The arty side of Vietnam is yet to be revealed to the world at large. But even a casual glance at the culture of Vietnam and you won't fail to notice the vibrant arts and crafts scene, made up of the exquisite ivory and jade-glazed ceramic works of the Red River Delta, the blue-white ceramic art pieces originating in the royal art studios and the village of Bat Trang and the wood-carved wonders.

Arts and crafts in Vietnam have a close relation to the culture of Vietnam. These works of art by the Vietnamese have been used over the ages to decorate both temples and houses. Vietnam has been home to beautiful works of art and craft dating back to the Neolithic age. Ceramics from around this period have been discovered enriching the history of Vietnam. Ceramics had an important place during the 11th century as they were required for the religious rituals of Buddhism. The ceramic arts and crafts in Vietnam are tour de forces in the art scenes around the world. Their beauty and elegance drew the attraction of the royals who became their patrons. The making of these ceramics involved generous use of whitish ivory and jade green glazes for ornamentation. The 15th and 16th century witnessed more liberal use of ornamentation. Blue-white ceramics was introduced in Vietnam with the coming of cobalt blue.

Vietnam arts and crafts hold a prominent place in the international art arena. Vietnam is now regarded as the land to have introduced the art of woodcuts which were used for book illustrations and pictures. Another famous work of art from Vietnam is that of woodcarving. It is practiced on ironwood, ebony, reddish mahogany and rosewood. These woods have a beauty of their own which is imprinted on the work. They are colored to look more beautiful.