Bat Trang potter makes a really really big vase

Potter Le Minh Ngoc of the Bat Trang pottery village, Hanoi, who made a national record with a pair of flower-vases of 3m height, has produced a flower-vase of 3.4m height, breaking his own record.
In late 2002, Minh Ngoc, 30 at that time, surprised pottery makers in Bat Trang village when he successfully made a pair of 3m flower-vases. He was at the time the youngest artisan in the village.
Once again, Minh Ngoc has amazed with his latest giant flower vase of 3.4m height.
After the media reported about Minh Ngoc’s special flower-vases, in early 2005 the Vietnam Record Book Centre recognized the vases to be the highest in Vietnam. The pictures of Minh Ngoc and the vases are now in the Vietnam Record Book 2008.
However, Minh Ngoc still dreams of making flower-vases of up to 5m height. After selling the pair of record vases to the Party Committee of Ninh Binh province at the price of 800 million dong in 2008, Minh Ngoc began to conquer new heights.
The first thing he did was break up the old kiln in order to build a bigger one. This time he built the kiln using modern technology, which would save over 60 percent of fuel. However, investment was much higher. The new kiln cost 800 million dong, equivalent to the money he earned from the pair of record vases.
For two years, Minh Ngoc devoted himself to make the sample and the pattern with the support of his assistants. Ngoc said the most difficult task is making the shape of the vase because the vase is very big so materials can easily collapse.
“It is also very difficult to fire the vase because the kiln is very high so the temperature in the kiln is not equal between the top and the bottom spaces,” Ngoc added.
Learning from his experience the last time, when he produced the 3m high vases, Minh Ngoc decided to increase the height of the new vase by 40cm. In the last days of 2009, Ngoc burnt four vases of over 3m height in a 6m kiln. After four days, the kiln was opened however only one vase was successful. The three others were cracked or twisted.
Ngoc had mixed feelings because this is the first time he had successfully fired an oversized vase. Moreover, he broke his own record.
On visiting Minh Ngoc’s home, one can see many giant vases. The lowest vases are at least 2m height. In a corner, you can see his latest vase.
“I wish my vase to be recognized as a national record this year to celebrate the 1000th anniversary of Thang Long – Hanoi,” Ngoc said.
Besides this vase, Ngoc is asking the Vietnam Record Book Centre to recognize his 2.4m jar to be the highest jar in Vietnam.