Do you love Vietnamese traditional culture? Do you want to explore famous craft villages with unique and beautiful products? Join BDATrip to discover the interesting things about Bat Trang Ceramic Village and Duong Lam Ancient Village right through this article!
Bat Trang is the most famous and oldest pottery village in Vietnam, located on the bank of the Red River, belonging to Bat Trang commune, Gia Lam district, Hanoi. Bat Trang pottery village was formed from the time of Ly Thai To moved the capital to Thang Long, when the artisans from Bo Bat village (Ninh Binh) followed the king to settle here. The village has a good source of raw materials, which is white clay, suitable for making beautiful pottery products. Bat Trang pottery was recorded in history books from the 15th century, when the pottery products of the village were popular in the country and exported abroad, and were chosen by the court as tribute for the Ming dynasty.
The name Bat Trang means “the big yard” for pottery production. At the same time, this name also implies the richness and glory of the village, as a reminder for the descendants to preserve the tradition and value of their ancestors.
Bat Trang pottery village has gone through hundreds of years with many historical events, but still retains its cultural and artistic identity. The pottery products of the village not only have high aesthetic value, but also reflect the soul, life and national pride of Vietnamese people. The pottery products of the village are very diverse in shape, color, pattern and type, from daily utensils such as bowls, plates, pots, cups, jars, vases, to decorative items such as paintings, statues, patterns, or worship items such as incense burners, incense sticks, incense bowls.
Bat Trang pottery village is famous for its traditional pottery making with its own secrets and passed down from generation to generation. The process of creating pottery products requires skillfulness, sophistication and creativity of the artisans:
- Shaping pottery: This is the stage of shaping pottery products from raw materials which is white clay. The artisans use a spinning wheel to create different shapes for the products. After shaping, the products are left to dry for a while to harden.
- Decorating pottery patterns: This is the stage of decorating pottery products by drawing patterns on their surface. The artisans use different types of glazes to create colors and effects for the products. The patterns are often inspired by nature, culture, history and spirituality of Vietnamese people.
- Firing pottery: This is the final stage to complete pottery products. The products are put into a kiln at high temperature to make glaze melt and stick to their surface. After firing, the products are taken out and cooled down. The firing process determines the quality and durability of the products.
When traveling to Bat Trang Ceramic Village, you can not only admire the exquisite pottery products, but also participate in the following interesting and meaningful tourism activities:
- Visit Van Van Ancient House: This is an ancient house built from the 18th century, with the traditional architectural style of the Vietnamese countryside. Van Van Ancient House has an area of about 3000m2, including 5 adjacent houses with 19 compartments. The ancient house is decorated with many antique items and pottery products of Bat Trang village.
- Make pottery in the village: This is an attractive and fun tourism activity for you when coming to Bat Trang village. You can create your own pottery products according to your preferences, from bowls, plates, pots, cups, to paintings, statues, patterns. You will be guided by skilled artisans and use tools such as spinning wheel, pottery knife, glaze. After finishing, you can take your product home as a gift or souvenir.
- Shop for pottery: Bat Trang village has many shops and pottery markets for you to choose and shop. You can find a variety of pottery products of Bat Trang Hanoi in terms of shape, color, pattern and quality, from simple, cheap products, to high-end, expensive products. You can also bargain to get a reasonable price for the products you love.
Duong Lam is an ancient village dating back to the 18th Hung King (about 2500 years ago), located in Son Dong commune, Son Tay district, Hanoi. Duong Lam is known as “the hometown of two kings” who are Ly Thai To and Ngo Quyen, two kings who made great contributions to Vietnamese history. Ly Thai To was the founder of the Ly dynasty (11th century), Ngo Quyen was the one who defeated the Southern Han army and restored independence for Vietnam (10th century).
Duong Lam Village ancient village has an area of about 103ha, including 9 hamlets: Mong Phu, Dong Sang, Cam Thinh, Do Doc, Phu Khanh, Phung Hung, Tan Thinh, Van Mon and Ngo Quyen. Duong Lam is surrounded by rivers and ponds creating a peaceful and serene scenery.
The ancient village is considered a living museum of traditional Vietnamese architecture. The houses here are built of ancient ironwood and blue stone. The houses have red tile roofs and three-room two-wing structures. The houses are decorated with antique items such as copper paintings hanging on the wall, ebony wood tables and chairs, lotus flower vases… The houses are also surrounded by blue stone fences and wooden village gates.
This is also a place that preserves many important historical and cultural relics. The prominent relics are: The temple of two kings Ly Thai To and Ngo Quyen, Phuc Lam pagoda, Mia pagoda, Nom pagoda, Mong Phu communal house, Dong Sang communal house, Cam Thinh communal house, Do Doc communal house… These relics not only have architectural value but also have spiritual and religious significance for the people here.
Duong Lam is an ancient village located in Son Tay district, Hanoi city. This is an attractive tourist destination in Hanoi with many historical and cultural relics and ancient houses with traditional Vietnamese features. When coming to Duong Lam, you can not only admire the ancient architecture, but also enjoy the rustic dishes, participate in cultural and agricultural activities.
One of the things that attracts tourists when coming to Duong Lam Village is the delicious and unique dishes. You can try banh te, a type of small round sticky rice cake stuffed with green bean or pork fat, then boiled and eaten with sesame salt. You can also drink sugarcane wine, a type of wine made from sugarcane juice and natural fermentation, with a sweet and slightly spicy taste. In addition, you can enjoy che lam, sweet potato pudding, sweet potato cake, rice cake… These dishes are sold at restaurants or eateries in the village.
If you love culture, you can join many attractive and unique cultural activities in Duong Lam ancient village. You can watch water puppetry, a traditional art form of Vietnam, performed on water by wooden puppets controlled by strings. You can also watch cheo singing, quan ho singing, two types of ca tru singing of Vietnam, performed by male and female singers with folk songs. You can also join folk games such as tug-of-war, shuttlecock kicking, blindfolded goat catching… to feel the joy and closeness of the people here.
Moreover, you can also experience the work of rural people in Duong Lam. You can plow the field, sow seeds, harvest rice, pick fruits, milk cows… to understand the life and labor of farmers. You can also enjoy the fresh and peaceful atmosphere of the countryside.
To have a successful and complete trip to Bat Trang Ceramic Village and Duong Lam Ancient Village, you need to pay attention to some tips below:
- Travel time: You can travel to Bat Trang & Duong Lam at any time of the year. However, to get the best experiences, you should choose in spring (January-March) or autumn (September-November), when the weather is cool and dry.
- Transportation: You can travel to Bat Trang & Duong Lam by various means of transportation. If you go from Hanoi, you can go by bus, coach, motorbike or car. If you go from other provinces, you can go by plane, train or coach to Hanoi and then move to Bat Trang & Duong Lam.
- Travel cost: The travel cost for Bat Trang & Duong Lam is not too high. To save money, you can choose to book a tour in Hanoi, this will help you have a complete experience as well as balance the cost of transportation, food, entrance fees for relics and shopping.
- Eating and resting: You can find many restaurants and eateries in Bat Trang & Duong Lam to enjoy delicious dishes and specialties of the village. You can also stay overnight at homestays or hotels in the village to feel the peaceful and cozy atmosphere of the countryside.
Vietnamese traditional villages are attractive and worthwhile destinations for anyone who wants to learn about Vietnam's unique culture and history. By participating in tours or exploring on your own, you will have the opportunity to meet and chat with local people, enjoy home-cooked food, and participate in traditional activities.
Traveling to Bat Trang and Duong Lam Village is a great choice for you when you want to explore the cultural and historical values of Vietnam. Book your tour at BDATrip today to have memorable experiences!
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