The Chu Dau ceramic plate with 1,000 calligraphic characters of the word "Long" (Dragon) has been recognized as a world record.
The remarkable feat of creating a record-breaking ceramic plate.
On a crisp early winter morning, in a small room at alley 119, Nguyen Duc Canh Street (Le Chan Ward), calligrapher Le Thien Ly – the creator of the 1,000 characters "Long" (Dragon) on the largest ceramic plate in Vietnam – enthusiastically recounted memorable moments from the creation of his Guinness World Record-breaking artwork.
“Perhaps it all started with a single word… fate,” Mr. Le Thien Ly began his story. In 2009, while attending a ceramics exhibition in Van Ho ( Hanoi ), calligrapher Le Thien Ly unexpectedly met his old friend Nguyen Van Luu, who had once worked in Hai Phong. The unexpected and joyful reunion brought them together, and they reminisced about old times. The conversation then shifted to the upcoming 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi… At that moment, the calligrapher blurted out: “How about we create something truly special to celebrate this grand event?” As soon as the idea came to him, Mr. Luu immediately responded and supported Mr. Ly’s bold idea of making a large ceramic plate with 1,000 calligraphic characters of “Long” (Dragon) written on it as a commemorative mark for the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long, creating a unique mark for Chu Dau ceramics.”
Calligrapher Le Thien Ly, author of the 1,000 "Long" characters on the world record-breaking ceramic plate.
The larger the ceramic plate, the greater the challenge. Throughout the history of Chu Dau pottery, no one has ever attempted to make a plate with a diameter exceeding 1 meter. Even globally, few places have dared to create a plate of such a large size.
In August 2009, Mr. Nguyen Van Luu, then Director of Chu Dau Ceramic Joint Stock Company, summoned foreman Vu Nhu Viet, engineer Nguyen Dai Binh, skilled craftsman Nguyen Huu Thang, and many other skilled technicians to plan the project. They sat down together and drew the first sketches. Mr. Viet personally created the mockups, calculating every detail and dividing the sections to ensure harmony when the lettering was added. The materials for the plates had to be carefully selected, specifically mineral-rich white clay from Truc Thon (Chi Linh).
The most difficult part was finding the perfect ratio so that the disc body would be strong enough yet maintain its shape during firing. Mixing the paste just right, pouring the glaze without cracking, dividing the sections to facilitate writing—every detail required careful calculation and repeated testing. After numerous rejected prototypes, the final disc body that met the requirements was finally created.
To write 1,000 calligraphic characters of the word "Long" (Dragon) on a large ceramic plate, calligrapher Le Thien Ly had to lie on scaffolding placed directly on the plate (archival photo).
Having finished the plate, writing calligraphy on the large ceramic plate was also a significant challenge. Without receiving any payment, calligrapher Le Thien Ly packed his bags and stayed at the pottery workshop for a whole month. He dedicated all his time and effort to the work. "Writing so many characters would cause the plate to break if I stood it up. So throughout the process, I had to lie on scaffolding placed directly on the plate, my hand tracing each brushstroke along the pre-divided squares on the miniature mockup," Mr. Ly recounted.
It's not just about writing correctly; each character must also blend seamlessly into the overall design. If the character "Long" on the left is written in the style of calligraphy with a human face, then the right side must also have subtle symmetry. Mr. Ly personally mixed the cobalt ink to suit the ceramic material, and each brushstroke had to be absolutely precise. Before writing on the large plate, he practiced on smaller ceramic pieces to gradually hone his skills.
Then, under the skillful hands of the calligrapher, 1,000 characters of "Long" (Dragon) appeared one after another, completing the piece. Some characters resembled a valiant general defending Thang Long citadel. Others depicted a farmer holding a bundle of rice, a young man plowing... interspersed with flying dragons, birds, fish, shrimp, and sails... All blended together against the characteristic yellow-brown glaze and blue hues of Chu Dau, creating a vibrant and captivating picture.
Take care to preserve
The ceramic plate with 1,000 calligraphic characters of the word "Long" (Dragon) has been recognized as a world record.
The world-record-breaking ceramic plate is proudly displayed in the exhibition area of Chu Dau Ceramic Joint Stock Company.
Mr. Nguyen Trung Khoa, representing the company, stated: “This is not just an ordinary ceramic product. It tells the story of Chu Dau ceramics, of history, and of the creative efforts of those who love ceramics and calligraphy. We believe this plate must be preserved as a treasure so that future generations can admire and better understand this famous scholarly ceramics.”
Every day, many groups of visitors come to tour the Chu Dau pottery exhibition. Everyone stops for quite a while in front of the plate, observing each stroke of the characters, each patch of glaze color, trying to figure out how the 1,000 "Long" characters are arranged.
While visiting the Chu Dau pottery exhibition with a group, Ms. Tran Thu Trang (Hanoi) admired the plate for a long time. Ms. Trang said: “Vietnam has many famous pottery villages. Even in my hometown, there is the famous Bat Trang pottery village, but this piece has a very unique style. Each stroke of the characters on the ceramic plate is like a work of art.”
The record-breaking ceramic plate is always carefully preserved to showcase to visitors who come to visit Chu Dau Ceramic Joint Stock Company.
Whenever a group of visitors comes to the workshop, the artisan always tells the story behind the record-breaking disc. The young people listen very attentively.
Chu Dau Ceramic Joint Stock Company is researching the digitization of the plate's information, creating a 360-degree photo set and placing a QR code next to it so visitors can view details of each "Long" character and each accompanying pattern. This way, the artwork is preserved both physically and digitally.
The ceramic plate with 1,000 "Long" characters, recognized by Guinness World Records as the "Most Unique Ceramic Plate with 1,000 Calligraphic "Long" Characters," affirms the value of a work that combines the essence of calligraphy and traditional ceramic art. The piece serves as a vivid testament to the creativity of the Vietnamese people, where each stroke of the characters and each layer of glaze carries the spirit of national culture.
BAO ANH
Source: https://baohaiphong.vn/dieu-it-biet-ve-chiec-dia-gom-chu-dau-lap-ky-luc-the-gioi-528616.html
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