Southern Pottery - A Hundred-Year Heritage Between Urbanization and Folk Memories

The preservation of heritage and unique spiritual values ​​of traditional ceramic lines such as Saigon ceramics, Cay Mai ceramics, Lai Thieu ceramics... in the modern context has been raised through the program series "Southern Ceramics - A Hundred-Year Mark".

Historical flow in Southern ceramic glaze

The ceramic heritage in the South is not only present as a type of handicraft, but also a testament to urban history, reflecting the material and spiritual life of Southern residents over the centuries.

With the theme “Archaeological relics and imprints of Saigon pottery in the flow of history”, Dr. of archaeology Nguyen Thi Hau introduced typical artifacts from archaeological relics in Ho Chi Minh City. According to her, Saigon pottery not only has aesthetic value but is also the product of a period of strong economic and cultural transformation - where manual crafting techniques combined with new urban tastes, creating a unique style for urban pottery.

Archaeologist Dr. Nguyen Thi Hau at the talk show.

The characteristic of Saigon pottery lies in the restraint in composition, meticulously hand-painted motifs, and warm, deep glaze. Ceramic vases, flower pots, incense burners, etc. are not only utensils but also bear the mark of the times, telling the story of an old Saigon where East and West, tradition and modernity meet.

Exhibition space for Southern pottery at Nguyen Van Binh Book Street.

As for researcher Huynh Ngoc Trang, he brings a systematic perspective on Cay Mai pottery, a pottery line that flourished in Cho Lon from the late 19th century.

Cay Mai pottery is known for its unique embossing technique instead of painting the glaze like many other pottery lines. The patterns are hand-sculpted and then glazed, creating depth and a sense of liveliness as if moving on the surface. Common decorative themes include the Four Sacred Animals, the Eight Immortals, birds, animals, flowers and leaves, etc., bearing the imprint of folk beliefs and the identity of the Chinese-Vietnamese community at that time.

Researcher Huynh Ngoc Trang talks with people interested in Cay Mai pottery.

No less important in the Southern ceramic heritage is Lai Thieu ceramic, which collector Nguyen Huu Phuc, Chairman of the Thuan An Antiques Association, brought to the dialogue space with a lot of useful information. Lai Thieu ceramic is closely associated with the daily life of the Southern people: from jars, jars, millstones to worship statues, flower pots... With three main lines: Guangdong, Trieu Chau and Fujian, Lai Thieu ceramic shows diversity in shape, color and material mixing techniques, depending on each kiln and each historical period.

“Today’s ceramic collectors, in addition to collecting, also need to understand the history, techniques and cultural values ​​of each item. Each product is a piece of folk soul, the voice of the artisan sent into the earth and into the fire,” said Mr. Phuc.

From forgotten heritage to creative regeneration

In addition to recreating a rich heritage treasure, the thematic talk also raised many big questions about the current status and future of traditional pottery in the South. Over time, as modern life changes, craft villages such as Cay Mai and Lai Thieu gradually fade away; partly due to competition from industrial products, and partly due to the lack of successors in the community.

A corner of the Southern Ceramics Exhibition - A Hundred-Year Mark.

“Many pottery kilns have gone out of fire, artisans are becoming increasingly rare, and the younger generation has little access to the craft. Without specific policies to support, preserve and promote creativity from heritage, we will lose a part of our priceless cultural memory,” Dr. Quach Thu Nguyet shared her concerns.

From that reality, experts have suggested a new direction. Accordingly, it is not enough to stop at “preserving objects” but to promote creative adaptation, so that traditional pottery can enter modern life in new forms: applied design products, contemporary art, interior, fashion … The survival of traditional pottery does not lie in museums, but in its vivid presence in the lives of young people today.

Collector Nguyen Huu Phuc, Chairman of Thuan An Antiques Association, shares about Lai Thieu pottery.

Some specific proposals have also been made by researchers such as building exhibition spaces, experiencing traditional pottery, bringing heritageeducation into schools, organizing regular pottery fairs and exhibitions... so that pottery is not only the past, but also a part of the present, with lasting vitality and influence.

For experts and researchers, pottery is not just soil, but a cultural memory waiting to be awakened. Southern pottery from ancient kilns still silently tells stories through each stroke, each cracked glaze, each rustic yet soulful shape.

Experts and researchers take souvenir photos with young people.

In order for the heritage to not remain in museums, for the passion of the craft to not be extinguished in the hearts of artisans, it is necessary to have the cooperation of the community, from managers, researchers to young people and the public. Because pottery is not just an object, but the crystallization of culture, of memories and identity of the Southern land.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/van-hoa/gom-nam-bo-di-san-tram-nam-giua-do-thi-hoa-va-ky-uc-dan-gian-20250526181002210.htm