Mac dynasty (august 10,2011) english version

TRAN DO CERAMICS THE MAC DYNASTY Tan Tao University Acronym: TTU Preservation of Viet Culture

Sources: -Pottery artisan Tran Do - Website “wikipedia” - Website “gomsubattrang.org”

BRIEF INTRO OF THE MAC DYNASTY CULTURE The Mac Dynasty (1527 to 1592) began when Mac Thai To proclaimed himself as the new Emperor in June 1527 after he seized power and removed the Emperor Le Cung Hoang of the post-Le dynasty.

It ended after the Emperor Mac Hau Hop was defeated by the army Le-Trinh led by Trịnh Tùng in late 1592. It ruled Vietnam nearly 66 years.

Although the Mac Dynasty ruled for a short time with frequent disorders since it had to defend against foreign invaders and domestic enemies, the Emperor Mac Dang Dung and the Mac Dynasty developed proper reforms and policies for construction of the Dynasty and the country and skillful dilomatic policies for avoiding the invasion of the Nothern invader and stablility of the country, promotion of the economic stability and development.

THE MAC DYNASTY CERAMICS: Ceramic making is the most typical and prosperous industry in the Mac Dynasty, including the most famous ceramic villages Bat Trang, Hop Le and Chu Dau. The Mac Dynasty is consdered the most thriving period of Bat Trang ceramic village. Its products include disk, basin, „thap‟, „ang‟, bowl, cup, tea tray, kettle, „dieu‟, wine pot, lime pot, jar, „choe‟, worship objects (lamp support, candle base, incense burner, worship top, tower….). The top is decorated with dragon, phoenix, horse, person, straight lotus petal, cloud. Many products were engraved in the base.

At this time, the Vietnamese blue and white ceramics flourished along with the expansion of trading activity in Vietnam. The domestic trade was highly promoted; the the Mac Dynasty‟s stelae clearly record bridge construction, market establishment of the localities, especially in the river bank or coastal areas. The big cities such as Thang Long, Pho Hien developed properously.

The Mac Dynasty ceramics generally considered ceramics as an attractive component of the commodity economy. It marks a period of the national prosperity of the Mac Dynasty in the fifteenth century.

BRIEF INTRO OF THE MAC DYNASTY CULTURE

The Mac Dynasty’s ancient wall still exist in Tuyen Quang province

Source: “http://vi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nh%C3%A0_M %E1%BA%A1c”

The Mac Dynasty’s ancient citadel corner in Tam Thanh ward, Lang Son province

The King Le’s heritage in the Mac Dynasty’s citadel in Cao Bang province. I had been a palace before the Le Dynasty defeated the Mac Dynasty . It became a temple worshiping the King Le Thai To in 1862.

Dragon Carving Pot

THE MAC

DYNASTY

CERAMICS

- Decoration: The jar is made in blue and white ceramic glaze with embrossed decoration of dragon according to the God Giong legend.

- Meaning: the jar demonstrates the drilling before fighting against foreign invaders according to the folklore.

In the folk festival commemorating the God Giong, it has the meaning "agricultural rituals" praying for rain, favorable weather, and good crops.

- Use: According to the folklore, the King gave this jar to the God Giong to contain weapon cleaning water . .

Following the jar model of the God Giong Temple

God Giong Legend and Dragon Carving Pot The God Giong or namely Phu Dong Thien Vuong or Xung Thien Than Vuong, is one of the four immortal gods in the Vietnamese folk religion (four immortals). He defeated the An invader and brought peace to the country.

The God Giong festival in the Red River bank area

According to the legend, he was born in Phu Dong commune, Gia Lam district in Hanoi in the reign of the sixth King Hung.

He was the heaven god which was reincarnated. When he was three years old he could not speak, sit up or even roll onto his side. But when the An army invaded the realm of King Hung, he sat up and spoke for the first time and asked his mother to invite the messenger into their home. He then quickly grew up to be a giant to fight against the invader. After defeating the An army, he flew to the heaven. Today, the place is the Soc Mountains in Soc Son district, Hanoi.

With the legendary deeds, the folk recognize him as "Phu Dong Thien Vuong," or the God Giong and honor him one of "four immortal gods" (four immortal gods in the Vietnamese folk religion include:the God Vien, the God Giong, the God Chu Dong Tu and the God Lieu Hanh).

The opening ritual of the God Giong festival shows the meaning of using water to wash weapons before entering battlefields and prays for rain, favorable weather and bumper crops Source: “http://tusachthantien.com/tstt/cms/index.php?view=article&catid=48:truyen -truyen-thuyet-6&id=70:thanh-giong&option=com_content&Itemid=53”

To commemorate the God Giong‟s merits, the God Giong festival is annually held in many places in the Red River Delta with the deep cultural characteristics of the ancient Vietnamese. The most typical place is Phu Dong temple (Phu Dong, Gia Lam district, Hanoi).

The festival has been recognized by the UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage representing the human race.

Ceramic Top - Shape and decoration: It is made of decorating ceramic glaze with embrossed decoration of dragon and „nghe‟ in the „thuy linh‟ glaze

THE MAC

- Meaning: The folk consider „nghe‟ as a clever, intelligent and holy animal in a sense of illuminating the soul of visitors upon going through the temple gate.

- Use: It is used to worship in the temples and pagodas, which flourished during this period.

DYNASTY

The Mac Dynasty, replacing the pre-Le dynasty, adapted the trends during this period and lifted some strict rules of the Confucianism. The Buddism and Taoism were promoted. The Mac Dynasty restored many pagodas and temples and built hundreds of stelae and the Buddism statues.

CERAMICS

180 – Following the Mac Dynasty’s ceramic peak model

117 – Ceramic peak is covered with embrossed glaze in the ‘thuy linh’ glaze layer

CERAMIC POT

THE MAC

It was used in the families with reputation and high social status Shape: round, flaring mouth, bulging body, flat base.

Decoration: ceramic pot with simple decoration with ancient blue glaze.

Usage: It was often buried in the tomb.

DYNASTY 113 - Ceramic jar of Mai Binh design of the Nguyen Dynasty

CERAMICS Used in wealthy families Shape: “Chinese four-chord lute‟, round body, small loop and flaring mouth.

Decoration: with curved leaves.

Meaning: ivory white glaze with decorative and stylized characteristics of curved leaves.

176 - Phỏng theo mẫu lọ Tỳ Bà men trắng vẽ lam thế kỷ XV - XVI

BLUE AND WHITE CERAMICS Used in wealthy families Throughout history, ceramics is always related to life and ceramic art has observed peopleâ€&#x;s life marking social, economic, cultural and religious changes in each development stage of the country.

THE MAC 453 - Blue and white ceramic pot

During the fifteen and sixteen centuries, the blue and white ceramics developed most strongly.

DYNASTY

Decoration: bowl, jar, lamp support, pot ... Bat Trang blue and white ceramics during the fifteen century has liberal style on drawing landscape, flower, leave or dragon dragons, blue glaze from grey-blue to deep-blue.

CERAMICS 345 - Blue and white ceramic lamp support

590 – Blue and white ceramic pot

Meaning: Through the traditional blue and white ceramic antiques, it demonstrates that Vietnamese people are realistic and creative in harmony.

Therefore, the creativity of Vietnamese people through applications have particular characteristics: simple, subtle, but selective and very useful.

Pot Decoration: During the ruling period of the Mac Dynasty, craftmen and artisans were free and open, encouraging creativity, including different pot shapes: chicken-shaped pot, horse-shaped pot, shrimpshaped pot, elephant-shaped pot‌

THE MAC

Meaning: This elephant-shaped pot demonstrates heroic posture, four feet implying Vietnamese culture; Vietnamese ceramics will always be permanent and sustainable throughout time.

355 - Elephant-shaped pot Height: 14.5cm; Length: 17cm

Used in daily activities of middle class people.

DYNASTY

Decoration: During this period, blue and white motifs are observed in blue and white pots with subtle and refined features to bring flavors and beauty to daily life of people.

CERAMICS 454 -Blue and white pot Used in the families of the Noble and Lords.

Decoration: The pot was made of polished blue and white glaze, which were desired by scholars during the Mac Dynasty.

Meaning: Its blue represents the faraway mountains, the hidden places of masters and their coat color. It is a common color of the Eastern hermits.

572 - Glazed pot with lid

350 - CERAMIC LAMP SUPPORT

THE MAC Size: Height: 34cm

DYNASTY

CERAMICS Used in all middle class families.

Decoration: This lamp support is made ​of celadon ceramic.

Usage: It was used for lighting at night in the past.

Meaning: Through images with rich imagination, the folk portrayed images and their desires on their work. It has two side handles like human eyes illuminating the dark night.