Home                                                               Vietnam                                                 Laos                                                      Cambodia

 

 

 

Now a Unesco World Heritage site. Hoi An Old Town entrance ticket 50,000(1) is governed by preservation laws that are well up to speed. Several building of historical and cultural significance art open for public viewing, a number of streets in the centre of town are of limits
to cars, and building alterations and height restrictions are well enforced. If only Hanoi would follow suit in its historic Old Quarter
The admission fee goes toward funding this conservation work. This ticket rives gives a rather complicated choice of heritage attractions to visit. You can visit all of the old streets, and one each of the five types of attractions: museums; assembly halls; old houses; 'intangible culture', such as a traditional music concert or handicraft workshop; and 'other', which means Quan
Cong's Temple or the temple within the Japanese Covered Bridge. If you want to visit additional attractions, then it if- necessary to buy another ticket; there arc ticket offices dotted around the town.
But for those who only want to buy one ticket, what are the best option1-'' The most interesting museum is that of I lading Ceramics, not only thanks to the fine porcelain collection, but also for the building itself. Among the assembly halls, the Fujian folk probably have the edge. When it comes to old houses. Tan Ky House is a trip back in tune to the early 19th century. Intangible culture is a musical performance or a handicrafts workshop in plain English and comes down to a matter of taste. Finally there is that obscure 'other' category: the Japanese Bridge or Quan Cong Temple. Choose the temple, as you can enjoy the experience of the Japanese Bridge without a ticket. The ticket lust gets you into a small shrine that is very much second-best l o the bridge itself.
The system doesn't seem to be well-monitored, but hopefully the fees d> get collected and end up as part of the restoration and preservation fund. Despite the number of tourists who come to Ho; An, it is still a yen' conservative town, and v visitors should dress modestly when touring the sites.
PHAC HAT PAGODA
This modern pagoda has a colorful facade of ceramics and murals and is an active place of worship.

TRUONG FAMILY CHAPEL
Founded two centuries ago, the Truong Family Chapel is a shrine dedicated to the ancestors of the ethnic- Chinese Truong family. A number of the memorial plaques were presented by emperors of Vietnam to honor members of the Truong family, who served as local officials and also as mandarins at the imperial court. To get here, turn into the alley next to 69 D Phan Chu Trinh.

TRAN FAMILY CHAPEL
At the northeast corner of D Phan Chu Trinh is the Tran family Chapel (21DLeLoi).This house tor worshipping ancestor was built about 200 year-- ago with donations from family members. The Tran family moved from China to Vietnam around 1700. The architecture of the building reflects the influence of Chinese and Japanese styles. The wooden boxes on the altar contain the Tran ancestors' stone tablets, and feature chiseled Chinese characters

MUSEUM OF TRADING CERAMICS
Showcasing, a collection of blue and white ceramics of the Dai Viet period the delightful Museum of Trading Ceramics is in a simply restored house. In particular, check out the great ceramic mosaic that s set above the pond in the inner courtyard.

HOUSE AT 77 D TRAN PHU
This private house (77 Tran Phu) is about three centuries old- There is some especially fine carving on the wooden walls of the rooms around the courtyard. on the roof beams and under the crab-shell roof (in the salon next to the courtyard). Look out for the green ceramic tiles built into the railing around the courtyard balcony. The house is open to visitors for a small fee.

CHINESE ALL-COMMUNITY ASSEMBLY HALL
Founded in 1773. The Chinese All-Community Assembly Hall (Chua Ba) was used by Fujian, Cantonese, Hainan, Chaozhou and Hakka congregations in Hoi An. The pavilions off the main courtyard incorporate elements of 19th-century French architecture.
The main entrance to the assembly hall is located on D Tran Phu. However, the only WAY to get inside these days is to enter from around the back al 3S D Phan Chu Trinh

ASSEMBLY HALL OF THE FUJIAN CHINESE CONGREGATION
Founded as a place to hold community meetings, this assembly hall (opposite 35 D Tran Phu) was later transformed into a temple for the worship of Thien Hau, the deity who was born in Fujian province. The triple gate to the complex was built in 1975.
The mural near the entrance to the main hall on the right-hand wall, depicts Thien Hau, her way lit by lantern light, crossing a stormy sea to rescue a foundering ship. On the wall opposite is a mural of the heads of the six Fujian families who fled from China to Hoi An in the 17th century, following the overthrow of the Minh dynasty.
The penultimate chamber contains a statue of Thien Hau. To either side of the entrance stand red-skinned Thuan Phong Nhi and green-skinned Thien Ly Nhan. When either .sees or hears sailors in distress, they inform Thien Hau, who sets off to effect a rescue. The replica of a Chinese boat along the right-hand wall is 1:20 scale.
The central altar in the last chamber contains seated figures of the heads of the six Fujian families. The smaller figures below them represent their successors as clan leaders. In a 30cm-high glass dome is a figurine of Le Huu Trac, a Vietnamese physician renowned in both Vietnam and China for his healing powers.
Behind the altar on the left is the God of Prosperity. On the right are three fairies and smaller figures representing the 12 ba mu (midwives), each of whom leaches newborns a different skill necessary for the first year of life: smiling, sucking, lying on their stomachs and so forth. Childless couples often come here to pray tor offspring. The three groups of figures in this chamber represent the elements most central to Chinese life: ancestors, children and financial wellbeing.
The middle altar of the room to the right of the courtyard commemorates deceased leaders of the Fujian congregation. On either side are lists of contributors - women on the left and men on the right. The wall panels represent the four seasons.
The Fujian assembly hall is fairly well lit and can be visited after dark. Shoes should be removed upon mounting the platform just past the naves.

QUAN CONG TEMPLE Founded in 1653, Quan Cong Temple (Chua Ong)
24DTranPhu) is a Chinese temple that is dedicated to Quan Cong, whose partially gilt statue, made of papier-mache on a wooden frame, is in the central altar at the back of the sanctuary. On the left is a statue of General Chau Xuong, one of Quan Cong's guardians, striking a tough-guy pose. On the right is the rather plump administrative mandarin Quan Binh. The life-size white horse recalls a mount ridden by Quan Cong, until he was given a red horse of extraordinary endurance, representations of which are common in Chinese pagodas-Stone plaques on the walls list contributors to the construction and repair of the temple. Check out the carp-shaped rain spouts on the roof surrounding the courtyard. The carp is a symbol of patience in Chinese mythology and is popular in Hoi An.
Shoes should be removed when mounting the platform in front of the statue of Quan Cong. Note that according to the old numbering system, the address is 168 D Tran Phu.

QUAN AM PAGODA & HISTORY MUSEUM
The comparatively austere Quan Am Pagoda & History Museum (7 D Nguyen Hue houses a small collection of bronze temple bells, gongs and cannon. There's also a display of Cham artefacts.
ASSEMBLY HALL OF THE HAINAN CHINESE CONGREGATION
Built in 1883, this assembly hall (D Tran Phu) is a memorial to the 108 mer-chants from Hainan Island who were mistaken for pirates and killed in Quang Nam province during the reign of Emperor Tu Duc The elaborate dais contains plaques in their memory. In front of the central altar is a fine gilded woodcarving of Chinese court life.
ASSEMBLY HALL OF THE CHAOZHOU CHINESE CONGREGATION
The Chaozhou Chinese in Hoi An built their congregational hall (opposite 157 D Nguyen Duy Hieu) in 1776. Some outstanding woodcarvings are on the beams, walls and altar. On the doors in from ol the altar are carvings of two Chinese girls wearing their hair in a Japanese style.
TRAN DUONG HOUSE
There is a whole city block of colonnaded French-colonial buildings on D Phan Boi Chau, between Nos 23 and 73, among them the 10th-century Tran Duong House (25 D Phan Boi Chau admission free, donations welcome. Mr Duong, a friendly retired mathematics teacher, speaks English and French, and is happy to explain the history of his 62m-long house and its contents to visitors.

 

OLD HOUSE AT 103 TRAN PHU
The wooden frontage and shutters make a good photographic backdrop to this eclectic shop (103 D Tran Phu), where women make silk lanterns. There are ornamental aquarium fish for sale and YOU can also buy shampoo.

ASSEMBLY HALL OF THE CANTONESE CHINESE CONGREGATION
Founded in 1786, this assembly hall (1760 Tran Phu ) has A main altar that is dedicated to Quan Cong. Note the long-handled brass 'fans' to either side of the altar. The lintel and door posts of the main entrance and a number of the columns supporting the roof are made of single blocks of granite. The other columns were carved out of the durable wood of the jackfruit tree. There are some intricate carvings on the wooden beams that support the roof in front of the main entrance.

MUSEUM OF SA HUYNH CULTURE
Artefacts from the early Dong Son civilization of Sa Huynh are displayed at this museum (1490 Tran Phu). The building itself is not that interesting; visit for the collection of objects it houses.

JAPANESE COVERED BRIDGE This famed bridge (Cau Nhat Ban or Lai Vien Kieu) connects 155 D Tran Phu with 1 D Nguyen Thi Minh Khai. The first bridge on this site was constructed in the 1590s. It was built by the Japanese community of Hoi An in order to link them with the Chinese quarters across the stream. The bridge was constructed with a roof so that it could be used as a shelter from both the rain and sun.
The Japanese Covered Bridge is very solidly constructed; apparently the original builders were concerned about the threat of earthquakes. Over the centuries the ornamentation of the bridge has remained relatively faithful to the original Japanese design. Its understatement contrasts greatly with the Vietnamese and Chinese penchant for wild decoration. The French flattened out the roadway to make it more suitable for their motor vehicles but the original arched shape v.'a.'> restored during major renovation work carried out in 1986.
Built into the northern side of the bridge is a small temple (Chua Cau). The writing over the door of the temple is the name given to the bridge in 1719 to replace the name meaning Japanese Covered Bridge. However the new name, Lai Vien Kieu
(Bridge for Passers-By from Afar), never quite caught on.
According to legend, there once lived an enormous monster called Cu, who had it-' head in India, its tail in Japan and its body in Vietnam. Whenever the monster moved, terrible disasters such as Hoods and earth-quakes befell Vietnam. This bridge was built on the monster's weakest point and killed it, but the people of Hoi An took pity on the slain monster and built this temple to pray for its soul.
The entrances of the bridge are guarded by a pair of monkeys on one side and <» pair of dogs on the other. According to one story, these animals were popularly revered because many of Japan's emperors were born in years of the dog and monkey Another tale relates that construction of the bridge started in the year of the monkey and was finished in the year of the dog.
The stelae, listing all the Vietnamese and Chinese contributors to a subsequent restoration of the bridge, are written in chu nho (Chinese characters) ~ the nom script had not yet become popular in these parts

PHUNG HUNG OLD HOUSE
In a lane full of beautiful buildings, this old house (4 D Nguyen Thi Minh Khai) stands out. At present it houses a bookshop and showcases designer ceramics; wander through and enjoy the ambience.

CAM PHO TEMPLE
This less-ornate, newish temple (520 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai) is notable mainly for us ceramic dragon roof line.

CAO DAI PAGODA
Serving Hoi An's Cao Dai community is the small Cao Dai Pagoda (btwn Nos M & 70 D Huynh Thuc Khang), near the bus station. Only OIH priest, who grows sugar and corn in the front yard to make some extra cash, lives here. It was built in 1952.

TAN KY HOUSE
Built two centuries ago as the home of well-to-do ethnic-Vietnamese merchant Tan Ky House (861 474; 101 D Nguyen Thai Hoc)
has been lovingly preserved and today looks almost exactly as it did in the early 191 h century.
The design of Tan Ky House shows some evidence of the Japanese and Chinese influence on local architecture Japanese elements include the ceiling (in the area immediately before the courtyard), which is supported by three progressively shorter beams, one on top of the other. There re similar beams in the salon. Under the crab-shell ceiling there are carvings of crossed sabres wrapped in silk ribbon. The sabres symbolize force; the silk represents flexibility.
Chinese poems written in inlaid mother-of-pearl are hung from a number of the columns that hold up the roof. The Chinese characters on these 150-vear-old panels are formed entirely of birds gracefully portrayed in various positions of flight.
The courtyard here has four Junctions: to let in light, provide ventilation, bring a glimpse of nature into the home and collect rainwater and provide drainage. The stone tiles covering the patio floor were brought from Thanh Hoa province in north-central Vietnam. The carved, wooden balcony supports around the courtyard an decorated with grape leaves, which are a European import and further evidence of the unique blending of cultures that took place in Hoi An.
The back of the house faces the river. In the past, this section of the building was rented out to foreign merchants. That tin house was a place of commerce, as well as a residence, is indicated by the two pulleys attached to a beam in the storage loft just inside the front door.
The exterior of the roof is made of tiles, inside, the ceiling consists of wood. This design keeps the house cool in summer and warm in winter. The floor tiles were brought from near Hanoi.
Tan Ky House is a private home, but is one of the choices on the Hoi An Old Town entrance ticket. The owner, whose family has lived here for seven generations speaks fluent French and English.

DIEP DONG NGUYEN HOUSE
Built for a Chinese merchant, an ancestor of the current inhabitants, in the 19th century is Diep Dong Nguyen House (5P D Nguyen Thai Hoc. The front room on the ground floor was once a dispensary for thuoc bac (Chinese medicine); the medicines were stored in the glass-enclosed cases lining the walls. The owner's private collection of antiques, which includes photographs, porcelain and furniture, is on display upstairs. The objects are not for sale. Two of the chairs were once lent by the family to Emperor Bao Dai.

HOI AN CHURCH
The only tombs of Europeans in Hoi An are found in the yard of this church (cnr D Nguyen TruongTo & D Le Hong Phong) This modern build-ing was built to replace an earlier structure at another site. Several 18th century missionaries were exhumed from tombs at the original .site and reburied here

CHUC THANH PAGODA
Founded in 1454 by Minh Hai, a Buddhist monk from China. Chuc Thanh Pagoda (Khu vuc 7, Tan An) is the oldest pagoda in Hoi An. Among the antique ritual objects still in use are several bells, a stone gong that is two centuries old and a carp-shaped wooden gong said to be even older. Today several elderly monks live here.
In the main sanctuary, the gilt Chinese characters inscribed on a red root beam give details of the pagoda's construction. An A Di Da Ruddha flanked by two Thich Ca Buddhas sits under a wooden canopy on the central dais. In front of them is a statue of a boyhood Thich Ca flanked by his servants.
To get to Chuc Thanh Pagoda, go all the way to the end of D Nguven Truong To and turn left. Follow the sandy path for 500m.

PHUOC LAM PAGODA
Founded in the mid 17 th century is Phuoc Lam Pagoda (Thon 2A Cam Ha). The head monk at the end of that century was An Thiem, a Vietnamese prodigy who had become a monk at the age of eight. When he was18, the king drafted An Thiem s brothers into his army to put down a rebellion. An Thiem volunteered to take the places of the other men in his family and eventually rose to the rank of general. After the war, he returned to the monkhood but felt guilty about the many people he had slain. To atone for his sins, he volunteered lo clean
the Hoi An Market tor 20 years. When that time was up, he was asked to come to Phuoc Lam Pagoda as head monk.
To reach the pagoda, continue past Chuc Thanh Pagoda for 400m. The path passes an obelisk thai was erected over the tomb of 13 ethnic-Chinese, who had been decapitated by the Japanese during WWII for resistance activities