The sounds of carpentry work accompanied the children of Chang Son village as they grew up. It would be no overstatement to say that the men of Chang Son were able to hold carpentry tools before they could hold a pen. Visiting Chang Son and meeting the wise elders and skilled artisans of the village, one can’t help but be captivated by the stories they tell. Chang Son is known as one of the oldest craft villages in Vietnam, where the traditional and most famous handicraft is carpentry. Its traditional products are quite diverse, from house-building woodwork and household furniture to carved products, including pagoda cabinets and wooden statues such as worshiping statues. In addition, artworks and fan-making are also developed crafts. Nobody in the village remembers exactly how Chang Son’s carpentry craft came into being. Legend has it that the carpentry dates back to the time when the Hung Kings founded the nation. The village had so many talented carpenters that Saint Tan Vien personally came down the mountain to invite Master San and the village woodworkers to repair his worshipping house. Chang Son craftsmen have carved a host of unique works of art in Vietnam. Most notable are 18 arhat statues and wooden statues of Buddha at the Tay Phuong Pagoda, a special national relic on the outskirts of Hanoi. Many modern works by the villagers of Chang Son have been awarded national prizes, such as a one-pillar pagoda structure and wooden houses. Through their works, Chang Son carpenters not only hope to develop the craft further, but also show their respect to their ancestors for passing down the traditional profession./.