A single blue line reveals life in the south: Sông Bé ceramics

Where was it born?

Heading north from central HCMC, you reach the towns of Bình Dương. Blessed with sticky clay from the riverbanks and firewood for the kilns, this land is home to pottery villages such as Lái Thiêu, Tân Phước Khánh and Chánh Nghĩa, where ceramics took root as artisans carried on techniques brought over from China. Accounts differ on when it began, but it is said to have grown substantially from the late 19th to the early 20th century.

“Sông Bé” is the name of Sông Bé Province, which covered this area from 1976 to early 1997. In Japan, the area’s simple everyday tableware came to be affectionately called Sông Bé ware. Bình Dương became part of Ho Chi Minh City in 2025, but Sông Bé lives on as the name of the ceramics.

How to tell them apart and choose

Its hallmark is a soft, slightly yellowish white body with indigo lines swept on with a brush, or flowers and birds drawn in a few strokes. Because they are hand-painted, the thickness of the lines and the bleeding of the paint differ from piece to piece. Lining up pieces with the same pattern and choosing the one whose look you like best is part of the fun.

Shops today carry both new pieces that carry on the old patterns and vintage pieces several decades old. Some new pieces are microwave- and dishwasher-safe, so a good approach is to use new pieces every day and old ones for display or special occasions.

How to buy and bring them home

Small plates and dishes are often reasonably priced and good for buying in bulk. When choosing, run a finger along the rim to check for chips, and turn the piece over to make sure it does not wobble. To carry them home, have the shop wrap them in paper, then sandwich them between clothes in the center of your suitcase. Stacking fewer pieces together makes breakage less likely.