As Tet approaches, artisans in the 500-year-old Thanh Ha pottery village of Hoi An are hard at work crafting snake mascots to display for visitors and provide unique check-in spots during the Lunar New Year of the Snake.

Nestled along the Thu Bon River, Thanh Ha pottery village is a rustic and charming destination in Hoi An that has become a favorite among tourists.

The village is home to around 40 households that practice traditional pottery making, with 68 artisans directly involved in production and tourism services. In 2024, the village welcomed over 550,000 visitors, generating revenues of more than 17 billion VND (approximately 695,000 USD).

Creating the Tet mascot: A symbol of renewal

Every year, as the Lunar New Year approaches, the village becomes a hive of activity. By the end of the 12th lunar month, potters fire up their kilns to meet the demand for Tet pottery.

In addition to producing goods for sale, artisans also create animal mascots for public display.

This year, the Thanh Ha ward commissioned three pairs of terracotta snake mascots with different shapes and expressions to line the main road leading to the village.

Le Van Nhat, a 36-year-old artisan known for his talent, paused his regular work for nearly a month to focus entirely on crafting these symbolic mascots.

Born into a family with a long pottery tradition, Nhat began learning the craft at the age of 15. Today, he runs his own workshop in the village, catering to tourists and producing traditional pottery.

For this year’s mascot, Nhat designed a pair of “dragon snakes”, known for their gentle appearance and deep connection to Vietnamese culture.

“I wanted the mascot to convey friendliness and positivity, so I chose the dragon snake, a species familiar to many Vietnamese people,” Nhat shared.

Creating a terracotta snake involves numerous meticulous steps, including shaping, carving, and detailing. The process begins with sourcing and cleaning clay from the Thu Bon River, ensuring the highest quality for durability and beauty.

Shaping the snakes requires balancing fluidity and strength, capturing their graceful curves while ensuring stability. Carving the scales alone took Nhat four days to complete, and the entire process for two statues took more than 20 days.

 A vibrant display of artistry

The final product stands 55 cm tall, 40 cm wide, and 60 cm long, featuring a striking pose with coiled bodies and heads raised high.

“The upright, coiled design represents the hope for a prosperous and successful year,” Nhat explained, noting that he redid one pair of mascots to achieve a more elegant and dynamic look.

Elsewhere in the village, Nguyen Viet Lam, another talented artisan, crafted a pair of majestic king cobras. His design incorporates a lotus flower around the snakes’ necks, symbolizing strength and well-being for the new year.

Lam’s sculptures, which stand at about 50 cm tall and wide, took 19 days to complete. Despite challenges caused by rainy weather slowing the drying process, Lam remained focused on the artistic and cultural value of his work.

“I’m not overly concerned with profit; my goal is to breathe life into the clay and promote the unique pottery of Hoi An to visitors,” he said.

Nguyen Van Xe, a 68-year-old master craftsman, is responsible for firing the mascots. The statues are baked in a kiln at 1,200 degrees Celsius for three days, ensuring their durability and vibrancy.

 Snake-inspired pottery for visitors

Alongside creating the mascots for public display, Thanh Ha’s potters have been busy producing snake-themed souvenirs to sell to tourists.

Nguyen Thanh Long, a 72-year-old artisan, expressed his joy at the year-end rush, as the influx of visitors brings economic benefits to the village.

“I’ve just finished making 100 terracotta snakes to sell for 150,000 VND (around 6 USD) each,” he proudly shared.

This year, snakes of various shapes and sizes will grace the shops of Thanh Ha, adding a festive and symbolic touch for visitors during Tet.

Ha Nam