Time in a riverside village flows through indigo brushstrokes: Bát Tràng ceramics

Where was it born?

Bát Tràng is a pottery village across the Red River from central Hanoi. Pottery-making here is said to have begun in the Lý dynasty or around the 14th century; the exact date is not known. By the 15th century the village’s wares had spread across the country, and in the 16th–17th centuries they are said to have been shipped overseas as well.

The ware is made from clay dug in nearby villages and white kaolin. Pieces are shaped on the wheel, painted, glazed and fired in the kiln. The village has a saying meaning “first the body, second the glaze, third the kiln fire”, a reminder that clay, glaze and fire are all essential. Workshops and pottery shops still line the village, and some workshops offer pottery classes.

How to tell them apart and choose

Bát Tràng is famous for blue-on-white painted ware, but there are many other glaze colors too: crackle glazes with fine webs of cracks, deep browns, mossy greens and more. In blue painting, lines that thicken and thin with the pressure of the brush are the mark of hand-painting. Rather than in perfectly uniform patterns, you can see the movement of the painter’s hand in slightly wavering lines.

Ceramics shops in the Old Quarter carry everything from traditional patterns to designs in soft-colored glazes that suit modern life. Even with the same pattern, each piece has its own character, so pick up a few mugs or small dishes and compare.

How to buy and bring them home

Hanoi’s Old Quarter has several shops specializing in Bát Tràng ceramics, so you can walk around and compare. If you have time, a trip out to the village to see the workshops or make your own pottery makes a great memory. Ceramics are heavy, so if you buy a lot, have the shop pack them securely, then wrap them in clothing in your suitcase. Mug handles chip easily, so stuffing a towel around the handle gives extra peace of mind.