19세기 중반 남부베트남의 공장(工匠, artisans): 비엔 호아(Bien Hoa) 도자기 산업의 사례를 중심으로

Abstract

This article deals with the rise of ethnic Vietnamese group in the field of the ceramic industry in southern Vietnam during the middle of the 19th century. In general, it has been believed that this industry had been under the control the ethnic Chinese of this region. But the author tries to find clues to the change in which the ethnic Vietnamese were rising in the field of this job. The change would lead us to an important argument on the issue of the social change of the southern society during that century before the French advance. In the chapter two, 'Appearance of ceramic artisans in Bien Hoa,' the author explains the ethnic complexity of the industry. This region was under the influence of the Cham ceramic tradition before the migration of the ethnic Vietnamese reached. In addition to the two ethnic groups, the Chinese artisans of the Ming refugees during the 17th century also jointed the ceramic industry in Bien Hoa. The mixture of the three ethnic traditions led to the products of the characteristic Dong Nai ceramics. However, the ethnic balance was broken at the end of the 18th century when the Tay Son uprising ruptured this area slaughtering huge numbers of southern Chinese. The Cham tradition had been diluted with the increase of Chinese/Vietnamese population in the Dong Nai region. The result was to see the situation that the Dong Nai ceramic industry began to be transferred to the hands of ethnic Vietnamese artisans. On the other hands, Chinese artisans revived their business in the Saigon area. The chapter three with the title of 'Development of Saigon and the Bien Hoa ceramics' provides evidence for the development of the Bien Hoa ceramic industry in related with the urbanization of the Saigon city during the first half of the 19th century. The urbanization increased the consumption of industrial articles including kinds of ceramics. But the author points out the fact the development of the foreign/domestic trade that appeared in this region also contributed to enhance the level of the demands for the ceramic products. The new brand name of the 'Bien Hoa ceramics' both in domestic and overseas markets during this time can be interpreted as an indication for the rise of this industrial sect during this time. The chapter of 'Southern features of the artisan society in Bien Hoa' introduces the special features of ceramic society of southern Vietnam such as gender, education, and rituals. Many of the features were different from those of Bat Trang in northern Vietnam. The artisans of southern Vietnam declined with the advance of French power, and by the challenge from the Chinese artisans as a result. However, the Bien Hoa ceramic artisans had another chance to recover its power by the help of French colonial government. It was the endorsement of the value by the authority. The French government provided not only finance but also advanced skills. The result was the quick development of the Dong Nai ceramic industry. But the important fact is that the friendly consideration of the French authority was not from nothing but from the tradition of the Bien Hoa ceramics that had been acknowledged by the consumers of the market economy.