♦ M.A. Ngo Thi Minh

I. The history of formation and development of Bat Trang pottery village

Bat Trang is an ancient village situated along the Red River, to the north of the former Thang Long citadel, which now belongs to Gia Lâm district, Hanoi city. (Before 2025, Bat Trang was a separate commune within Gia Lâm district; However, since July 1, 2025, Bat Trang commune has been merged with neighboring areas such as Cu Khoi; Thach Ban, Da Ton, Kieu Ky to form the new Gia Lam commune of Hanoi city). However, Bat Trang is still regarded as a traditional ceramic craft village and a brand. Bat Trang is one of the oldest and most iconic craft villages of Vietnam. According to historical documents, Bat Trang has been formed and developed since the 14th - 15th centuries, under the governance of the Le Dynasty, and has continued to exist and develop for the past few centuries. The name “Bat Trang” can be interpreted as a place for producing ceramic products, with “bat” (bowl) being an object created from terracotta, and “trang” meaning shop and manufacturing factory. Therefore, the village’s name is closely linked to pottery-making from the very start.

With favourable geographical conditions, such as benefiting from the fertile silt of the Red River, which is an abundant and easily accessible supply of clay, and convenient waterway transportation, Bat Trang soon became the ceramic manufacturing center for the Imperial citadel of Thang Long. During the Le dynasty, the Trinh - Nguyen conflict, and the subsequent Nguyen dynasty, Bat Trang’s products not only catered to the domestic market but were also traded with international merchants, especially those from China and Southeast Asian nations.

The map of Bac Ninh in the early 20th century (Source: National Archives Center No. I)

For centuries, the village has continuously expanded its production scale, developing a diverse range of products including household wares (bowls, plates, vases, teapots), ceremonial objects, and architectural ceramics. This achievement comes from the skillful hands and sophisticated aesthetic sensibilities of various generations of Bat Trang artisans, those who have built and sustained the reputation of this craft village.

However, stepping into the 20th century, especially during wartime and with the massive influx of industrially produced goods, many traditional craft villages, including Bat Trang, faced a lot of challenges. It was not until the late 20th century and the early 21st century that the pottery village recovered strongly, thanks to the support of the government, the investment in the craft’s restoration, and the creativity during the manufacturing process.

II. Key stages in making Bat Trang’s pottery products

The process of making Bat Trang’s pottery product is truly an art that combines traditional craftsmanship and the quick-witted creativity of the artisans. The main stages include:

-         Exploit, select, and process the materials

The main material is clay, which is extracted from alluvial plains along the river. Artisans will filter out the impurities, mix with water in an accurate proportion to make the mixture flexible, soft, and consistent. This process will decide the initial quality of the product.

-         Shaping: There are several ways of shaping

+       Wheel-throwing by hand (hand-shaping on the wheel): Artisans place the clay on the wheel, using their hands and tools to shape the form. This is a traditional technique that requires a high level of skill.

+       Molding: This involves using wooden or plaster molds to press the clay into fixed designs.

+       Manual sculpting: Artisans use their hands to sculpt. This technique is typically used for artistic products and small sculptures.

-         Drying and trimming

After being shaped, the product is dried in the shade to allow moisture to evaporate slowly. It is then trimmed and refined to ensure precise dimensions and balanced contours.

Bat Trang ceramic products are diverse in design and quality.

-         Decoration

Artisans perform various decorative techniques, including incising, embossing, and carving traditional motifs such as floral patterns, dragons, phoenixes, and dots. They may also use glazing techniques in the next stages.

-         Glazing

Bat Trang’s pottery is well-known for its diverse types of glazes, including white, emerald green, crackle, and ancient glazes, etc. The artisans formulate these glazes from natural minerals, then apply them directly onto the products.

-         Kiln-firing

The products are put into a kiln - the traditional wood-fire kiln or today’s gas-fired kiln or electric kiln - and are fired at high temperature (around 1.200–1.300°C) to ensure hardness, durability, and vibrant glaze colors. This is the vital step that determines the overall quality of the pottery.

Finalizing

After cooling, the product will undergo quality checks, polishing, and decorative touch-ups at times. The final stage is packing, and then the product is ready to be released to the market. The whole process requires meticulousness, patience, and profound expertise about materials, firing temperatures, and glaze formulation, which are experiences passed down through generations.

III. Representative cultural heritage of Bat Trang pottery village

Bat Trang pottery village is not only famous for eye-catching ceramic products, but also for a rich repository of traditional culture, which can be observed through:

1. The traditional pottery craftsmenship

     The traditional pottery craftsmanship has become a precious intangible cultural heritage, which reflects sophisticated craft skills, artistic vision, and the inner spiritual world of the ancient Vietnamese. 

“Bạch lĩnh chân truyền nê tác bảo;

Hồng lô đào chú thổ thành kim”

Meaning:

White clay turns treasures through artisans’ hands

Earth turns gold through kiln-firing

thuong2. The architecture of the craft village

Bat Trang is home to many ancient houses, communal houses, and cultural centers that possess the architectural style of the Northern Delta areas, where many artifacts, banyan trees, water wells, and communal yards are preserved. These symbols evoke memories about the life of the traditional Vietnamese village community. Moreover, Bat Trang also preserves various historical and cultural relics, including van chỉ (the place to worship Confucius), communal houses, pagodas, and shrines, which are signs of a land that is rich in culture and civilization.

“Bồ di thủ nghệ khai đình vũ;

Lan nhiệt tâm hương bái thánh thần”.

Meaning:

Bring the ancestral craft from Bo village to establish temples and shrines;

People’s hearts as pure as the scent of orchids, offering to the Gods

thuongg3. Traditional festival

Annually, the village celebrates a festival on the 14th and 15th of the second lunar month, which is associated with the craft village. The main activities of this festival include offering incense at the pottery craft temple, featuring traditional rituals, folk games, and live demonstrations of artisanal crafts to attract tourists and the village’s people coming back to their home village. 

4. System of motifs and decorative patterns

The motifs and decorative patterns in Bat Trang’s products possess long-standing aesthetic values and symbolic meaning. For example, dragons and phoenixes are symbols of authority and luck; flowers and leaves signify proliferation and prosperity; the image of “two dragons fighting for a pearl” is associated with spirituality and feng shui, etc.

5. Museums and exhibition spaces

Nowadays, there are various exhibition spaces, shops, and small museums in the village, which introduce the history of this craft village, the pottery-making process, and collections of ancient pottery products. These spaces contribute to preserving the cultural memory for present and future generations. These heritages are not only Bat Trang’s own assets, but also a collective cultural treasure of all Vietnamese people, which draws the attention of researchers, domestic and foreign visitors.

Vietnamese Craft Village Quintessence Center (Bat Trang Ceramic Museum).

IV. The innovation and development of Bat Trang village in the context of integration

In the context of globalization and global economic integration, Bat Trang pottery village has constantly transformed, adapted, and innovated to maintain the craft village, expand the market, and achieve sustainable development.

thuong1. Innovating the products

-            Creative designs and diverse applications: Alongside traditional products, Bat Trang’s artisans and business has developed modern product sectors, including interior decorative ceramics, souvenirs, and pottery with trending designs that meet the market’s demands.

-         Combining traditional and contemporary designs helps Bat Trang’s products easily access foreign and young customers.

thuong2. Modernizing the manufacturing process

Modern machines have been applied to help with clay mixing and firing processes, to enhance the quality and productivity of the manufacturing process, yet the core artisanal stages remain to create unique artistic values.

thuong3. Promotion – Marketing – Digital business

During the digital era, many pottery factories and artisans:

+       Has sold their products through websites, social platforms, and e-commerce platforms.

+       Has joined international trade fairs and collaborated with designers and brands to introduce Vietnamese ceramics to the world market. These efforts ensure that Bat Trang pottery is not only known in Vietnam but also appears in numerous countries all over the world.

thuong4. Tourism and cultural experiencing

Bat Trang pottery village has become a cultural tourism destination, where visitors can:

-         Exploring the process of pottery-making,

-         Experiencing making pottery products,

-         Purchasing handicraft products,

-         Enjoying traditional cuisine.

Tourism has provided more job opportunities and attracted investment, as well as encouraging residents to preserve the traditional art.

thuong5. Education and preservation

Many classes, workshops, and vocational courses are created to pass the craftsmanship down to the young generation, in order to ensure that the quintessence of pottery-making does not fade away over time. At the same time, Bat Trang’s artisans are honored for contributing to preserving the cultural heritage.

Conclusion

Bat Trang pottery village is not only an ancient craft village, but also a vivid symbol of the connection between traditional values and innovative spirits. From a land that is associated with the humble craft, Bat Trang has become the cultural center with the famous pottery-making art of Vietnam, contributing to beautifying the spiritual heritage of the nation.

The formation and development of Bat Trang prove that cultural heritage is not a fixed object in the past, but a treasure that can be integrated, adapted, and developed stronger in the new era – provided that there is a respect for tradition and a forward-looking vision.

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References

1. Nguyen Đinh Chien (2017), Traditional craft village and tourism development: A case study of Bat Trang ancient village, Cultural Heritage Magazine, No. 1 (58), 2017.

2.   Đo Thi Hao (1989), Bat Trang–the homeland of pottery, Hanoi Publishing House, pp. 81-83.

3.   Phan Huy Le, Nguyen Quang Ngoc, Nguyen Đinh Chien (1995), Bat Trang’s pottery from the 15th to 19th centuries, World Publishing House.

4.   Bui Thiet (1985), Suburban villages of Hanoi, Hanoi Publishing House, pp. 21-23.