Hanoi (Vietnam): China from Vietnam? Well, that is if you are talking about porcelain pottery of the finest quality with unusual features which has found a huge market for export to New Zealand, Japan, Korea, Netherlands, U.K. and Spain!
Bat Trang (pronounced – ‘Bacchang’) or the ‘Bowl Factory’ about 15 kms south east of Hanoi was once a sleepy village making bricks since 1400 a.d. Over the years it developed the art and technique of making ceramic bowls and other artifacts, and now have a thriving export industry.
With opening up of the economy in 1986 under ‘doi moi’ or ‘economic renovation’ programme it has been transformed into a bustling manufacturing hub for high quality and unusual porcelain artifacts thanks to the high quality clay found near by.
Coal fired kilns and the hand operated potters wheels have given way to electric furnaces and electric motor driven facilities, and molds to ensure high productivity and a consistent quality of its numerous products.
Apart from the usual assortment of bowls, dishes, tea pots, cups, leg lamps, lime-pots, big-bellied jars, wine pots, huge flower-vases products are also provided with various types of glazing such as indigo-blue flower glaze, ancient pearl blaze, grey flower glaze, crackle glaze, dark glaze, or melt glaze etc.
Little animals, figurines, and human shapes feature in the vast array of display in hundreds of shops lining the narrow alleys of Bat Trang. One has to enquire and patiently search for studios making the products in a back yards or in floors above the store to get an idea of the labour which goes into the final product, which we were able to discover to our delight, even though it involved climbing to the 4th and 5th floors of the showrooms with its elaborate displays.
As time went by, the village’s products have developed and become well known for the best quality, style and glaze, both inside and outside of the nation. Many of these are now customized for aristocratic families and religious needs.
Manufacture starts with the making the product frame, after which the artists selects the suitable clay, treat it and mould the object which has to be touched up for any defects, befor decorating it with intricate designs and cover it with glaze.
Finally it enters the firing kiln where it is baked at 1200 to 1300 degree Celsius for as much as 3 days. The final product is then classified and if required touched up once again for any minute defects before hitting the show room.
These products may be placed in three categories depending on the end use viz. Decorative items such as house models, altars, statues and architectural fixtures, including the massive vases, which sometimes can tower over a human being. Next come the Cult wares such as altar boxes, swords, lamp stands, candle holders, incense burners etc. and finally Utility wares such as wine bottles flower pots, plates, bowls, teacups, kettles, of course jars of all shapes and sizes.
Often the dilemma is what to choose from humongous variety of not only tea sets, mugs, ash trays, plates, vases but also the ceramic figures of dogs, Buddha, Confucius, turtles, rabbits, elephants, lions, eagles etc. all laid before your eyes!
(R C Acharya is former member of Railway board. He is on a personal trip to Vietnam) – desk@newsforindia.com