The distinctive Gia Thuy pottery

VHO - The Gia Thuy pottery village has been established and developed for over 60 years. Throughout that time, Gia Thuy pottery has produced many unique handcrafted works of art made from clay.

According to many artisans in Gia Thuy pottery village, Gia Thuy commune, Nho Quan district (now Gia Tuong commune, Ninh Binh province), Gia Thuy pottery originated in 1959 when some potters from Thanh Hoa migrated here and opened pottery kilns specializing in making household items for the local people such as jars, pots, and pans. After that, the people living along the Boi River continuously honed their skills, learned, and developed the craft to this day.

The clay used for Gia Thuy pottery is carefully selected and screened through many stages.

Characteristics derived from the soil

Mr. Trinh Van Dung, the third generation in a family with a long tradition in pottery, and currently the Director of Gia Thuy Pottery Cooperative, said: "Gia Thuy pottery is not a native craft, however, due to the readily available and unique local raw materials, combined with the skillful hands and love of the craftsmen, Gia Thuy pottery has a strong vitality."

Gia Thuy pottery has its own unique and distinctive characteristics compared to many other famous types of pottery due to the exceptionally special clay found there, which is a blend of three colors: brown, green, and yellow. This clay has high cohesion, is smooth, and has good heat resistance.

After careful selection, the soil is dried, then crushed and soaked in a tank for 5-7 hours. Next, the worker stirs it thoroughly, then filters it through a sieve to select the best quality soil, which is then dried in the yard or applied to the wall.

Although it looks simple, this clay drying process is very difficult to work with if the clay is too dry or too wet. Therefore, the craftsman must constantly monitor the moisture level of the clay during drying to ensure its plasticity. Afterward, the clay is transferred to the workshop, where the craftsman kneads it three more times before it is ready for shaping.

The artisans of Gia Thuy pottery village always meticulously care for each product.

Depending on the product, the craftsman will roll the clay into different shapes. For jars and pots, the craftsman will mold long, round strips of clay so that when placed on a display stand, they can easily fit together. Skilled craftsmen in the village can create 20 large products per day and about 50-60 smaller products.

Artisan Nguyen Thi Mai said: “I became involved in pottery when I was just a little girl following my ancestors to the workshop. Now, after 35 years of dedication, my love for clay and pottery still flows in my veins. Currently, I am in charge of the shaping process (called 'shaping' in the craft). Shaping requires a keen aesthetic sense and skillful, nimble hands to both shape and create a consistent thickness for the product.”

Artisan Dinh Ngoc Ha, who specializes in decorative motifs, shared: “Gia Thuy pottery mainly uses common motifs, deeply rooted in the national culture, such as the four seasons paintings and lotus flowers… When decorating, in addition to skillful hands, a love for the craft, and perseverance, artisans need to understand the cultural characteristics of the Vietnamese people in order to avoid bringing images and cultures of foreign origin onto traditional pottery products.”

The patterns and designs on Gia Thuy pottery always reflect the rich cultural heritage of the nation.

After shaping, the product is sun-dried naturally, then placed in a traditional wood-fired kiln at a temperature of 1,200–1,500 degrees Celsius for 3 days and 3 nights. The finished stoneware has a glossy brown glaze (commonly called eel skin glaze), is water-repellent, and produces fragrant, smooth wine.

"Keeping the flame alive" for traditional crafts.

In the past, during the golden age of the craft, the village had over 40 pottery workshops, many of which employed hundreds of regular workers. However, due to changes over time and in the market, most of the artisans in the village now concentrate their production at the Gia Thuy Pottery Cooperative to jointly develop the craft.

Over 60 years have passed, but Gia Thuy pottery still retains its unique characteristics. This is a type of unglazed pottery that is fired in its natural state. Gia Thuy pottery products look rough and simple, without many elaborate patterns or gold plating like many other pottery products, but they still ensure harmony, sophistication, rusticity, and high practical value.

Gia Thuy pottery is naturally air-dried in the sun before being fired.

To meet the ever-increasing demands of the market, in addition to main product lines such as jars, vases, teapots, etc., the craft village has now produced many lines of handicraft products that have been well received by the market.

Artisan Trinh Van Dung said: "The cooperative currently has more than 60 workers, including 10 artisans, many of whom have decades of experience in the craft. Every year, the village produces thousands of products, and they sell out as soon as they're made. Especially during the period leading up to Tet (Lunar New Year), customers from all over flock to the cooperative, keeping them working non-stop to supply the market."

For over 60 years, Gia Thuy pottery has been well-received and highly appreciated by both domestic and international markets thanks to its unique and distinctive characteristics.

"Although the market for the products is good, raw materials are becoming increasingly scarce, from local clay to firewood. In addition, the cooperative is also facing difficulties in accessing capital to expand production," Mr. Dung further shared.

It is known that, to ensure production for the craft village, the local government has planned a 2-hectare raw material area. Along with that, they have provided production space, and the cooperative has mobilized capital to carry out construction. Importantly, they continuously support vocational training for the younger generation to continue the tradition of Gia Thuy pottery, keeping the flame alive for their ancestors.

Gia Thuy pottery village was recognized as a traditional craft village in 2007. The village has been providing employment for over 60 workers. The average income is 7.5 million VND, while highly skilled artisans earn 15-20 million VND per person per month. Gia Thuy pottery products are also available in foreign markets such as Laos, Cambodia, and Japan.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/van-hoa/dac-sac-gom-gia-thuy-151918.html