For generations, the people of Bat Trang have not only made pottery, but they have also communicated with the earth, listened to the fire, and breathed their souls into the glaze. The earth here seems to possess a spirit. In the hands of the craftsman, it is no longer a lifeless lump of clay, but transforms into teacups, wine bottles, water jars, incense burners, and flower vases, each bearing the likeness of a human being.
Land - People - Occupations
The people of Bat Trang say, "Making pottery is about preserving the fire, the clay, and the soul."
The fertile soil of the Red River, the blazing kiln fires, and the salty sweat of the craftsmen—all three combine to create a unique culture. This seemingly manual labor profession, in every glaze stroke and every carving, embodies the patience of time, the humility of the craftsman, and the subtlety of the Vietnamese soul.
The people of the pottery village are not very talkative, but each product is a "story" told by the earth. Some tell stories of past floods, some tell stories of love between couples, and some tell stories of parents teaching the craft. Every crack on an old pottery vase, every faded glaze, is also a footprint of time – indelible, yet contributing to its unique beauty.
Keep the flame alive - Preserve the craft
On some winter days when the Red River is shrouded in mist, the craftsmen still stay awake to tend the fires. The old kiln, glowing red in the night, is the heart of the village. The elders say, "If the kiln is shut off for a day, the pottery village loses its breath."
Many young people leave their hometowns to work in the city. But then, as if by an invisible thread, they return. Because their homeland is not just a place to live, but also a place of belonging. They return to continue the legacy of their ancestors, to breathe new life into the soul of their old land.
Now, amidst the mix of old houses and modern pottery workshops, Bat Trang still resounds with the sound of pottery wheels turning, like the ceaseless wheel of time.
The soul of pottery - The soul of man
A foreign visitor once said, "Bat Trang pottery is not only beautiful in form, but also possesses a soul." That's true. That soul of pottery is the soul of the Vietnamese people – hardworking, creative, persistent, and deeply profound.
A Bat Trang ceramic vase doesn't need to be perfectly flawless, because true beauty lies in imperfection. The small imperfections in the glaze, the slight deviation in the shape, are the hallmarks of the craftsman's hand, proof of labor, of genuine human beings in a world that is increasingly flat and mechanized.
One late autumn afternoon, in the courtyard of an old house with a bougainvillea trellis, three generations of Bat Trang pottery artisans sat together: the elderly man with silver hair, his middle-aged son, and his young grandson playing with a handful of clay.
He said slowly, "The earth cannot speak, but whoever loves the earth will receive an answer from it."
The father added, "Fire doesn't remember, but whoever keeps the fire burning will ensure the craft never goes out."
The boy looked up, his eyes sparkling: "Later, I will also make pottery, so that the earth will have a friend, and the fire will have someone to rely on."
They all laughed. The afternoon sun fell on the pottery still warm from the fire. Birds chirped, calling them back to the village.
In that moment, we understood that Bat Trang is not just a place for pottery making, but a place that preserves memories, where three generations have together reshaped the soul of Vietnamese land.
The Six Guardian Deities - the Ancestral Flame of the Craft
Every year, as incense smoke rises from the village temple, the people of Bat Trang bow their heads before the altar of the Six Guardian Deities - the six revered founders of the village.
Ancient people believed that one of the Six Guardian Deities brought pottery from Trang An - Ninh Binh to this land, teaching the people how to mold clay, fire, and glaze, preserving moral values through each pottery piece.
In the villagers' minds, the earth is the body, the fire is the soul, and the patron saint of the craft is the first breath of Bat Trang.
Thanks to the Six Guardian Deities, the pottery craft has been passed down through centuries, and thanks to the skilled hands of the artisans, the spirit of the craft lives on through time.
The craft is passed down through generations – the children keep the flame alive. The fire illuminates the earth – and the earth blossoms with human talent.
When the temple bells chime in the Red River breeze, anyone passing through Bat Trang senses something sacred. It is the flame of the ancestral craft still smoldering in the earth, in the glaze, and in the hearts of the people of Bat Trang.
Living Heritage
Today, Bat Trang is no longer just a craft village. It is a living museum of Vietnamese culture, where every house is a kiln of memories, every person is a chapter in the history of the craft, and every product is a greeting to the world.
Young artisans are bringing pottery to e-commerce platforms, combining sculptural art with miniature pottery, creating experiential pottery for tourists, or pottery featuring lotus flowers from Dong Thap, ginseng flowers from Ha Giang, and the aroma of Thai Nguyen tea… so that pottery is not just a product, but a story connecting the land with people, connecting tradition with the future.
If you ever have the chance to visit Bat Trang, stop by a kiln with its fire blazing. Watch the craftsman handle the clay, shaping it as if stroking a child's hair. Then you will understand that: "Preserving pottery is not just about preserving the craft, but about preserving the identity of the Vietnamese people, ensuring that the earth can still speak, the fire can still sing, and the hands of the Vietnamese people can still create miracles from the simplest things."
Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/cau-chuyen-hon-dat-bat-trang-718479.html
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