Fired at high temperatures, Dong Trieu ceramics retain their natural beauty and high durability. With great passion, the people of the pottery village continue tending the flames day and night to preserve their traditional craft.
Dong Trieu Ceramics – Breathing Life into Clay in Quang Ninh
Dong Trieu District is approximately 60km from Ha Long City and is known for its pottery and ceramics. Compared with Bat Trang, Phu Lam, Kim Lan… Dong Trieu ceramics in Quang Ninh are relatively young in age, but the craftspeople here have never lost their pride in the traditional craft.
Pottery and ceramic products. Photo: Financial Magazine.
In 1955, the pottery craft here began to take shape, with only 2 pottery workshops at the time. For a long period, the craft declined, and many families had to dismantle their pottery kilns due to the emergence of products made from plastic, stainless steel, aluminum…
Photo: langmoi.vn.
The first Dong Trieu pottery products were merely simple decorative bowls and plates or pieces carved with geometric patterns. A few years later, items such as teapots, cups, niễng… appeared, made using wooden molds in the style of Bat Trang pottery.
Painting patterns on ceramics. Photo: langmoi.vn.
Later, pottery here developed using the slip-casting method of Hai Duong pottery. Today Dong Trieu ceramics are found throughout the country, and pottery has also become the main occupation of local residents.
Pottery kiln. Photo: Quang Ninh Newspaper.
To produce pottery and ceramics that meet quality and aesthetic standards, craftspeople must strictly follow every stage, from selecting, processing and mixing the clay, shaping and creating patterns, and glazing to the final firing.
Raw products before firing. Photo: Quang Ninh Newspaper.
All stages in the process of creating pottery and ceramic products are equally important. As a high-fired pottery village, the production process for Dong Trieu ceramics still consists mainly of manual steps that must be carried out directly by hand.
Highly durable pottery products. Photo: Quang Ninh Newspaper.
As a result, Dong Trieu pottery differs from pottery produced in large workshops equipped with modern machinery. This difference has some limitations but also many advantages, one of which is the spirit that the craftspeople express with great care and meticulousness in each product.
Painting patterns and glazing. Photo: Quang Ninh Newspaper.
Starting with raw clay, craftspeople must carry out numerous filtering stages to remove impurities and obtain clay that is soft, smooth and pliable. If the clay still contains impurities or has not been carefully filtered, the product will not achieve the proper structure.
Visitors choosing ceramics to buy. Photo: VnBusiness.
After preparing the materials, craftspeople create gentle curves for pottery products on a wheel or meticulously arrange them in molds. Because the products are made by hand, creating a single pottery item takes considerable time, depending on its shape and size. Then comes the stage of painting patterns on the products, with highly diverse scenes of mountains, landscapes, people…
Photo: Quang Ninh Newspaper.
The final stage is firing the products at a high temperature, from 1,300 to 1,400 degrees C, for 4 to 5 hours depending on the product. As this is high-fired pottery, the kilns here are all fueled with firewood. During firing, the flames must be regulated so that the tongues of fire reach precisely the front, back or middle of the kiln.
Photo: Quang Ninh Newspaper.
Each type of firewood produces different glaze colors because they burn at different temperatures, while the floral ash from the wood is also an important factor in forming highlights on the glaze.
Hard-fired, durable products. Photo: Quang Ninh Newspaper.
Local potters have spent time researching how to mix materials and design firing kilns. And because the products are made from carefully selected materials, thoroughly processed clay and fired at high temperatures, the products Dong Trieu ceramics are highly durable and have a very clear glaze.
The pottery village provides jobs for many workers. Photo: Quang Ninh Newspaper.
Pottery products are also exported to many countries, including South Korea, Canada, the United Arab Emirates, Taiwan… and are highly regarded for their quality and designs. Dong Trieu ceramics may be young, but they have a charm of their own, bringing meaningful works of art into the world.
