1936 in Nam O Village, now known as Hoa Hiep Nam Ward in Lien Chieu District, Da Nang.  He earned a livelihood from mechanical engineering, but he was well-known for painting and making fireworks.  Most notably, he was the first person in Da Nang to make a violin.

The Nam O Village was nationally famous for the making of firecrackers and fireworks.  Mr Vien’s family had been involved in this traditional handicraft for 3 generations, and he was one of the most outstanding artisans in his village.

Mr Vien’s son and the violin

In 1960, Mr Vien’s family settled down in the Ky Khuong Village, now known as Tam Hiep Commune in Quang Nam Province’ Nui Thanh District. At that time, he was acquainted with a violinist.  The two men were soon friends, and they exchanged their professional skills with each other.  The violinist showed Mr Vien how to play the violin in return for Mr Vien giving him painting tuition.  Being impressed with the melodious sound of the stringed instrument, Mr Vien was determined to make a violin by himself.  First, he borrowed his friend’s violin and made an elaborate sketch of it.  Then he took the trouble to seek the types of wood used in violin making.  One assumes that Mr Vien found it very hard to make the violin because he was not a carpenter.  In the end, this multi-talented man completed the violin, and he then pasted a piece of paper, bearing his full name and address, inside the body of the violin to make it his valuable memento.  Mr Vien’s hand-made violin and his friend’s instrument were like two peas in a pod, and listeners found it difficult to distinguish between the sounds of the two violins. 

Mr Vien passed away in 1992.  Showing their love for the outstanding artisan, local residents took him to his final resting place in Xuan Thieu Village on foot, a distance of about 4 km from his home.  The unique over 50-year-old violin has now become a family heirloom.