Loi gioi thieu en

There is a folk verse which says: “Ước gì anh lấy được nàng Để anh mua gạch Bát Tràng về xây Xây dọc rồi lại xây ngang Xây hồ Bán Nguyệt cho nàng rửa chân”.

“If only I could marry her To buy some Bat Trang bricks and build Build it flat, build it straight Build it a semicircle pond for her to wash her feet” Together with Nga Son reed mats, Nam Dinh taffeta, and Ha Dong silk, Bat Trang bricks have made their way to old folk verses as valuable Vietnamese products.

Today, Bat Trang trade village is famous not only in domestic but also in foreign markets such as: China, France, US, Japan... Their ceramics have won such popularity thanks to the beauty of the glaze, of the clay body, and more importantly, of the Vietnamese motherland soul embeded inside each products.

Bat Trang ceramics are very diverse in term of pattern. Due to the influence which China, more or less, has on Vietnamese culture from the ancient times, Bat Trang patterns depict many Chinese classics such as: shanshui lanscapes, The Eight Immortals crossing the sea, or Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove..., however, in a way that is truly Vietnamese. The artisans are also entrusted within their works the talents and keenness of the people in their everyday labor.

Patterns on Bat Trang porcelain also have some modern designs to cope with the increasingly diverse demand. Among them are stylized stilllife pictures with many colors. Moreover, products such as cups, pots, teacups, or bracelets, necklaces, belts‌ are decorated in modern style. The artisans use patterns which include round dots, swirls, stylized flowers and leaves or comic characters to make their works younger, livelier and more fashionable. These are products which are more popular among the young generations.

To mention Bat Trang trade village is to mention the very souls which make up it, the artisans.

Especially Tran Do, the person who breathes soul into clay. With highly refined skills, he has created many pottery products in spacious and gentle designs by using glaze with natural and generous colors which creates the depth and clearness for the products. For the patterns, he often uses engraving and glaze melting to create many impressive images.

On the cold and hard ceramics, Tran Do uses his golden hands along with his profound knowledge on history to create lively images of his ancestors from thousands of years before.

They are images of the ancient people of Lac Viet wearing feather headress, loincloth, paddling boats upstream, they are images which have been engraved in the mind of every Vietnamese, the images of a primitive and needy past. However, there are also proud images depicting the Trung Sisters riding elephants into a battle against invaders, protecting the people.

And then history continues with the images of Le Loi returning his sword to the Golden Turtle to express his gratitude for a peaceful and prosperous country.

Decorations on Bat Trang ceramics reflects not only the history of the Vietnamese people and ceramics but also their life and labors.

The images of ancient Vietnameses threshing rice, rowing boats, crossing seas and the images of laborious Vietnamese farmers tending buffaloes, cutting grass, bailing water‌ on immense and unending fields have become familiar to the Vietnamese people. They help us understand a history of arduous labor Vietnamese ancestors had as well as the farmers’ strength and their desire for a peaceful and happy life.

During the 1000 year Thang Long Festival, which was held in October, 2010 in Hanoi, Ms. Dang Thi Hoang Yen, one of the Vietnamese representative businesswomen, realized the beauty as well as the ceramic spirit harmonizing with magnificent Vietnamese landscapes. She bought 1000 antiques of the pottery craftsman Tran Do using her own money. They were exhibited in Imperial Academy during 1000 year Thang Long Festival.

Afterwards, Ms. Dang Thi Hoang Yen donated all of the antiques to Tan Tao University in inauguration day in August, 2010. These 1000 antiques are now being displayed on the 4th floor of Tan Tao University as a reminder for the visitors and students of a history of hardship, radiance and glory of the Vietnamese. This is the life and labor full of adversities and deprivations yet very undaunted, brave and patriotic of the Lac Viet People.

History engraving on ceramics shows that the Vietnamese craftsmen always remember the origin of their people as well as the merits of their ancestors. Moreover, it’s also a message and a lesson Ms. Dang Thi Hoang Yen want to give to the students of Tan Tao University and members of Tan Tao Group as well as everyone who visit this place.