Telling the story of heritage through Vietnamese ceramics.

Among antique collectors from North to South Vietnam, female collectors are rare, and Truong Viet Anh is one of those exceptional individuals, with a passion for collecting that rivals even the most seasoned professionals.

From his passion for ceramics, Viet Anh has built a strong community of heritage lovers through pages like "Vietnamese Heritage," "Ancient Vietnamese Ceramics," etc., to share his passion and inspire not only with antiques but also with many other beautiful aspects of the country's heritage. Frank, straightforward, and sincere, yet also ready to relentlessly challenge opposing viewpoints on heritage, that is collector Truong Viet Anh.

Kể chuyện di sản qua gốm Việt- Ảnh 1. — *A Chu Dau blue and white ceramic vase with exquisite decorations in Truong Viet Anh's collection.*

What are his passions? If it's hobbies, it's antiques, traditional costumes, ethnic costumes from the highlands, antique jewelry, and old postcards; if it's culinary delights, it's traditional dishes like leaf-wrapped cakes, stews, and the way traditional meals are prepared and presented; and if it's passionate about folk singing, it's Xam singing, Cheo singing, Van singing, and Quan Ho singing… All these hobbies, passions, and passions are channeled into "Vietnamese Heritage" and "Ancient Vietnamese Ceramics," two websites created, managed, and continuously updated by Truong Viet Anh to showcase the beauty of heritage in the most authentic and accessible way to enthusiasts.

From a connection with pottery

Truong Viet Anh developed a passion for ancient Vietnamese ceramics from the Ly, Tran, and Le dynasties more than a decade ago, drawn to their diverse and ever-changing beauty—sometimes simple and sincere, sometimes refined and exquisite, and at other times elegant and sophisticated, characteristic of each specific ceramic style. Leaving Hanoi for work in Ho Chi Minh City, his longing for the North gnawed at him until one fine day he stumbled upon a diverse collection of small, charming powder boxes from the Chu Dau blue and white porcelain on Le Cong Kieu Street, District 1. He decided to buy them because: "I didn't understand or care about antiques, but looking at these powder boxes, I naturally felt a sense of familiarity and closeness, from the glaze color and decorative brushstrokes to the size. Bringing them home, displaying them with flowers, admiring them, taking pictures to send to friends, made me happy. I fell in love with ancient Vietnamese ceramics from that time."

Kể chuyện di sản qua gốm Việt- Ảnh 2. — *Recreating the traditional Tet feast with classic dishes alongside culinary artist Nguyen Thi Lam from Bat Trang.*

Kể chuyện di sản qua gốm Việt- Ảnh 3. — *Recreating the traditional Tet feast with classic dishes alongside culinary artist Nguyen Thi Lam from Bat Trang.*

Starting with the Chu Dau powder boxes from the 15th century when he began collecting antiques, the collection gradually expanded to include plates, cups, bowls, jars, vases, powder stands, and other familiar artifacts of ancient Vietnamese pottery. Truong Viet Anh expressed: "I feel fortunate to have acquired many desirable artifacts, despite my limited finances. While seasoned collectors favor large items like vases, jars, and pots of the pestle and mortar type, which are expensive, I went against the trend by choosing smaller items such as bowls, jugs, and decorated dishes, as well as crab baskets... but their designs, styles, and decorative patterns are all very beautiful and charming. Craftsmen from both the North and South of Vietnam, knowing my collecting taste, focused on hunting for items, sending pictures, and delivering them to my home. Thanks to this, I was fortunate enough to acquire many antiques in a short time. Antiques are like a spiritual friend, accompanying me and easing my longing for Hanoi after more than 10 years away; and thanks to antiques, I've also made many new friends who share the same passion."

Kể chuyện di sản qua gốm Việt- Ảnh 4. — *Truong Viet Anh at an exhibition of his collection of traditional costumes for his friends to admire.*

Having the opportunity to admire Truong Viet Anh's collection of ancient Vietnamese ceramics, one can better understand her passion for Vietnamese pottery. Thanks to her personal approach to collecting, this collection paints a map of typical ancient Vietnamese ceramics, clearly showing different historical periods. The artifacts don't usurp the title of queen or king according to popular belief, but the materials, glazes, shaping techniques, and decorative patterns are captivating enough to imagine the golden age of ancient Vietnamese ceramics. From the glazed ceramics of the Ly Dynasty (1009-1225) with its dominant ivory white glaze, to the brown glazes of the Ly-Tran Dynasties, the celadon ceramics, and the blue and white ceramics of the Early Le Dynasty (1428-1527) with Chu Dau ceramics from the shipwreck of Cu Lao Cham... all are ancient landmarks that have brought Vietnamese ceramics closer to the world ceramics map.

Kể chuyện di sản qua gốm Việt- Ảnh 5. — *Learn about the mythical creatures (Nghê) at the Thái Miếu (Royal Temple) of the Later Lê Dynasty, Đông Vệ Ward, Thanh Hóa Province.*

Find joy in heritage.

Besides collecting antiques, Truong Viet Anh has another hobby: seeking out ancient village temples and pagodas, or visiting rural areas and royal tombs, searching for beauty in architecture, statues, carvings, and artifacts. He then gathers Vietnamese heritage enthusiasts to share interesting stories, firsthand observations, and information related to these heritage beauties through images, documents, and other resources. The name "Vietnamese Heritage" was born, a private group dedicated to showcasing the beauty of domestic and international antiques, as well as topics deeply rooted in Vietnamese culture in areas such as cuisine, traditional clothing, architecture, and exploratory tourism .

Kể chuyện di sản qua gốm Việt- Ảnh 6. — *Learn how to wrap Tay-style cakes from the people of Nom village, Hung Yen.*

Kể chuyện di sản qua gốm Việt- Ảnh 7. — *Truong Viet Anh stands beside the Vinh Lang stele from the Early Le Dynasty, a national treasure in Lam Kinh, Thanh Hoa.*

Sharing the story of running the Vietnamese Heritage website, which recently added another address, Vietnamese Ancient Ceramics, the owner confided: "I don't have experience in content creation or image creation, nor am I building a profit-making or sales website. I simply had the opportunity to travel a lot, witness a lot, and see that our country has many wonderful and beautiful things that few people care about or pay attention to. So I collected them and shared them with people who share the same passion, and encouraged collectors with rare and valuable items to agree to have their images and information posted so that everyone can admire them." Managing the content to keep the site vibrant alone wasn't enough, so the owner sought out experts in antiques and folklore, collaborated with photographers, and contributed funds to create good articles, engaging information, and beautiful images… to serve those who love Vietnamese Heritage and Vietnamese Ancient Ceramics.

Kể chuyện di sản qua gốm Việt- Ảnh 8. — *Trần Dynasty (1226-1400) celadon pottery with chrysanthemum vine motifs is still hundreds of years old.*

Kể chuyện di sản qua gốm Việt- Ảnh 9. — *Trần Dynasty ceramic teapot with a deep, rich jade-like glaze.*

Speaking about the joys of his hobby, Truong Viet Anh added: "Initially, forming the group was quite difficult because I wanted to create a platform that truly benefits collectors, especially newcomers, allowing them to view images of beautiful and valuable items, access in-depth information to facilitate their collecting, buy genuine items, and avoid being misled by unscrupulous traders with fake or refurbished goods. Over time, fellow researchers and major collectors have come to trust, support, and contribute articles and images. Thanks to this, I've gained more interaction and friends from all over, and learned many valuable things from antiques and collectors."

Kể chuyện di sản qua gốm Việt- Ảnh 10. — *A vase with embossed lotus petals from the Ly-Tran period, a flourishing era of ancient Vietnamese pottery.*

Kể chuyện di sản qua gốm Việt- Ảnh 11. — *The elegant beauty of the Tran Dynasty era, with its weathered appearance.*

Original value

He's passionate about many things and enjoys many hobbies, but a common trait easily noticeable in Truong Viet Anh is his desire to seek out authentic values. From his trip to Nom village ( Hung Yen province ) to meet the oldest Tay cake maker to understand the legend and unique wrapping techniques, to his wanderings in Dong Anh (Hanoi) to inquire about braised carp with chrysanthemum leaves in order to recreate that delicious dish in the traditional style. Even his journeys through Bat Trang, meeting elderly artisans who recreate traditional Tet feasts in wealthy families…

Kể chuyện di sản qua gốm Việt- Ảnh 12. — *Chu Dau blue and white ceramic teapot (kendi) with whimsical and creative flying mythical creature decorations.*

Kể chuyện di sản qua gốm Việt- Ảnh 13. — *Chu Dau blue and white ceramic teapot (kendi) with whimsical and creative flying mythical creature decorations.*

When asked about his journey in collecting traditional delicacies, Truong Viet Anh revealed: "When I find an interesting person or a traditional delicacy, I go to the place myself, visit, interview, take photos, and write articles; if anyone needs more information, I share everything I know. I realize that the more I share, the more I learn and receive blessings from people who share the same passion."

Kể chuyện di sản qua gốm Việt- Ảnh 14. — *A collection of "powder boxes" from the Ly Dynasty, showcasing exquisite craftsmanship.*

Kể chuyện di sản qua gốm Việt- Ảnh 15. — *Dragon-headed, parrot-tailed teapots with lotus-petal lids are common artifacts in Vietnamese pottery from the Ly-Tran period.*

Kể chuyện di sản qua gốm Việt- Ảnh 16. — *The dish of carp stewed with chrysanthemum leaves has been recreated and is displayed alongside ancient Vietnamese pottery.*

Simple in his communication and dress, but when it comes to collecting or topics related to food and culture, Truong Viet Anh becomes meticulous, detail-oriented, perfectionistic, and extremely demanding that everything be preserved and continued exactly as it was originally. The reason behind this is explained as follows: "I believe that when it comes to culture and heritage, no matter the topic, the most important thing is to showcase the original value. Once you understand the original and have a foundation, it will be easier to develop further. I don't support borrowing heritage or cultural values from the past and adding my own touches; doing it right is better than doing it wrong, which can easily lead to a distorted and inaccurate view of heritage."

Thanhnien.vn