Ke men ceramic - red ceramic line of Vietnamese quintessence

Artisan Nguyen Dang Nghia perfects the details of a Ly Dynasty dragon work.

Artisan Nguyen Dang Nghia, Man Xa Tay quarter, Ha Man ward, Thuan Thanh town, was born and nurtured in a family with a legacy of creating the ceramic, and he quickly became acquainted with the wheel and sharpening ceramic products. With the desire to restore and develop his homeland's ceramic village, Nghia returned to open a ceramic workshop and established Ke Men Luy Lau Ceramic Company Limited in 2019.

According to Nghia, Ke Men Luy Lau Ceramic  is Vietnam's most ancient line, with unique and appealing goods due to the classic characteristics of the material that do not blend with other ceramic lines. This ceramic line is unique in that it is totally produced with the artist's skillful hands and aesthetic eye; ceramic glaze is manufactured from mulberry tree trunks in the Dau - Keo region and does not use chemicals.

To create a beautiful and high-quality Ke Men Luy Lau ceramic product, the potter must consider soil, glaze, and firing temperature. Specifically, the clay must have good flexibility, hardness, and certainty. It will be incubated for at least three months after being returned.

Ke Men Luy Lau ceramics currently has two product lines: civil ceramics and creative ceramic products. Among them, products such as: ceramic tiles with a swastika design; the vases are embossed with images of ancient towns and scenes of folk activities in Vietnamese craft villages; Stylized dragon head sculptures of the Ly Dynasty are very popular and are used in cultural and spiritual works in many provinces and cities across the country. The Company's average revenue reaches 01 billion VND per year, creating regular jobs for 03 - 04 main workers with a salary of 10 - 15 million VND/person/month.

As a result of his efforts, Artisan Nguyen Dang Nghia was horned as a "National Artisan" by the Vietnam Association of Artisans and Brands in 2022.

Nghia registered to participate in the "One Commune One Product" program in Bac Ninh province (OCOP) in 2023 with an aim to receiving the support from the authorities and localities for the Company’s land funds and expense in expanding production facilities as well as widely promoting the brand of Ke Men Luy Lau ceramic products to extend the domestic consumption market, creating a premise for export to the international market.

He hoped that his ceramic production facility would serve as a venue to teach the profession and pass on the fire to the younger generations.