Huong Canh Terracotta Pottery and the Generational Gap in Succession

For over 300 years, clay and fire have forged a unique ceramic tradition for Huong Canh. From rustic jars, crocks, and urns to today’s artistic and decorative ceramics, the craft remains alive and is discovering new paths. Yet behind the turning potter’s wheels lies an unshakeable anxiety: artisans are growing fewer, master craftsmen are advanced in age, and youth show little interest in succeeding the trade. In the ceramic village of Huong Canh, Binh Nguyen commune, preserving the craft is no longer merely a matter of retaining clay, kilns, and technique, but above all, retaining the potters themselves.

A corner of Huong Canh ceramic village.

Huong Canh ceramic village, located in Binh Nguyen commune, Phu Tho province, boasts a history spanning over 300 years. From the region’s characteristic red clay soil, generations of master potters have fashioned durable, sturdy jars, crocks, urns, and vases defined by a distinct deep brown hue.

Raw jar and crock products sun-drying before being placed into the kiln.

Handcrafted ceramic vases created by master artisans.

Unlike many ceramic traditions requiring a layer of external “glaze slip” before firing, Huong Canh terracotta is entirely unglazed. According to painter Nguyen Hong Quang, it is precisely the unique clay sources harvested from local fields like Dam Mat, Dong Be, and Dong Ho that create this distinctive quality. During high-temperature firing, internal components within the clay matrix are driven to the surface. As they cool, they solidify to form a natural semi-glossy film. Potters vividly refer to this technique as “self-glazing from within the clay” or “clay-secreting glaze.”

This self-glazing phenomenon not only protects the ceramic surface but also solidifies the clay matrix into a dense mass, preventing water leakage and producing a metallic, bell-like ring when tapped.

Painter Nguyen Hong Quang at Quang Minh Ceramic Workshop, absorbed in his ceramic creation.

The “self-glazing from within the clay” technique creates unique terracotta ceramic products for Huong Canh craft village.

From a seemingly inanimate lump of clay, through the artisan’s hands, shapes gradually emerge upon the potter’s wheel. Handcrafted pottery demands more than nimble fingers; craftsmen must deeply understand clay, shrinkage rates, kiln temperatures, and the subtle variations of each firing batch. According to Mr. Quang, a truly dedicated artisan may spend several kiln firings before learning to properly “read” the clay.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Nhuan has devoted her entire life to the ceramic craft here.

Demanding more than dexterous hands, every handcrafted ceramic piece carries the artisan’s soul.

Consequently, each creation bears the individual thumbprint and expertise of its creator. High-fired ceramics achieve density and strength; natural coloration springs directly from clay and fire rather than an applied outer glaze. This characteristic preserves Huong Canh ceramics' unmistakable rustic charm.

Huong Canh ceramic products crystallized from clay and fire.

The natural colors and embossed patterns do not rely on an external glaze, preserving an unmistakable rustic beauty.

In earlier times, potting was the livelihood of the entire village, with over 200 households engaged in the trade. Mr. Nguyen Hong Quang recalls: the thumping of clay, turning wheels, and fiery kilns were once an intrinsic part of daily life here.

Calloused hands of artisans attached for decades to “clay and water” refining product details with high precision.

That picture has changed dramatically. According to Mr. Nguyen Hong Quang, only 3 households actively maintain the ceramic trade today. This sharp contraction highlights a stark decline from the era when hundreds of families lived by clay and fire.

The shrinking of the ceramic trade worries Mr. Quang that the craft village may fade away and vanish.

Artisan Giang Thi Nhan, Mr. Nguyen Hong Quang’s 76-year-old mother, remains devoted to the soil. Hands that spent decades kneading, sculpting, and throwing clay are still at work, but behind them, the next generation remains scarce.

Artisan Giang Thi Nhan (left) sharing traditional terracotta pottery techniques with visitors.

That gap is easy to understand. Handcrafted pottery is physically demanding, requiring years to master, while young people have numerous alternative employment choices. “If they cannot make a living from the craft, they have to leave,” Mr. Quang shared.

Even families passionately keeping the fires alive face succession dilemmas. Mr. Nguyen Hong Quang has 5 children who, despite formal training in fine arts, have not yet chosen to follow their father’s footsteps. His deepest concern is ensuring that at least one child continues the family’s traditional trade. That anxiety is no longer a distant thought, but an immediate reality within Huong Canh’s most dedicated households.

Inspiring the younger generation.

Huong Canh ceramics are not standing still. Expanding beyond utilitarian household jars and crocks, Mr. Nguyen Hong Quang and remaining artisans have developed wall reliefs, miniature landscapes, interior-exterior decor, and one-of-a-kind art pieces. His family’s products have reached numerous provinces and cities, finding international customers through distribution agencies.

Huong Canh ceramic products.

Another avenue involves re-engaging youth through hands-on experience sessions. At the workshop, students and tourists can knead clay, sit at potter’s wheels, and craft their own items. “Home vocational classes” are also beginning to take shape. While it remains uncertain how many will pursue the trade after a single encounter with clay, Huong Canh pottery gains an opportunity to enter the memories of a new generation.

For Nguyen Hong Quang, the challenge extends beyond finding successors. Potters also need production space, exhibition areas, and a long-term vision for raw material reserves—for if the craft is to survive, clay sources must be preserved.

An experiential village visit by school students.

For over 300 years, Huong Canh’s fires have raged and smoldered, but never died out. The primary worry today is not whether ceramics can find a market. Artisans have learned to innovate designs, infuse art into products, open experiential spaces, and take pottery further afield.

The harder task is finding young people willing to sit down at the wheel, learn to comprehend a lump of clay, and commit to the trade long enough to become true master craftspeople. A craft village may retain its kilns, clay, and beautiful creations; yet without people to carry on the work, that void remains impossible to fill.

Ngoc Tuan