Quang Nam To complete the dragon mascot, the potter had to spend a week making the mold, two weeks drawing the eyes, nose, beard, mouth..., many details had to be broken and redone several times.
In the last days of the Year of the Cat, Mr. Le Van Nhat, 35 years old, owner of a pottery establishment in Thanh Ha village, Hoi An city, is completing two clay statues of dragons wrapped around a money jar. This is the second time he has made a mascot to display to welcome the new year of Giap Thin 2024 at Thanh Ha pottery village. Last year, he made a cat statue.
Mr. Le Van Nhat is completing the dragon statue wrapped around the soldiers. Photo: Son Thuy
Born into a pottery family, Nhat began kneading clay to create objects at the age of 15. When Hoi An developed tourism, he opened a workshop at home and is now the youngest potter in the village. He has made many animals, but this is the first time he has made a dragon. "Dragons are in legends, but I have never seen them in reality, so it is very difficult to make. To choose a dragon model with a spirit, I searched for pictures online and printed them out," he said.
In December 2023, Mr. Nhat kneaded clay to create a 70 cm high, 55 cm diameter dragon mold with a 2 m long coiled dragon. The dragon and the dragon body were both hollowed out and had many holes punched in them so that when put into the kiln, they would not crack or explode.
Compared to other mascots, dragons have many small details such as beards, legs, nails, and teeth, requiring the craftsman to be patient and meticulous. Many details Mr. Nhat had to break and redo several times before he was satisfied. "After the mold is made, the statue dries quickly. While making a dragon statue takes many days, the dry soil cannot be used. I have to cover it to keep the soil moist," he said.
Mr. Nhat estimates it will take about 20 days to complete this pair of mascots.
Mr. Nhat meticulously crafts the dragon head. Photo: Son Thuy
Also participating in making dragon statues for Thanh Ha pottery village, Nguyen Van Hoang, 40 years old, made two dragons lying down, 90 cm long, with heads raised 55 cm high. To complete each product, he spent a week making the blank, two weeks molding, drawing details and firing.
The most difficult part is the dragon's head. This is considered the soul of the product, focusing on many details such as eyes, nose, beard, mouth, horns... "Just for the eyes, I spent more than two days. Each line and part needs to be sharp, creating the noble, powerful look of the dragon mascot," said Mr. Hoang.
Besides Nhat and Hoang, the remaining potters made two dragon statues. It is expected that on December 25 of the lunar calendar, six dragon statues will be displayed in Thanh Ha village. This job only brings in a few hundred thousand dong a day, much lower than other jobs, but Nhat said he does not focus on money but wants to "breathe life into pottery".
Mr. Nguyen Van Hoang is completing a lying dragon statue. Photo: Son Thuy
Thanh Ha Pottery Village Management Board said that 6 dragon statues will be displayed around the pottery village to welcome the new year. Visitors will be able to admire and take photos with the zodiac animal of 2024.
Thanh Ha Pottery Village is located on the Thu Bon River, about 3 km west of Hoi An city center. This is a typical tourist destination in Hoi An, with more than 500 years of formation and development.
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