The word “V’Spirit” actually means “Vietnamese Spirit”, and our goal is to create a space for Vietnamese culture and to bring the quintessence of Vietnamese traditions to all passengers. In this regard, in every little details of V’Spirit, there is always a connection to an aspect of our rich and diverse culture.
Bát Tràng porcelain and pottery has been an acclaimed name and stood strong through thick and thin of its 800 years of history. Bát Tràng ceramics are considered some of the best known porcelain products in Vietnam. “I wish I could marry you/ I will buy Bat Trang bricks to build our house” are the beautiful folk words honoring Bat Trang ceramic & pottery quality, the pride of northern Vietnam. During the past centuries, Bát Tràng china products have travelled in European trading ships to all parts of the world.
The name of Bát Tràng comes directly from the place that the porcelain was made: Bát Tràng Village. It is an old, well established village in the Gia Lâm district of Hanoi. It is about 13 km from central Hanoi and a must-go place for foreign tourists who want to understand more about the historical and traditional values in each handicraft product. The village was named after the craftsmanship of the community. “Bát” stands for bowl and “Tràng” means workshop. This is a quite interesting naming system in the past.
There is a saying: “The way to a man’s heart is his stomach”, maybe, the quickest way to bring the art to our passenger’s heart is during the meal. So we were on a “hunt” to find the perfect material for our new dining set and what’s better to represent the delicate and high quality craftsmanship of Northern Vietnam than Bát Tràng porcelain. Lucky for us, we have found just the right person to bring the Vietnamese Spirit into ordinary objects like dishes or bowls. We met Ms. Nguyễn Thị Hương at her workshop in Bát Tràng. She was in the middle of decorating her work. With each stroke of her brush, the lovely flower on the side of the bowl seemed to be more lively and beautiful. Not until she finished the job, she realized we were there. Greeting us with a bright smile, she said: “I’m very sorry. When I’m in the middle of the work, I tend to black out everything. Even the slightest distraction could make the outcome different”. We hold nothing but admiration for her dedication and determination for her works. It wasn’t a hard job to find an excellent example of Ms. Huong’s fine work as many of them were displayed in her front yard. Some was still in drying process, some was just waiting for the owner to pick them up but all were splendidly well made.
We put our trust in her “golden hands” and was not disappointed when we saw the set. After 3 days and 3 nights in wooden oven, our brand new dining set was presented to us. Even though, they still needed a special glaze to help them shine and stood against time, we could see how well-made and stunning they were. It takes a talented craftsman to make these fine-end products. When we praised her for such wonderful works, she was shy and only called herself a painter. We know for sure that whether a painter or a porcelain maker, she has done a wonderful job. In just a few days, these works of art will be available on our guests’ tables. We can right now imagine how delicious the meal will be when our chef excellent food complemented by Bat Trang porcelain.
Don’t miss out your chance to be served by high-quality Bat Trang porcelain on Halong Bay Cruises. Contact us for our new promotion and availability.