Animals in Vietnamese Ceramics Decoration: Art, Culture and Heritage

Animal-shaped ceramics are an indispensable part of Vietnamese culture, demonstrating the creativity and talent of artisans over the centuries. From everyday items to exquisite works of art, animal-shaped ceramics have played an important role in Vietnamese life and culture.
The folk character of Vietnamese ceramics is very deep, because ceramic traditions are often preserved in rural and folk areas. This reflects the development of the history of ceramic art and the need for natural differentiation of society.

History and development of animal-shaped ceramics

Vietnam has a long tradition of pottery making, starting in the Neolithic period and developing strongly through feudal dynasties. In particular, in famous pottery villages such as Bat Trang (Hanoi), Phu Lang (Bac Ninh), and Tho Ha (Bac Giang), the art of pottery making is always passed down from generation to generation.

Prehistoric ceramics in Vietnam are often made from rustic ceramics, molded by hand and fired outdoors at a temperature of about 700oC. Simple decorative patterns such as diagonal lines and water waves are often created while the product is still wet. By the early centuries AD, Vietnamese ceramics developed with new techniques such as mold making, glazing and firing in high-temperature kilns, imported from China. Flexibility in absorbing new techniques helps create unique ceramic products, enriching Vietnamese culture.

Throughout the development process, Vietnamese ceramic artists have continuously created products imbued with personal and national cultural imprints. Animal-shaped ceramics, from chickens, ducks, fish to mascots such as dragons and phoenixes, have become symbols not only in art but also in Vietnamese spiritual life and culture.

You can look more at: History of Vietnamese Ceramics And Its Striking Milestones

Characteristics of animal-shaped ceramics

1. Materials and techniques

Animal-shaped ceramics in Vietnam are often made from high-quality clay, carefully filtered and stuffed before shaping. Ceramic shaping techniques are very diverse, from hand shaping and molding to surface decoration methods such as engraving, drawing or embossing.

Glaze color also plays an important role in perfecting the product. Traditional glazes such as cracked glaze, blue glaze, brown glaze are commonly used, creating a unique and delicate beauty for each ceramic product.

You can look more at: Blue Underglaze Ceramics: Quintessential Beauty From Heaven and Earth

2. Shapes and decoration

Animal-shaped ceramics are not only diverse in type but also rich in shape and decoration. Artists often take inspiration from animals in nature, from majestic roosters, graceful carp to healthy buffaloes, all of which are presented vividly and realistically.

In addition, mascots such as dragons and phoenixes are also expressed creatively and artistically. These images not only have decorative meaning but also contain profound spiritual values and cultural symbols.

The role of animal-shaped pottery in life and culture

1. Decoration and feng shui

Animal-shaped ceramics are widely used in home decoration, creating a cozy and artistic living space. In particular, ceramic products shaped like dragons and phoenixes are often placed in solemn positions in the house with the hope of bringing luck and prosperity.

You can look more at: 5 Indispensable Feng Shui Ceramic Items In Your House

2. Religion and spirituality

In Vietnamese culture, many animals are considered spiritual and religious symbols. For example, images of dragons often appear in temples and pagodas with the role of protecting and bringing peace. Similarly, the image of a carp in the Ong Cong Ong Tao festival also carries the meaning of honoring traditions and folk beliefs.

In Vietnamese ceramic art, chickens or flocks of chickens are often used to express completeness, happiness and closeness to people. The image of chickens appeared in ceramic art from ancient to medieval times, expressing belief, spirituality and the desire to achieve prosperity and luck, often through images of chicken parents and their chicks.

On ceramic products, from landscapes to people, flowers, birds and pets appear in a variety of ways. Domestic animals such as chickens, ducks, geese, buffaloes, and horses are often depicted on ceramics and are common images in the Vietnamese countryside.

However, images of familiar pets such as cats and dogs are surprisingly rare in ceramic works. Animals that are considered intelligent and loyal like dogs often only appear on special round statues, shaped like stone dog statues that decorate communal houses and temples in the North.

These statues usually have the shape of a dog with a slightly tilted head, a bell around the neck, and are about 20cm high, often covered with green enamel.

3. Gifts and memories

Animal-shaped ceramics are also meaningful gifts for holidays, New Year or anniversaries. Each product carries its own story and meaning, creating uniqueness and high spiritual value.

Meaningful animal-shaped ceramic gifts

1. Chicken-shaped ceramic gift

The chicken has been considered a symbol of completeness, happiness and closeness to humans for thousands of years of history. On ceramic works, the image of the chicken has appeared since ancient times, shown in different poses but still maintaining intimacy. In particular, the chicken is one of the important zodiac animals in Asian culture, symbolizing 5 essential human virtues. Along with that meaning, the chicken ceramic statue becomes a meaningful gift to welcome the new year or feng shui for the living space.

2. Dog-shaped ceramic gifts

In the 12 zodiac animals, the dog symbolizes loyalty, courage and luck. In particular, for people born in the year of the Dog, ceramic dog statues not only bring peace and health but also bring success in all fields. In addition, dog statues can also be used to neutralize negative elements, while bringing wealth and prosperity to the homeowner.

3. Cat-shaped ceramic gifts

The cat is a symbol of luck, fortune and prosperity in Asian culture. For people born in the year of the Cat, cat-shaped ceramic statues bring peace, health and success in life. At the same time, cat statues can also be used to attract fortune, pray for peace and neutralize negative elements. The lacquered ceramic gift set with 4 color tones representing the 4 seasons will make a meaningful decorative highlight for the living space.

Conclusion 

For thousands of years, animal-shaped ceramics in Vietnam symbolizing the 12 zodiac animals  have been not only artistic products but also valuable cultural heritages. Each product contains profound spiritual, cultural and artistic values, reflecting the creativity and talent of Vietnamese artisans. Hopefully through this article, you will have more useful information about animal shapes in ceramic decoration in Vietnam. Join CHUS to discover a meaningful ceramic gift set decorated with animal images, a unique and meaningful choice for relatives and friends.