Behind the pieces
Located on Chi Lang Street, Phu Xuan Ward, Mr. Minh’s house is tucked away in a small alley. Seeing me, he greeted me warmly and led me up to his second-floor workshop. As soon as I stepped in, what caught my attention first was the unfinished work ‘Long mau xuat long nhi’ (Mother dragon giving birth to dragon child). On the base, where the dragon’s shape had already been formed, Mr. Minh held a pair of pliers, broke off a small piece of ceramic, and tried fitting it onto the dragon’s body. He studied it for quite a while, set it down, then chose another piece. Every movement was slow and deliberate, as if each ceramic fragment needed time to find its rightful place.
While introducing the piece, Mr. Minh suddenly turned to a corner of the workshop and pulled several plastic baskets closer. Inside were hundreds of ceramic bowls and plates, in stoneware and porcelain of every color. Some were intact, some chipped at the rim, some only half remaining. He picked up each piece, speaking enthusiastically about where he had found them, the ceramic material, the color, and why he had decided to bring them back to Hue.
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Lifting a bowl with a chipped rim, Mr. Minh smiled: “Many people look at these and just see old bowls, but to me, this is a whole ‘treasure’. Each piece has its own ceramic quality, color, and lines. I select very carefully. Some pieces I’ve had for years without using, just waiting until I find the right work for them."
He then picked up another bowl, turning it gently in the light. He showed me the thick ceramic layer, the aged glaze, and explained why this one was suited for creating dragon scales, while another was better suited for lotus petals or clusters of clouds in royal architecture. Each type of ceramic has its own characteristics. Some are hard, with sharp break lines. Others are softer, suitable for creating curves. The color, thickness, and porosity of each bowl all affect the shapes once cut. That’s why he spends considerable time sourcing materials, mainly ceramics, stoneware, and porcelain from Japan and several other countries.
“Many people ask why I buy such expensive bowls. Actually, I buy them for the ceramic quality. Good ceramic gives distinctive color, texture, and cutting lines. When applied to a piece, it turns out exactly as I envision. Only with good materials can I create beautiful works that last over time,” continued Mr. Minh.
“Seeking a master” to continue the craft
Artisan Huynh Kim Nhat Minh’s connection to ceramic mosaic inlay began at age 13. From a young age, he showed a talent for art. That was also a time when many historical sites in Hue were undergoing restoration. Studying under the artisan Truong Van An, the young apprentice was initially assigned only simple tasks - cleaning the workshop, preparing materials, mixing mortar, and observing his seniors at work. “There were motifs I looked at for a whole week without understanding why the ancients made them that way. My teacher told me to keep watching, and eventually it would sink in,” recalled Mr. Minh.
Artisan Truong Van An was a successor to Mr. Truong Van Lap, who had taken part in building the Khai Dinh Mausoleum. Because of this, the first lessons Mr. Minh received were not only techniques for cutting, breaking, and fitting ceramic pieces, but also how to preserve the standards of Hue’s royal ceramic mosaic art, passed down through many generations.
After a long period of apprenticeship, Minh finally earned his teacher’s trust to hold the pliers himself and directly carry out the details on historical monuments.
Ceramic mosaic inlay in Hue flourished under the Nguyen Dynasty, becoming a distinctive mark of royal court art. Pieces of ceramic, stoneware, and porcelain, skillfully cut, broken, and fitted together, formed images of dragons, phoenixes, flowers and leaves, the “eight treasures,” clouds and water on numerous architectural works. Each motif follows its own formal standards, reflecting the aesthetic thinking of the ancients. That’s why today’s craftspeople always take time to study Hue’s history, art, and architecture to understand the spirit behind each work.
“I often joke that mosaic inlay artisans can’t tell stories with words. We tell them through ceramic, stoneware, and porcelain. Each sacred creature, each lotus petal, each cluster of clouds carries its own story and message. Viewers may not know who made it, but just by looking, they immediately recognize it as Hue art,” shared Mr. Minh.
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From the young apprentice he once was, Huynh Kim Nhat Minh has today become one of the young artisans trusted to take part in numerous restoration projects at Hue’s historical sites, from Hien Nhon Gate, Kien Trung Palace, and Nghinh Luong Pavilion to ancient temples and shrines: Kim Long Communal House, Xuan Hoa Communal House, and Tu Hieu Pagoda.
He also devotes considerable time to creating original works bearing his own signature style, such as ‘Long Phung Khai Tuong’ (Dragon and Phoenix heralding good fortune), ‘Nhat Long An Van’ (A dragon hidden among clouds), and ‘Vu Phung Tuong Van’ (Dancing phoenix and auspicious clouds), which impress viewers with their tight composition, refined lines, and harmonious colors. As a result, more and more clients from Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Can Tho, Tay Ninh, and several other countries have sought him out to place orders.
“I’m always concerned with how to keep my work carrying the beauty that our ancestors created. With restoration projects, I have to be even more careful, trying to reconstruct as closely as possible to the original. Creativity is necessary, but traditional lines must still be respected,” added Mr. Minh.
Helping mosaic inlay reach further
Besides creating his own works, Mr. Minh is always willing to spend time guiding young people who come to learn from him. Whenever someone visits the workshop to see how the craft is done, he happily shares everything - from choosing materials, holding the pliers, to handling each ceramic piece. In his view, the craft will have more opportunities to develop as more and more people come to understand and love ceramic mosaic inlay. For craftspeople to feel secure staying in the profession for the long term, the profession also needs greater promotion and more suitable support policies are to be implemented to expand the market.
“I’m dreaming of setting up my own exhibition space. People could come here to see the works, hear me talk about the craft, and try their hand at a few steps themselves. Only by doing it yourself can you see how many steps a single work must go through, and how much patience a craftsman needs,” confided Mr. Minh.
Before seeing me off, he showed me the design for his newly completed work ‘Long chau Co Do’ (Dragon paying homage to the Ancient Capital). Inspired by the Hue chime, the piece is being made to order for a client in Thailand. For Mr. Minh, as his works appear in more and more places, it also means Hue’s ceramic mosaic art has more opportunities to reach more people. As long as there are still people who love and cherish these values, he believes the craft will continue to hold its place in life today.