To the opinion and stand-point of many historian and experts, pottery ceramic is not only the symbol of culture but also the symbolic representation of every nation’s civilization, chronology presenting all the up and down periods of mankind’s history. About Vietnam ceramic, Mr. Neo Zelandais - a New Zealander researcher on history and culture has defined it as “Body of the Earth”.

    Chu Dau Ceramic was discovered and developed from the Lee, Tran, Le, Mac dynasties, and had its most prosperous time from 15th – 17th centuries. Chu Dau - one of the oldest ceramic villages in Vietnam was among the first to help the development of the other ceramic villages. Chu Dau Ceramic is considered as the wonderful one in Vietnam and the world over. Its high quality is shown through the deep blue enamel on an ivory white base. It has also reached the standard of Taoism ceramic with delicate shapes and sparking, lively drawings… attracted attention from people. Even the professional ceramic collectors have passionately respected and admired the fascinating beauty of Vietnamese Red river culture drawn on the Chu Dau Ceramic.

    Chu Dau Ceramic has imbrued with the Vietnamese Cultural characters human values of Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, and Local Religion. It’s natural shape, bright and clear enamel, simply beautiful patterns… have expressed the Vietnam national culture. Ceramic designs of daily life drawn by talented artists have truly reflected the Red River Civilization - Water Rice Civilization. At present, many samples of Chu Dau ancient ceramic have been displayed in 46 well-known museums of 32 countries and regions over the world.

   Chu Dau Ceramic has gathered the most artistic and cultural quintessence of ceramic products; its special characters have been shown through nice shape, precious enamel, skillful and artistic patterns…on different products such as: cup, bowl, plate, ceramic box, vase, pot, censer, candle stick, jewelry box, etc. Chu Dau well-known enamels have consisted of clear ash enamel, deep blue enamel, celadon enamel with various colors as green, moss-green, light yellow, deep yellow, deep brown, etc. Among them, until now the Tam Thai enamel with various colors, aristocratically expression…remains the mystery for the scientists. The strong point of Chu Dau Ceramic is in the technique of drawing patterns under enamel, which are stylist lotus, chrysanthemum, trees, grass, and animals. Talented hand-drawing in the past has brought the nature and daily life into each ceramic products: women in leaf hat, girl in Vietnamese dress, ox pastor playing flute, flock of sparrows, small house besides river, fishermen, kids playing kites, cock-fighting, phoenix, dragon in clouds, etc.

    Chu Dau Ceramic consisted of 3 types: products for civilians, high-ranking officers, and the royalty, with high quality, rare clay in Chi Linh area. The ivory white clay is accumulated from Spiritual Mountain, the pure and cool water sources coming from 6 rivers in the North-Eastern area (Six-mouth River). That is why the clay itself is not only spiritual but pure and rich in precious minerals. When using those ceramic products, food can be kept fresh and delicious for longer time, and make people feel peaceful, relaxing. Coffee and tea kept in Chu Dau Ceramic become

 more delicious. Flowers keeping in Chu Dau vase are more beautiful, and water does not stink. That is amazing and wonderful. Chu Dau villagers are very proud of Chu Dau Ceramic - Cultural quintessence of Vietnam – a holy gift for Vietnamese, who always love peace, life and altruism. Dessa Good Darp – Asian Art Director of Butterfields (the Art Auction Organizer) in San Francisco who is in charge of Asian fine art has commented that “The discovery of Chu Dau Ceramic is giving back Vietnam an important chapter in the art inheritance which has been thought being completely disappeared”.

    Chu Dau Ceramic has been created from more than 500 years ago, and become well-known through the international antiques auctions. The most valuable Chu Dau ceramic item is the white enamel garlic-shape vase with deep-blue lotus and chrysanthemum patterns, 54 cm height, made by artist Bui Thi Hy in 1450, being kept in Topkapi Saray Museum, Istanbul Capital, Turkey, with the insurance premium worthy of millions of US dollars. Besides, many other antiques have been displayed in famous museums in the world as well as in Vietnam, of them at present 5.624 precious antique ceramics have been kept in Hai Duong Museum. For long time, there has been a saying: “Porcelain - Jiangxi, Ceramic - Chu Dau”, which is indicated that the name, trade-mark and prestige of Chu Dau Ceramic has been known and respected in the region and the world.

     In 1983, an archaeological investigation campaign of antique Chu Dau Ceramic has been started with a special subject: “Research on Hai Hung ancient ceramic”. After a long and extensive research, archaeologists have determined that: Chu Dau, My Xa in Thai Tan, Minh Tan communes, Nam Sach district, Hai Duong Province were the developed areas of ceramic for centuries ago. From 1986 up to present, 8 times of excavation with cultural layer of 2m depth x 70.000 m2 wide had been carried out, tens of old ceramic kilns had been discovered inactive underground for hundreds of years (since XIII-XIV centuries, strongly developed in XV-XVI centuries, and lost at the end of XVII centuries because of the long Trinh – Mac Dynasties War in Nam Sach District). After excavations, we have collected thousands of ceramic antiques with skillful drawings, stylist decorative patterns, and diversified enamel colors, which helped Chu Dau Ceramic being classified among the top of ancient ceramic art, higher than other ceramic styles in the region. Over the past decades, 5 ancient wrecked ships were found and salvaged in the sea region of Vietnam (in Cu Lao Cham, Dam Island, Cau Island, Binh Thuan and Ca Mau); tens of thousands of precious antiques had been founded and preserved. In the first art auction in USA, a 24cm height Chu Dau Ty Ba vase at XV century was sold at USD 521.000. This event has proved that Chu Dau Ceramic was one among the most beautiful and precious ceramic styles, which was greatly developed in the national ceramic history of Vietnam during XV - XVII centuries. Basing on those cultural values, Chu Dau ceramic has been classified as the cultural and historical vestige at the national level.

    During the restoration and recovery of Chu Dau traditional village, Chu Dau Ceramic Factory - one member of the Hanoi Trade Corporation (in Thai Tan Commune, Nam Sach District, Hai Duong Province) has followed ancestors’ glorious tradition to combine the cultural quintessence of antique Chu Dau Ceramic with modern art ceramic. Its ceramic products have been exported to 15 countries over the world, and jobs have been created for hundreds of employees in Chu Dau ceramic village.

   The second investment period of Chu Dau Ceramic project with the total amount of 16,5 million VND (equivalent to 1 million US dollars) is one of three projects that the Hanoi Trade Corporation has registered with the Hanoi People’s Committee to be given the title “Project to welcome and celebrate the 1000th year of Thang Long - Hanoi”. This event proves that Hanoi Trade Corporation has its strategic view in the process of antique ceramic period of the village restoration and economic development. To overcome difficulties at the early stage, at present Chu Dau Ceramic factory is on the way to develope, integrate and establish the business relation with domestic and international partners, to satisfy the domestic and international demand in terms of technique and quality.

    Come to Chu Dau, the visitors will have opportunities to see, enjoy and find out interesting types of cultural tourism village, to study archeology projects, ceramics art of Red-river civilization, to directly participate in the production process such as shaping, drawing, writing calligraphy, signing on ceramic products. The visitors will enjoy natural landscape of Northern Delta - a hospitable and beautiful countryside, to relive in the golden age of famous Chu Dau ceramic culture, which is progressively being restored, well developed during the process of promoting traditional characters of Vietnam – the people and the land.