Keeping the roots of the village
On the afternoon of June 28, we returned to Bat Trang pottery village ( Bat Trang commune, Gia Lam district, Hanoi), from afar the sound of earth smashing, the sound of rotating tables, and the rips of the furnace. The scent of dirt, ceramic enzyme and even the smoke of the oven mix together creates a very unique scent - "smell of the profession". Along the alleys, we easily see the image of craftsmen still diligently plowing pottery at the turntable.
Artisan To Thanh Son (70 years old, residing in Bat Trang commune, Gia Lam district, Hanoi) - who has been in the profession for about 65 years - shared: "Making ceramics requires a heart. Only the heart can keep the profession. Maintaining the profession is to keep the ancestors, keep the roots of this village.
Artisan To Thanh Son said that since he was a child, he had the opportunity to sit at a turntable, learning to listen to the earth from his father and grandfather. For him, clay is the soul of the profession, the blood of the Son. Each handful of land, each handful of enzyme is the crystallization of nature and human intelligence.
Mr. Son also added that Bat Trang pottery village was formed during the Ly - Tran Dynasty, famous as the royal pottery kiln. Through many ups and downs, Bat Trang pottery village has always preserved its unique identity. Up to now, the pottery still plays the role of the cultural blood vessel of the community, a delicate quality of life crystallized through the hand of encapsulation, embossed, carved, carved with hands on each product.
"Currently, Bat Trang Ceramic Village has a tour combined with experiences, from clay filling, fermentation, shaping to painting. Not only attracting Vietnamese people, foreign visitors also come to "make pottery a day", seeing the elaborateness, thereby increasingly appreciating handmade products. Many foreign tourists then print names, place names, and souvenirs on cups and bowls to bring home - both creating spiritual value and helping artisans earn more income, Mr. Son shared.
The craft village cannot be without the next generation
If in the past, the image of the pottery village was associated with older artisans, now it is not difficult to see young people full of passion creating pottery or researching new enzyme right in Bat Trang. They are the 9X and 2K generations; well-trained in art and industry schools but have chosen to return to the countryside and focus on traditional crafts.
Nguyen Minh Quang (25 years old, living in Bat Trang commune, Gia Lam district, Hanoi), graduated from the Ceramics industry, University of Industrial Fine Arts - shared: "I have a talent for fine arts, and was encouraged and guided by my father-in-law, artisan To Thanh Son, so I studied and practiced to follow the ceramic profession.
To make a living with the profession, Quang said that his workshop is starting a business in new forms: online sales, handmade souvenir production, and personalized pottery making as required. It is the customer who comes with the idea for the artist to implement. Thereby, young artisans can access new markets, bringing traditional products to the world through e-commerce platforms and social networks.
Artisan To Thanh Son also shared: Today, Bat Trang pottery village has expanded the experiential tourism model. Tourists visit the ancient pottery kilns, learn how to make pottery, and enjoy the craft village culture. Bat Trang is not only a destination, but a place to preserve the memories of Vietnam.
According to artist To Thanh Son, to preserve the craft village, it is not only necessary to preserve techniques, but there must be someone to inspire and create. "Young people do not turn their backs on traditional professions as many people think. The problem is how to make that profession attractive, have a future, income and space for development" - artist To Thanh Son affirmed.
