Bat trang ceramic village

Bat trang ceramic village 

On the left bank of Hong river and about 10 km  from Hanoi in East (in Gia Lam District, Hanoi), there situated a pottery  village, which is the most famous and long-standing pottery village in Vietnam  for its name of Bat Trang. Up to present, Ba Trang Pottery Village has still  been operating and developing ceaselessly. According to a legend, the village  was first called as Bach Tho Phuong before its name was changed into Bat Trang  Phuong. People in the village remember in their memory that the place of their  origin Bo Bat Village (or called Bach Bat Village), Yen Mo District, Ninh Binh  Province.
  
  People cannot help talking about Bat Trang, when they discuss about pottery of  Vietnam. According to some archaeological documents, plenty of pottery items  has been discovered at many old relics and monuments built in Ly Dynasty. Sir  Nguyen Trai, a great politician, strategist, diplomat and poet, wrote in his  Du Dia Chi Book at the beginning of Le Dynasty that Bat Trang used to provide  70 sets of bowls and plates as tribute paid for China. This fact proves that  pottery items were very sophisticated in the past. At present, pagodas and  temples in Vietnam still have carefully-carved incense burners and lamp  stands, which were made in the 16th century (for example Boi Khe Pagoda in Ha  Tay Province).

                                 
                                   
  Besides, some materials indicate that Bat Trang pottery items appeared in 16th  and 17th centuries. Based ourselves on that information, we estimate that Bat  Trang Pottery Village was founded as a handicraft village at the edge of Thang  Long City more than 500 years ago. Bat Trang pottery items have been  circulated nationwide as well as in many foreigna countries. Of which, the most  precious pottery items, which have been famous in Vietnam and in the world,  are pottery items with gem enamel (in Ly and Tran Dynasties), pottery items  with brown enamel (by the end of Tran Dynasty and at the beginning of Le  Dynasty), pottery items with crazed enamel (in Le-Trinh Dynasty) and pottery  items with deep blue flowered enamel (by the end of Le Dynasty and at the  beginning of Nguyen Dynasty). In the past centuries, Bat Trang pottery items  were considered as high-ranking, precious and rare ones. In order to satisfy  the demand of the market, Bat Trang Pottery Village makes many family use  items from baked clay. Besides, plenty of pottery items with various kinds and  designs make us admire the skill of craftsmen in Bat Trang Pottery Village,  where there are people who make soil and fire change into gem enamel for life.