Phung Hung Ancient House is a house with ancient architecture built 240 years ago. The old house is not only a unique tourist destination in Hoi An but also a witness to the history recognized by the state as a national monument.
Introducing Phung Hung Ancient House
This ancient house is located at 4 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai street, Hoi An ancient town. Hung Hung ancient house was built by a rich Vietnamese man more than 240 years ago. The name “Phung Hung” also implies the owner’s wish for the prosperity of the family, favorable business.
The house was originally built with the purpose of becoming a place to exchange valuable items such as cinnamon, pepper, salt and porcelain… person looking to buy.
This house has passed through 8 generations, and now the owner’s 8th generation descendants still live here. Now the house has become a sewing and embroidery facility for the family. On March 29, 1993, Phung Hung’s ancient house was ranked as a national historical and cultural relic.
Ancient House Architecture In Phung Hung
Phung Hung Ancient House was designed according to the special architecture of 19th century merchants in busy urban areas of Vietnam. The house is designed with a wide frontage, implying the desire to open the door to welcome fortune into the house.
Like other old houses, Phung Hung ancient house is a combination of 3 architectural flows from Asian cultures: Vietnamese, Chinese and Japanese.
+ System of balconies, windows, and main doors with Chinese architecture.
+ The roof of the nave is designed in four directions (also known as the “four sea”); this is a typical architectural feature of Edo period Japanese culture.
+ The rest of the old house, such as the system of horizontal beams, longitudinal beams, columns, wooden ribs, and roof design in two directions (the front and rear roofs), are typical of the architecture of the ancient Vietnamese.
A special feature of Phung Hung’s ancient house is its flexibility of use. In the rainy season, Hoi An, an ancient town, is very prone to flooding due to the high water of the Thu Bon River. But with ingenious design, the house is installed with a trapdoor system to the attic to facilitate the movement of valuables.
Visit The Ancient House Of Phung Hung Hoi An
Explore the unique architecture on the ground floor
Previously, the ground floor of the house was used by the first owner to display goods. Currently, it is a place to store the owner’s antiques during his lifetime, as well as a place to receive guests.
Visitors can sit and rest on luxurious wooden tables and chairs placed in the middle of the house.
The walls around the ground floor are decorated with delicate and artistic carvings. These beautiful sculptures are carved by the hands of artisans at Kim Bong Carpentery Village.
The column system consists of 80 very large ironwood trees. All columns are placed on stone feet to prevent termites and reduce subsidence for the house. This stone foot helps to isolate the contact between the base of the column and the ground, limiting damage.
Visit the 2nd floor of Phung Hung ancient house
The second floor is where the owner places the altar of the ancestors and Thien Hau Thanh Mau. A table is placed in front of the altar. The host always places seven marble dice in the cup. Every time they plan to go away, they roll the dice to decide the departure time.
Because Phung Hung’s ancient house is located near the river, floods often occur in the rainy season, so the attic floor is designed with square-shaped cells (also known as “trap doors”). This door can be easily dismantled to facilitate the movement of goods from the ground floor to the attic in the event of a flood.
Looking up at the roof, visitors can easily see that it is covered with yin and yang tiles. This type of tile works:
- Keep the house cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
- On the tile is carved a picture of a carp, a symbol of luck, prosperity, and power in ancient Vietnamese culture.
A narrow corridor in the innermost compartment is the path leading to the 2nd floor, surrounded by a wide corridor system made entirely of wood. The scientific arrangement of the stairs makes the house more spacious and airy.
Note When Visiting
As a famous tourist destination in Hoi An and a national historical – cultural relic, when visiting, you should note:
+ You should choose the right time to visit, avoid holidays, Tet because it will be very crowded and the sightseeing will not be comfortable.
+ Phung Hung Ancient House is located in Hoi An Ancient Town, so you should arrange a reasonable schedule to have a trip with the most interesting experiences.
+ When visiting ancient houses, do not touch any artifacts
+ Do not draw graffiti or litter.
Visiting Phung Hung ancient house, you will feel like you are living in the golden age of Hoi An ancient town, try once to visit this place to admire and feel the ancient but equally unique architecture. Da Nang Tours City is sure that your trip will be much more enjoyable.
In addition to Phung Hung ancient house, Hoi An has many tourist attractions not to be missed. You can visit the Covered Bridge right next to the old house, the Cantonese assembly hall, the Hoi An museum of history and culture, etc. Each attraction has its own beauty and interesting story that makes Hoi An ancient town more beautiful and ancient.
