Phu Lang Pottery Village (Phu Lang)

Phu Lang has become a brand name like Bat Trang in terms of pottery and ceramics products. However, thanks to its distance from the urban centre, much of the pristine scenery as well as traditional production have moved forward for centuries without being over-commercialized. Through times, there are only a few families left who continued their tradition. The yard is packed with firewood and clay. Indoors, there are a large collection of pottery wares, from flower vases to tea pots. Bat Trang is special by its simplicity: from the decorative style to the natural brown color of clay. Villagers are very friendly: they will take you in and give you a quick tour to see how their every activities unfold.

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Dong Ho Painting Village (Lang Tranh Dong Ho)

Dong Ho Village with its famous paintings has become an aesthetic symbol in Vietnam Culture. Located to the left side of Duong River, Dong Ho stood for centuries making their unique art work. From over 100 families in the 1950s, there are only several who still have their main income from making paintings but to everyone’s relief, the essence still remains and thrives.

Dong Ho paintings are places for artists to reflect their wishes for lucks and their perception of everyday life in the village. Common themes that are found consistently include animals (which has goodluck symbol on them), everyday life (such as Jealous Fight or A Market Day), and folk tales (Saint Giong or The Frog Teacher). The paper used for the painting is made from bark tree so that the texture can retain color for a long time. Each family develops their own mold for the painting. Each mold are then replicated and filled with a separate share of color. The paintings are made by stamping the mold into the paper, one at a time to add more and more color to the picture. Until the point when the artists are happy with their art work, they pain a layer of rice paste to keep the paint from fading and then expose the paintings to the sun for dry.

A visit to Dong Ho family can take 3-4 hours and any family is willing to take you for a tour to see how they create their art work. These home-based businesses also maintain their own gallery to display their art work.

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Dau Pagoda

Location
Dau Pagoda, located in Thuan Thanh district, Bac Ninh province, is considered the oldest Buddhist pagoda in Vietnam according to researchers. The pagoda is about 1 hour away from Hanoi Old Quarter, making it easy for a morning trip off the city noise.

History
In the past, the region where Dau Pagoda was built today was the capital of Giao Chi district, the political, economic and cultural center of Vietnam. About 1,800 years ago, the Indian monk named Khau Da La came to this area to do the missionary work and founded the first Buddhism center in Vietnam called Luy Lau. There were many pagodas, citadels and market built in the area at that time and Dau Pagoda was among them.

As Dau Pagoda was the biggest pagoda in the Buddhist center region, many monks from either India or China came there to do research and spread Buddhism to the local residents.

This ancient pagoda has undergone many restorations and expansion, with the largest construction undertaken under the Ly and Tran dynasty. Going through the fluctuation of history, although many structures in the region were destroyed, the pagoda still exists and preserves the traditional oriental architecture style especially the wood block aged about 1752 years old and two bronzes' Xa Loi bodies of Vu Khac Minh and Vu Khac Truong monk.

Architecture
The yard in front of the pagoda hosts a three stories tower name Hoa Phong. The tower originally had six stories but it was partly destroyed. Inside the tower, there are a number of valuable artifacts such as a large bell dating back in Canh Thinh Dynasty (1793), a big bronze gong casted in Ming Mang Dynasty (1817) and several statues of Gods in Buddhist legends.

Visitor Information
Since its inception, Dau Pagoda has hosted the annual Dau Pagoda Festival on April 8th in lunar calendar. This is also the biggest Buddhism festival of the northern region of Vietnam. In 2012, the festival will fall on April 28th.

The oriental architecture style and the antiques at the pagoda will absolutely impress any visitor. Moreover, it is also a great chance for those who want to discover and experience the traditional culture of Vietnam, and a must visit for Buddhists.

The best way to get to Chua Dau is to rent a car with a driver, who already knows the way and will take care of parking issues. You can also ride a motorbike, by following highway 5 and turning to Highway 1B. Chua Dau is about 35km from Hanoi downtown.

Want an independent tour and private tour, please email us at: info@footsteptravel.com to get more information and assistance