Having the opportunity to visit Phu Lang village (Bac Ninh), visitors can easily recognize traditional ceramic products everywhere, such as vases, pots, jars used to grow ornamental plants in the garden or to grow peach and kumquat trees every time Tet comes. Legend has it that the ceramic craft here has been formed and developed for nearly 800 years.
Travel and pottery
Not stopping at making ceramic products, Phu Lang people are looking forward to more and more domestic and foreign tourists knowing about Phu Lang pottery village. A new direction for the village is to develop community tourism and experience rural culture. Recently, Phu Lang has started to welcome visitors from neighboring provinces and cities such as Hanoi, Quang Ninh, Hai Duong... and some international delegations.
In recent years, Mr. Tran Van Thang has started to cooperate with pottery establishments in Phu Lang village to bring visitors to experience, so that the benefits are shared and many people have more income. Accommodation facilities, restaurants, and pottery experience areas have also gradually been formed in Phu Lang on the basis of preserving local culture.
Mr. Tran Van Thang said: "Visitors coming here are introduced to the formation and development of the craft village, the pottery profession, experience the pottery making process with the locals, and even play the role of a pottery artisan. Foreign visitors especially love to learn about the pottery production process and local culture. We are making efforts to promote the craft village tourism brand including Phu Lang at domestic fairs and exhibitions as well as connecting with tourism businesses to bring visitors here."
One of the familiar addresses for tourists when coming to Phu Lang is Nham Giang pottery workshop. The owner of this establishment - Mr. Vu Huu Nham said that the main customers are high school students or art students from Hanoi who come to practice and research.
According to Mr. Nham, the pottery profession in Phu Lang is facing an opportunity for innovation: "We still maintain traditional features, still sell those items, but if we want to get rich from tourism, we have to change. Currently, tourists coming to the village rarely stay overnight, and rarely buy large jars and pots. Products need to be renewed in design, following new trends and being more compact. We also need a museum or a common exhibition area to introduce Phu Lang pottery."
What can't be lost in Phu Lang
Besides the experience of pottery, what attracts tourists to Phu Lang is the peaceful countryside space and the gentle, simple people. This place still retains the ancient features of a Kinh Bac village with brown tiled roofs, small brick-paved alleys and many traditional pottery kilns. The whole village leans against the foot of the hill, surrounded by the peaceful Cau River. Nearby are ancient relics associated with the history of the village such as Phu Lang communal house, Lang market or Phuc Long pagoda...
"Unlike some pottery villages that have become modern and have many high-rise buildings, Phu Lang pottery village still retains the natural landscape that is very typical of a countryside such as rivers, dikes, communal houses, etc. The dishes are also very rustic and simple, mainly local products. Coming here, visitors can truly relax in a relaxing atmosphere and fresh air," said Mr. Tran Van Thang.
The natural beauty of Phu Lang is also the main reason why artisan Onimaru Hekizan from Japan decided to stay in the village. Sharing with VOV.VN reporter, Mr. Onimaru said that with funding from the JICA Project, he and his colleagues came to Vietnam to help villagers diversify their ceramic products and gain more experience in developing sustainable tourism.
"My products have been exported all over the world and have always been highly appreciated for using natural materials. However, the reality is that many places have developed rapidly and lost this element. I chose Vietnam and specifically Phu Lang because this place still has its natural beauty and traditional crafts. The craft here still has many handmade elements, rural landscapes and few high-rise buildings. The most important thing for Phu Lang is that in the future the natural beauty must still be protected, because if lost, it cannot be regained," said Mr. Onimaru.
In addition to training courses on handmade pottery and methods to enhance the value of ceramic products for Phu Lang people, the Japanese project has brought many students to visit ancient pottery villages in Fukuoka and Oita provinces, and at the same time learn how to develop community tourism.
After this trip, Bui Thanh Ha Nam - a young ceramic artist in Phu Lang said: "Japanese ceramic villages are very skillful in tourism. Their stories attract tourists because of their high-value products, modern designs that suit the tastes but still respect traditional elements, using local materials. The environment is strictly protected, the villagers are very united and unanimous in doing tourism".
Young artisans in Phu Lang such as Bui Thanh Ha Nam or Bui Van Huan all see that, in the tourism industry, ceramic products do not need to be large in size but must convey the story, emotions, and passion of the maker: "Previously, ceramic items in Phu Lang were too big, took a lot of materials to make but were not of high value, and tourists could not buy and carry such bulky items. Now we create smaller, more sophisticated ceramic items that contain emotions and thoughts."
Artisan Onimaru Hekizan believes that Phu Lang pottery must develop in an environmentally friendly way, while creating products and experiences suitable for tourists. He hopes that young artisans in Phu Lang will develop the pottery profession in a sustainable way, thereby not only making money for themselves but also spreading benefits to the community and teaching the next generations.
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