"Princess" of Hoi An's famous pottery village competes with clay

On September 1, Thanh Ha pottery village, Hoi An Tay ward, Da Nang city, was bustling with activities within the framework of the 2025 Thanh Ha pottery ancestor's death anniversary, a traditional cultural event to pay tribute to ancestors and educate future generations about the historical and cultural values of the craft village.

According to the elders, the pottery ancestor's death anniversary is a tradition that has been preserved in the village for nearly 500 years, with two major ceremonies on the 10th of January and the 10th of July of the lunar calendar every year.

People practice the ceramic palanquin procession ritual on the morning of September 1 (Photo: Ngo Linh).

This year, the procession of the pottery founder's palanquin from Lum Ba Dang temple (Thanh Chiem block) to Nam Dieu temple took place on September 1 (the 10th day of the 7th lunar month).

Besides the solemn ceremony, the festival offers many unique activities such as boat racing on Thu Bon River, tug of war, pottery making, pottery sharpening, clay pot molding and clay pot rice cooking, attracting a large number of locals and tourists to participate.

The highlight of the festival is the pottery-making competition, where skilled craftsmen show off their talent and creativity. Notably, the majority of participating potters are women, who are continuing and preserving the traditional pottery craft.

Tourists enjoy taking photos with ceramic products (Photo: Ngo Linh).

Ms. Nguyen Thi Ha Phuong (38 years old, Khang Thu pottery establishment) is a daughter of Thanh Ha pottery village, has been involved in the profession since the age of 10. With many years of diligent creativity, Ms. Phuong has won many awards, including the product "Lantern Set" made from pottery recognized as 3-star OCOP (One Commune One Product program).

“I plan to make lotus paintings. The most difficult step is to shape the lotus so that it is both graceful and lively, carrying the spirit of aspiration to rise up and constantly learn of the women of Thanh Ha pottery village,” Ms. Phuong shared.

Ms. Le Thi Hong Thuy, Vice Chairwoman of Hoi An Tay Ward, emphasized that this is a special pottery village festival organized after the merger and operation of the 2-level local government model, affirming the locality's determination to preserve and conserve heritage values in the new period.

Ms. Ha Phuong competes in pottery polishing at the Thanh Ha pottery ancestor festival 2025 (Photo: Ngo Linh).

With its unique and typical values, "Thanh Ha Pottery" was recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2019.

Today, Thanh Ha pottery village is not only a place to preserve traditional crafts but also an attractive tourist destination, attracting thousands of domestic and foreign visitors.

In 2024, Thanh Ha pottery village welcomed 550,000 visitors, achieving revenue of more than 19.2 billion VND, contributing to the development of the local economy and promoting Vietnamese culture.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/du-lich/bong-hong-lang-gom-noi-tieng-hoi-an-voc-dat-set-tranh-tai-hoa-20250901122202247.htm