Keep the flame of the profession burning!

Artisan Pham Van Vang inspects production activities and instructs craftsmen at the workshop. Photo: Minh Duong

The man who revived the lost pottery craft.

In his late teens and early twenties, while struggling to find a lifelong career, young Pham Van Vang gradually realized the historical and cultural value of the ancient pottery craft in his hometown was being lost. According to historical documents, Bo Bat pottery originated in the 9th and 10th centuries, during the reign of King Dinh Tien Hoang when he built the capital of Hoa Lu, with a unique white pottery style used exclusively for tribute to the royal court. Even the most exquisite products became tribute to China, hence the village's name, Cong Bat Village (Tribute Bat Village).

When King Ly Cong Uan moved the capital, he brought skilled potters with him, settling along the Red River and establishing the now-famous Bat Trang pottery village. Meanwhile, the ancient Bo Bat pottery village, lacking skilled craftsmen and facing economic difficulties, gradually fell into oblivion. Born and raised in this ancient pottery village, Vang developed a special fondness for pottery and harbored a great ambition to revive his ancestors' craft.

“I started all from scratch: I wasn't from a family of artisans, I had no skills, no capital, no production space, no specific documents or formulas to revive the craft… the only thing I had was the burning desire to revive the ancient pottery craft, to return to my homeland the cradle that gave birth to the craft, and to bring fame to the craft associated with the place,” Vang shared.

In the early 2000s, Mr. Vang left his hometown and began studying pottery in Bat Trang village. With the enthusiastic guidance and support of skilled artisans, coupled with his innate talent for pottery, his craftsmanship quickly became recognized through his meticulously crafted products. With limited capital, Mr. Vang decided to return to his hometown and open a workshop, aiming to produce decorative and artistic pottery with high aesthetic and cultural value.

After 20 years of product development, from a small workshop with a limited number of items, the Bo Bat pottery craft has been revived, and its brand is gradually being established. In 2010, the products were selected by the province to participate in the " Economic and Social Achievements of Vietnam and Thang Long-Hanoi" exhibition celebrating the 1000th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi; many products were selected as typical rural industrial products of Ninh Binh province in 2012; the Ninh Binh Provincial People's Committee awarded Bo Bat pottery a certificate recognizing it as a traditional craft in 2014; in 2015, Mr. Vang received the Provincial Innovation Award and was bestowed the prestigious title of Outstanding Artisan by the State in 2016,…

Currently, some ceramic products have been recognized as 4-star OCOP products, with production reaching tens of thousands of items per month in a workshop spanning over 2,000 square meters, creating jobs for 20 permanent workers with salaries ranging from 8,000,000 to 15,000,000 VND per person per month.

Artisan Pham Van Vang checks the quality of the products before shipping them out. Photo: Minh Duong.

A journey full of hardships

Despite continuously improving his skills, refining his techniques, perfecting his products, and expanding his business from a small workshop to establishing the Bo Bat Ceramic Preservation and Development Company Limited, Mr. Vang could not avoid the fierce competition in the domestic and international ceramics market.

"Success in creating a good product is one thing, but getting it to the customer is a long story. To reach customers, there were times I traveled all over the provinces and cities to pitch my products and consign them. Sometimes I had the goods but ran out of funds; that feeling of helplessness is something I will probably never forget," Vang shared.

But that's not the end of the difficulties on the journey to restore and develop the craft. The issue of product distribution remains a top concern for artisans for many years.

To penetrate the market, Bo Bat pottery possesses unique characteristics, producing according to tradition, diverse but not杂乱 (miscellaneous), focusing on high-end ceramics based on a rare and distinctive white clay called Bo Di clay, found only in the Bach Lien region. The glaze is deep and smooth, with good mechanical strength, thin yet highly durable, and lead-free, ensuring user safety. The hand-painted patterns are entirely unique, making the products distinct from mass-produced items. The products have become popular in many provinces and cities, and are exported to foreign markets. However, according to Mr. Vang, market development has not yet matched its potential. The traditional craft of his hometown still lacks room for growth, brand value is not yet highly valued, and the industry is passive in the face of market demands. Products are dependent on orders, and there is a lack of capital for expansion… This limits the craft's potential for development.

In the current context, with the development of information technology and tourism , promoting traditional pottery is advantageous. For those pursuing this traditional craft like him, this is a great opportunity to reach a diverse range of customers, primarily to spread cultural values and build a brand, before selling products. Because throughout the ups and downs of pottery making over the years, his love for the craft and his desire to preserve, continue, and sustainably develop it are more important than simply engaging in commerce. Perhaps that's why, despite being busy with his business, Mr. Vang's top priority remains directly participating in production, teaching techniques to workers and artisans so that each product created achieves a high level of sophistication and uniqueness.

"In developing traditional crafts, my greatest aspiration is to strike a balance between preserving the cultural values of the craft villages and honoring and passing on the skills to the craftsmen and artisans. At the same time, I aim to create sustainable economic benefits, improve the material and spiritual lives of the people, so that the craft can endure through time."

Lan Anh

Source: https://baoninhbinh.org.vn/giu-ngon-lua-nghe-chay-mai-166541.htm