HCMC is home to a distinctive statue-casting village with a craft history that spans nearly a century. Although it was once considered a village, it is now a close-knit community nestled in a small alley at the foot of Ong Buong Bridge in the Phu Lam area (formerly part of District 6).
This neighborhood mainly produces religious statues, including figures like Sakyamuni Buddha, Bodhisattva, Maitreya Buddha, Earth Store Bodhisattva, the Goddess of the Realm, and various other statues for Mother Goddess worship, all in different sizes. These statues are commissioned not only by large pagodas and temples but also supply smaller shrines and places of worship throughout the southern region.
Despite facing many ups and downs along with economic changes, the production facilities have maintained their ancestral traditions. Although the community no longer enjoys the prosperous period of its golden age decades ago, their steadfast commitment guarantees the livelihood of these skilled artisans, keeping the traditional flame burning.
