A dialogue with earth and fire in Bat Trang pottery village

Settling with the soul of Vietnamese pottery through layers of time

Bat Trang Ceramic Museum Hanoi

Along the banks of the Red River, where silt has been accumulated for thousands of generations, there is a village called Bat Trang. This famous pottery village was formed in the fifteenth century, is a convergence of talented artisans, who have made Vietnamese pottery brands famous throughout the four regions. Over the past 500 years, Bat Trang still maintains the enduring life of a craft village, where the sound of the kiln sounds, where clay transforms into products that both serve daily life and reach out to the international market. If in the past, Bat Trang pottery was mainly associated with rustic jars and dishes, today, the pottery village has "put on a new coat" with modern, creative and highly artistic designs. It is the intersection between tradition and modernity that has created lasting vitality for Bat Trang, not only as a place of production, but also as a cultural tourism destination, a "red address" for each person to find the roots of Vietnamese craft villages.

For Huyen Thuong, a 19-year-old girl, born in the mountains of Tuyen Quang but living and studying in Hanoi, Bat Trang has long only appeared through the pages of books and stories. However, when she directly arrived here, she clearly saw the strange harmony: both familiar by traditional features and new by modern breath. It was that feeling that aroused in her curiosity to explore, the desire to listen and fully experience the "soul of Vietnamese ceramics".

Bat Trang ancient village – memories are in every brick

Image of the scene of Bat Trang pottery ancient village

The first destination in Thuong's journey is Bat Trang Ancient Village. Hidden behind the concrete bridges of the city, the ancient village seems to retain its quiet appearance. The slanted brick alleys, the old lime walls stained with time, the tile roofs covered with green moss, all create a space that makes people think like stepping back hundreds of years ago. For a young girl who is used to the vibrant life of Hanoi, that moment is like a precious silence. She listened to the voice of the guide telling stories about the village's golden past, about the boats carrying pottery back and forth throughout the region, about the generations of artisans who have succeeded each other to keep the soul of the craft.

"I feel like I'm touching a part of history," Thuong shared, his eyes shining with emotion. She admitted that, although she was not born in this land, when she stood in the ancient village, looking at each layer of old bricks, she felt close as if she was returning to an old home. The ancient village is not just a relic, but also a vivid testament to the endurance of culture, for the steadfastness of Vietnamese people in the face of the harsh flow of time.

Touching clay – a lesson in patience and love for the profession

Pottery Making Experience

If the ancient village brings to Thuong the deposition, Bat Trang pottery workshop opens up a world full of excitement. For the first time in her life, she was able to sit at the turntable, directly trying her hand at pottery making under the guidance of a village artisan. The clay is initially pliable, but after just a few turns, it gradually turns into a soulful cube. Thuong nervously placed his clumsy hands on the earth, trying to keep the ceramic shape from being distorted. In the first minutes, the product quickly collapsed, making her laugh awkwardly. But then, in the encouraged eyes of the artisan, she patiently tried again, learned to listen to the rhythm of rotation, learned to adjust the force of her hands.

When the first bowl was completed, although it was not perfectly round, Thuong saw that there was indescribable pride and joy in it. She said: "I better understand why each ceramic product is so precious. It's not just the earth and the fire, it's the perseverance, the love and the soul of the worker." The experience was a simple but profound lesson in manual labor: sometimes, it is slowness and patience that create lasting values.

For Thuong, pottery making is not only an artistic experience but also a journey of learning to persevere and balance seemingly luxurious things in the hustle and bustle of today's young generation. In an era where everything happens in "one touch", sitting quietly in front of the turntable made her realize the value of slowing down to fully accomplish something with her whole heart. Perhaps, that is also the way that Gen Z – the dynamic and creative generation is finding peace in the midst of the rush of life, to understand that perhaps, maturity does not lie in hurried steps, but in the moment we know how to stop to listen to the voice from within

Bat Trang pottery market – a treasure trove of vivid quintessence

Bat Trang pottery market

Closing the trip, she visited Bat Trang Pottery Market, a place that is likened to a "living museum" of the craft village. In front of her is a colorful world: stalls with thousands of products, from beautiful small teapots and elegant vases, to elaborate statues and elaborate decorations. Each product is a story, a unique creation, but all exude a well-thought-out and sophisticated look.

Exquisite vase works

Walking in the middle of that space, Thuong felt like he was lost in an art exhibition. She stopped for a long time in front of a vase of blue enamel, watching each smooth drawing, every elaborate detail. "It's hard to believe that the hands of a craftsman can create such miracles," she exclaimed softly. The pottery market with Thuong is not only a place to buy and sell, but also a quintessential convergence point of a whole craft village. There, she sees the connection between the past and the present, between traditional values and contemporary creativity.

Returning from the trip, Thuong confided that the experience in Bat Trang left her with many echoes. It is not only a simple tour, but also a journey to learn and appreciate more national cultural values. From the quiet ancient village, to the pottery workshop full of laughter, and then the colorful pottery market, all have woven a special memory, making her more proud to live in a country with a long tradition of craft villages. For her, Bat Trang is not only a trip, but a whisper of the past to the present that the heritage only really lasts when someone continues to preserve and light it.

In her eyes shining with pride, Huyen Thuong said that she loves her country, her homeland and the whole of Hanoi, which contains in every street corner, every house of the stories of Vietnamese history and people. She wishes to spread that love to Gen Z by recounting her journey through travels, through learning about culture, history and national heritage. For Thuong, it is not only a way to show pride, but also a way for young people to preserve and develop Vietnamese cultural identity together in the modern flow.

Close-up of the longest river bridge in Vietnam, the pride of its 5.5km length T.P14:16:00 25/12/2024Vinh Thinh Bridge, part of the V Ring Road - Hanoi City, was started in December 2011 and inaugurated in June 2014. Vinh Thinh Bridge crosses the Red River, connecting Son Tay town (Hanoi) and Vinh Tuong district (Vinh Phuc).