Preparing to enter the Year of Dragon 2024, many people have been looking to buy unique gifts. One of the items expected to be "hot" this year is handmade ceramic products shaped like dragons...
Symbols closely linked in life, emotion and soul of the nation
Regarding the Year of the Dragon 2024, Nguyen Hieu Hoc, a folk culture researcher in Binh Duong said that the dragon in the 12 zodiac animals is an image with many attachments in the life, emotion and soul of the Vietnamese people. Dragons in the Eastern region as well as in Vietnam symbolize authority, but sometimes they are close, representing the spiritual life and hope of people, especially workers, for innovation and goodness.
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Artisan Huynh Thi Thu Nguyen paints dragon images on ceramic items
Dragons in the four sacred creatures, Long (Dragon), Lan (Unicorn), Qui (Turtle), and Phung (Phoenix) is also very close to Vietnamese people through images in household appliances since olden times. Dragons in Vietnam also show that our ancestors have always been proud to be children of Dragons and descendants of Fairies with the legend of Au Co - Lac Long Quan...
In Binh Duong, where pottery has developed for a long time, the dragon image is painted by artisans on household items such as jars, vases, cups, plates, kettles...Artisans at Tan Phuoc Khanh pottery village in Tan Uyen city, Chanh Nghia pottery village in Thu Dau Mot city... said that since the time of Ong Tia kiln, also known as Ba Lua pottery village, Binh Duong ceramic products have been very unique with many images, including dragon ones.
Chanh Nghia pottery village’s products are specific because of being coated with clear or opaque white enamel. Lai Thieu pottery village appeared later, around the beginning of the twentieth century, with the prosperity in the period of 1930-1970. Lai Thieu pottery village’s products are characterized by glossy glaze and more outstanding painterly colors...
Reviving dragon image in ancient ceramics
The interesting thing is that currently all three handicraft pottery villages of Tan Phuoc Khanh, Chanh Nghia and Lai Thieu still produce and trade in many products based on ancient ceramic models. These products are provided to customers who are interested in ceramics at home and abroad. When scientific technology develops and machinery becomes automated, it is very encouraging that traditional handicraft pottery villages are still operating.
Bui Ngoc Anh, the marketing staff of a pottery kiln in Lai Thieu said that there is a Thu Bien pottery workshop here with 7-8 artisans specializing in shaping and drawing on ceramic items upon requests. According to Mrs. Anh, this year, many customers choose Tet gifts with dragon images such as dragon plates, dragon vases or statues used to decorate living rooms and desks. About 60% of customers on this occasion choose products with dragon images. An old-style dragon painting plate costs VND 250,000. Other products range from several million VND per product. "Depending on the sophistication of products, their selling prices are different", said she.
Reported by Quynh Nhu-Translated by Kim Tin
