Lai Thieu pottery village (Lai Thieu ward, Ho Chi Minh City) is one of the famous traditional pottery-making areas in Southern Vietnam. For over 100 years, Lai Thieu pottery has maintained its position and brand within the Vietnamese pottery industry.
Báo Quân đội Nhân dân•10/05/2026
Visiting Lai Thieu pottery village, tourists can experience the traditional pottery-making process and the meticulous work of the artisans. Amidst the heat from the kilns, the dust covering the workshop floors, and the clay-stained hands of the artisans, the pottery-making process is still mainly carried out by hand in Lai Thieu. From shaping and polishing the pottery to carving patterns, painting, and firing, each product bears the mark of the meticulousness and years of experience of these talented potters.
In the dusty and hot environment of the pottery workshop, artisans diligently work on shaping their products.
From a block of raw clay, the potter cuts a piece of clay, shaping it into a thicker, smaller sheet.
Mold and fit each piece of clay into the mold to create the product.
Carefully adjusting each detail of the pattern on the raw ceramic surface.
Finalize the last details before the product is placed in the kiln.
The finished unglazed pottery pieces are neatly stacked on trolleys and transported into the kiln.
Before the pottery is placed in the kiln, refractory bricks are transported in by conveyor belt. Behind it is an ancient, domed kiln system where the fire is maintained continuously for hours to "cook" each batch of pottery.
The craftsmen busily prepare before the firing process begins. The firing time for pottery is determined by its size and material, usually at temperatures of 600-900°C, brown stoneware at 1,100-1,200°C, porcelain stoneware at 1,200-1,250°C, white stoneware at 1,250-1,280°C, and porcelain at 1,280-1,350°C.
Once the pottery is out of the kiln, the artisans continue to polish each piece to remove any remaining roughness after the firing process, restoring a smooth and glossy finish to each glaze.
For over 100 years, Lai Thieu pottery has maintained its prominent position in Vietnam's pottery industry. Each product is the culmination of skill, dedication, and love for the craft, passed down through generations.
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