Bat Trang artisans showcase creative expertise with lost-and-found dragon seal

Every new year, artisans in the traditional ceramic village of Bat Trang research and create a new product, a symbolic figure for that particular year to promote the village's exquisite handmade crafts, serving as both a gift and a display item for customers.

This year, artisans have created a very special dragon seal that is inspired by the Nguyen Dynasty’s golden imperial seals.

In preparation for the special demand at this time of the year, the pottery furnaces in Bat Trang village on the outskirts of Hanoi have been ignited.

For the Year of Dragon, from vases to tea sets, every product features dragon images.

"This year is the Year of the Dragon, which is a special year. We have developed a product called Sacred Dragon Imprint. Artisans have put a lot of effort into crafting this special work," Nguyen Van Luc from the Vietnam Consumer Ceramic Association told Vietnam News.

The design is inspired by the lost imperial seal of the Nguyen Dynasty, which was recently returned to Vietnam and is currently on display at a private museum in Bac Ninh province.

It is also created based on one of the most beautiful images of the Vietnamese Dragon, the dragon from the Le Dynasty.

That is what Pham Viet Khoa, an artisan with more than 40 years' work experience in the ceramic industry, finds so fascinating to about this year's product.

"The features all the beauty of the dragon from the Le Dynasty, making it purely a Vietnamese dragon," Khoa said.

"Creating this dragon sculpture this year has been truly inspiring, as it represents a Vietnamese dragon."

The seal features three words: peace, harmony and prosperity, which are the messages artisans would like to deliver to customers, wishing them a prosperous 2024.

Forming, assembling and painting this product requires a lot of effort. However, the most challenging part remains the creation of the mould.

"We need to brainstorm to have an idea and design a prototype that is not only beautiful but also resonates with people. Once the prototype is completed, we move on to mould casting and undergo five more stages before ultimately producing the final product," Khoa added.

The special artworks are crafted in very limited quantities, so those who own them are very fortunate, said Luc.

"We primarily accept orders from our regular customers and those who appreciate handmade artistic products tailored to the specific theme of the year. As a result, the supply of dragon seals on the market is limited."

This year's economic situation has affected the industry's sales, but the introduction of the year's themed product is still being welcomed by customers.

"Considering the economic and social circumstances this year, there has been a decrease in the production of crafted artworks compared to the previous year. This can be attributed to the fact that our artworks cater to the high-end segment, which has been facing economic difficulties," said Luc.

"However, there have been recent positive indicators of an economic recovery in the past couple of months. And the artworks we create have been receiving positive feedback from customers."

With the beautiful image and meaningful messages, people may all hope for a happy and prosperous year ahead.