Spend money to make money, say $4,000 piggybanks

One of the most common Lunar New Year traditions is the display and use of symbolic items to invoke the gods to bless a house with luck. The zodiac for the coming Lunar Year is the Pig, and there is large demand for piggybanks that carry the symbols of fortune, either etched, carved or painted.

Among the most extravagant of the piggybanks are made by a ceramic company in Bat Trang Village in Hanoi, which is famous for its traditional pottery that has lasted seven centuries and is still going strong.

Artisan Vuong The Cuong, who creates these items himself, said: "There are 4 words "Tich, Phuc, Vo, Cuong" carved on the pigs which teach children and grandchildren to preserve moral qualities and accumulate a lot of merit. The more merit accumulated, the more prosperous one becomes."

This set of piglets is crafted in 3 versions. The standard version costs VND12 million ($521), while those made with specifications related to one’s horoscope are priced at VND36 million ($1,565).

The most expensive version is gold inlaid and crafted using a special glaze, costing VND 99 million ($4,303). A premium pig would take a month to complete, 3-4 times longer than other versions that can be done between five to 10 days.

All pigs carry the most cheerful expressions. The last stage in making the premium pigs is to cast them with gold.

A representative of the ceramic company said that the premium pig was limited edition product, with only 12 made and sold.

Photos by Phan Duong, Van Tuyen