Co Do Village is a small, unassuming community in Ba Vi District, near the Red River, around 70 kilometers from the outskirts of Ha Noi. It is a quiet village of only 3,000 inhabitants living traditionally in tiny houses. But behind the seemingly plain life, the place boasts of a rich history, having produced several national heroes. Moreover, Co Do Village is also, in fact more, known as the Painter’s Village, because of its farmers who have made painting their second profession after turning to the art to liberate themselves from the stress and hard work at the farm.

Co Do Village is abundant in alluvial red soil being situated near the Red River. The houses in the community are made of tile roofs and bamboo clumps. Making rice vermicelli is the hobby and specialty of the residents. But it has been around many dynasties, in fact claiming such national heroes as Princess Thieu Hoa, Nguyen Ba Lan and Nguyen Su Manh. Princess Hoa is the sixth Hung king’s daughter who pioneered the silk-weaving industry in the locality. Ba Lan and Su Manh honed the literary and examination traditions of Co Do.

Co Do Village made a name in the global world because of its farmers who chose painting as their stress reliever. In fact, painting was not merely a hobby, but a second career because they became so good in the art that many of them eventually became international professional painters. Nguyen Sy Tot, Tran Hoa and La Vuong are just some of the world-renowned painters whose roots can be traced from the simple art classes in Co Do.

Nguyen Sy Tot is perhaps the most important painter in Co Do because it was he who made the place be recognized internationally in the field of painting. He is so well-respected that a two-storey museum called the Ha Noi Fine Art Museum was constructed in his honor in 2006 displaying 100 of his most famous paintings. The Be Con (Embracing Child) and Tieng Dan Bau (The Sound of the Monochord Musical Instrument) are some of his most applauded art works whose themes are generally about farmers, workers and soldiers in their work and personal environment. People who visit the museum burn incense in reverence to the man responsible for instituting the painting tradition and fame in Co Do Village. 

Tran Hoa is an internationally-recognized painter whose art works have been showcased in foreign countries like Austria and the Netherlands. He is a member of the Viet Nam Fine Arts Association who lightly assumes that the artistic talent of the Co Do villagers probably come from the mixture between the water from the Red River and the wind from the dike.

Hong Tuan Viet is another globally-famous painter who participated in a number of national exhibitions and sold many of his works not only in Vietnam but also in Canada and the United States. He was taught by none other than the iconic Sy Tot whose only drive for success was genuine passion for the art of painting and mission to pass on the tradition to the young generation. He is currently the president of the Co Do Fine Arts Club and teaches at the high school department.

What the farmers started spread like an inspirational wildfire all over Co Do that soon, even children began to enrol in painting classes and also excelled in the field later on. Although the teaching rooms were simple, almost barren and the subjects as non-complex as the natural surroundings, the resulting paintings were always impressive because each one is a labor of love of brilliant Co Do teachers and dedicated students who both had nothing but pure passion for the art and commitment to continue the tradition.