Chu Dau Pottery Village

Chu Dau Pottery Village is a historic ceramic craft village located in Thai Tan Commune, Nam Sach District, Hai Duong, now part of Hai Phong municipality, about 80 km east of Hanoi. Dating to the 13th century and flourishing in the 15th-16th centuries, it is renowned for distinctive white, translucent ceramics with floral motifs. Revived in recent decades, the village preserves traditional kilns, workshops and a heritage exhibition, offering insight into Vietnam's ceramic history and export tradition.

Visitors can expect a working craft village with pottery workshops, traditional kilns, drying yards and showrooms displaying Chu Dau ceramics. The site includes an exhibition area with historic ceramic pieces and reproductions, artisan demonstrations of throwing, painting and glazing, and hands-on pottery-making areas. The setting is a rural Red River Delta village along the Thai Binh River, with low houses, workshops and shops selling finished ceramics.

Chu Dau pottery originated in the 13th century and became prominent during the Tran and Le dynasties, reaching its peak in the 15th-16th centuries when its ceramics were exported widely across Asia. The discovery of the Cu Lao Cham shipwreck in the late 1990s, carrying Chu Dau ceramics, confirmed its historical maritime trade importance. The craft declined later and was revived from the late 20th century with restoration of traditional techniques.

The village is recognized as a traditional craft village preserving Vietnam's ceramic heritage. Its products are noted for distinctive techniques, glazes and hand-painted motifs reflecting Vietnamese cultural aesthetics. The village serves as a center for transmission of pottery skills, cultural education and heritage tourism in the Red River Delta.