會安歷史

Hoi An Travel Guide

One of the most popular destinations for domestic travelers here in Taiwan are the various areas known as “Old Streets” (老街) found all over the country. Typically set up in areas known for some past economic glory and often featuring some cool architecture, they’re probably more well-known these days for their food vendors and restaurants.

I’ve become a fan of these historic streets over my decade of living here (more for their history than the food), so it was assumed that when discussions about a trip to Vietnam started, I would be easily sold on spending a few days of our vacation in a village that was more or less like one of Taiwan’s Old Streets on steroids. 

If I had no idea where we were going, I would have been sold right away. 

I was however already full aware of the place being sold to me.

There are few travelers in Asia these days that aren’t already aware of Hoi An.  

The central Vietnam tourist hot spot has been one of the destinations high atop my list of places to visit and if a trip to Vietnam didn’t include a visit to the designated UNESCO World Heritage Village, I would have protested! 

For several centuries, Hoi An was one of the most important ports of trade in South East Asia. As the city prospered it also developed into one of the prettiest towns in Vietnam, featuring a fusion of Western, Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese architectural design.

Amazingly, Hoi An was spared much of the devastation that so many other areas of Vietnam suffered through during the colonial period, various rebellions and the American war. The (relatively) untouched town provides an amazing window to the past and allows tourists to feel like they’ve travelled back in time.

Even if you’re not a history nerd like I am, there’s something for everybody in Hoi An and anyone who visits is able to appreciate this chill little town which is full of great cafes, amazing food and things to see and do. 

If you’re not already sold on visiting, you should also know that Hoi An is known as the birthplace of one of the worlds most famous sandwiches - Banh Mi - and is home to a restaurant that the late great Anthony Bourdain described as the king of them all.

Before we talk about some of the things you can see and do when you visit, we should probably talk a little about its complicated history.

I’ll try to be brief, but it’s important that you understand why Hoi An was so important to Vietnam (and the rest of the world) for so long and how it was able to survive. 

A Brief History of Hoi An

The port city of Hội An in central Vietnam was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999 and in the two decades since has transformed from a quiet town into a bustling tourist destination and a hotspot for historical preservation. 

Centuries before, Hoi An was one of the country’s most important ports of call and was a popular stop for the Portuguese, Spanish, French, British, Dutch, Japanese, Indian and especially Chinese traders - many of whom stuck around and left their mark on the town.

Why was everyone coming to Hoi An you might ask? 

Well, from the 15th to 18th centuries, the warehouses in the town were filled to the brim with highly-sought commodities such as high-grade silk, fabrics, paper, porcelain, Areca nuts, peppercorns, Chinese medicine, elephant tusks, beeswax, mother-of-pearl and lacquer. 

Business was so good that the foreign traders who originally only visited on a seasonal basis each year eventually decided to make their presence permanent by constructing their own warehouses and leaving full time representatives in the area.

This is where the melting pot of nationalities started to have a lasting effect on the landscape of Hoi An, especially with regard to its architecture. 

Unfortunately, as the saying goes, nothing lasts forever.

When the Tây Sơn peasant rebellion overthrew the ruling Nguyễn Dynasty in the eighteenth century, Hoi An was targeted by the rebels (as it was perceived as a major source of economic power for the ruling elite) and the city was torched and left to rot. 

Despite Hoi An’s importance to the international community, the political situation in Vietnam became deplorable for most of the locals who reaped little benefit from the economic might of the city.

The Tay Son rebellion easily gained broad support from peasants, ethnic minorities, merchants townspeople who were attracted to a message of seizing land from the wealthy and redistributing it to the poor with equal rights, justice and liberty.

Even though the Tay Son were able to rally the poor and had some military success, their reign over Vietnam was ultimately short lived. The French, Chinese and the remnants of the Nguyen family cooperated to restore the Nguyen Dynasty to power under the leadership of Emperor Gia Long, who was able to unite the country under a single authority for the first time.

Link: Nguyễn dynasty (Wiki)

By the turn of the nineteenth century, Hoi An started to come back to life and was transformed into the historic town that we see today. Unfortunately by that time, the Thu Bồn River had already silted up making the port inaccessible to larger boats which sent the majority of international trade to nearby Đà Nẵng (峴港).

Bicycle delivery

With Hoi An’s declining importance as an international port of trade, it later became an administrative centre for the French Colonialists and then eventually a backwater town that was amazingly left untouched by the changes (and devastation) that took place around the rest of the country.

The Hoi An of today features a harmonious blend of Japanese, Chinese and French Colonial architectural influences blended together with local Vietnamese design, making the town quite unique and worthy of its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

While the rest of Vietnam tends to be hectic and noisy, Hoi An maintains its laid back ambience with its historic buildings, museums, cafes, restaurants and bar. Tourists who visit the beautiful town are able to relax and enjoy warm days that turn into lantern-lit nights where you’re afforded the luxury of exploring while enjoying the classics of Bach, Mozart and Chopin through the street speakers.

Hoi An”, which means ‘peaceful meeting place’ (會安) in Chinese certainly lives up to its name.


What to See and Do while in Hoi An 

Popular Destinations in the UNESCO World Heritage town of Hoi An in central Vietnam. www.goteamjosh.com

Currently, there are around thirty historic properties in Hoi An that have been restored and opened up for tourism which includes museums, temples, ancient family homes and former warehouses and places of business. 

All of these sites are accessible to the public with the purchase of a ‘Hoi An Ancient Town ticket’ but apart from these buildings there is so much more to see and do in Hoi An that you’ll easily be able to fill up a couple of days on your trip. 

As I’ve already mentioned, Hoi An is renowned for its coffee shops, bars, restaurants, night market, spas and cooking classes in addition to its romantic streets and historic sites, which makes a trip to the city enjoyable for history lovers and for those who just want to relax. 

Enjoying some coffee at one of Hoi An’s many coffee shops.

It’s also important to note that Hoi An is considered to be the ‘Banh Mi’ capital of Vietnam, so if you’re a big fan of Vietnamese-style sandwiches (and you should be), you’re going to be spoiled for choice as you’ll find street vendors and restaurant all over town giving their take on the sandwich.

When you’re ready to start exploring you’ll find that the majority of historic properties, temples, museums and restaurants are located on or between the riverside and Tran Phu Street.

Fortunately, the ‘Old Town’ area of Hoi An which has become a UNESCO World Heritage Site isn’t all that large, and due to so much pedestrian traffic, they’ve blocked the area off from cars.

So unless you’re riding a bicycle or a scooter, the best way to get around and enjoy the town is on foot.

What you’ll want to keep in mind is that exploring the historic properties of ‘Old Town’ isn’t free, so you’re going to have to purchase an entrance ticket at one of the tourist information centers. Technically, even to walk into the designated pedestrian area, you’re supposed to have already purchased a ticket, but with the amount of tourists flooding the area from all directions, this has become rather difficult to enforce. 

The entrance tickets are 120,000 VND (5 USD) per person and provides access to the ‘Old Town’ and FIVE sightseeing destinations. The tickets are valid for the duration of your stay, so if you don’t use all of them on your first day, you’ll still be able to use what you have remaining with the rest of time in the area. 

With so many places to visit though, five tickets might not be enough, so if you’re like me, you might end up having to purchase a second set of tickets to better experience the town. 

Link: Hoi An Old Town Ticket, Entrance Fees & Sites (Hidden Hoi An)

Museums

Hoi An is home to several museums where you can lose yourself in the various stages of the city’s development over the past thousand or more years. There is no additional cost for admission to any of these museums, so all you’ll need is one of the five tickets on your Old Town pass to get in.

  1. Hoi An Museum - 2,000 years of local history under one roof. 

  2. Museum of Trade Ceramics - A collection of ceramics from the 16th to 19th centuries. 

  3. Museum of Folklore - A collection of local traditional folk arts.

  4. Museum of Sa Huynh Culture - A collection of Sa Huynh and Champa artifacts. 

For more information about Hoi An’s museums, click the link below: 

Link: Hoi An’s Museums (Hidden Hoi An)

The Japanese Bridge (日本橋) 

The Japanese Bridge serves as the symbolic image of Hoi An and is probably one of the most popular tourist attractions in town. The picturesque four century old bridge is probably where you’re going to take quite a few of your tourist photos, so you’ll want to make sure to visit more than once during your trip. 

Pro-trip: Make sure to visit the bridge during the day, but also go back during the night for some more photos when the lanterns on the bridge are lit up. 

Link: Hoi An’s Japanese-Covered Bridge

Overseas Chinese Assembly Halls (華人會館)  

The Front Gate of the Phuc Kien Assembly Hall

The prevalence of so many ‘Overseas Chinese Assembly Halls’ is one of the unique characteristics of Hoi An - These halls, where the various communities of Chinese immigrants have gotten together to network, worship and do business over the past few centuries are not uncommon throughout South East Asia (and around the world), but in Hoi An you’ll find six of them all relatively close to each other.

The Chinese Assembly Halls account for a large portion of the historic buildings that tourists visit while in town and are beautifully constructed using the traditional architectural design of their homeland.

Each of the halls features a place of worship with popular deities from the region where the large immigrant populations came from.

For more information about the Chinese Assembly Halls in Hoi An, with links to each individual hall, check out the article linked below. 

Link: Chinese Assembly Halls of Hoi An    

Old Houses 

Hoi An is home to hundreds of historic buildings that are worthy of appreciation, but the town continues to be a ‘work in progress’ with regard to restoration efforts. Still, with what is currently available and open to the public for tourism, you’re not likely to be able to see everything unless you spend a few weeks in the area. 

That being said, in addition to Pagodas and Assembly Halls, there are a number of historic homes that have been opened to public and are popular attractions for tourists.

A friendly reminder: These homes don’t always require admission tickets, but be warned that some of them are used to sell local arts and crafts and if you don’t purchase something, you may be asked for a donation.

  1. Trần Family’s Chapel

  2. Old House of Đức An

  3. Nguyễn Tường Family’s Chapel

  4. Old House of Phùng Hưng

  5. Old House of Quân Thắng

  6. Old House of Tấn Ký

The Lanterns of Hoi An

An impromptu photoshoot at the lanterns

Often referred to as “The City of Lights”, Hoi An has become renowned for its night views as the streets are lit at night with thousands of colourful silk lanterns. Whether you’re walking around town, dining in a restaurant or enjoying one of the various bars or coffee shops, the lanterns are always going to be there lighting up the night, making for a romantic atmosphere. 

Not only are you able to enjoy the beautiful lanterns placed on the streets of the historic area of town, but you can also visit workshops where the handmade lanterns are put on display and are available for purchase (Anywhere from 100,000 - 500,000 VND). In fact, for most of those who visit the Hoi An night market, one of the busiest stops is in front of the lantern stalls where people set up impromptu photoshoots while others are busy choosing a beautiful souvenir to take home. 

Link: Lantern Shopping in Hoi An (Hidden Hoi An) 

Traditional Markets, Night Markets and Street Food

Approaching the Central Market

What would a trip to Vietnam be without a stop by one of the colorful and rambunctious food markets?

Walking through one of the hectic markets is almost a necessity when traveling through the country as the experience of watching vendors battle for customers selling anything from fresh meat, vegetables, fruit and noodles.

The sight and smell of such exotic vegetables and fruit is something that hypnotizes almost every tourist. 

Working hand in hand with these markets, you’ll find street food vendors close-by where you’re given the opportunity to sample some of the local delicacies that Hoi An is famous for - From Banh Mi to Bánh Bao Bánh Vac, you’ll find a wide variety of food available near Hoi An’s traditional markets as well as throughout the city.

If you’re looking for markets, Hoi An is home to a couple:  

  1. Hoi An Central Market - located within the old town.

  2. Chợ Tân An Market - located on the outskirts of the old town. 

  3. Ba Le Market - located between the old town and the beach.

Shopping at the Central Market

The largest of the two is obviously the Central Market, which is located between Tran Phu and the riverside and is one of the busiest places in town. You’ll find vendors set up catering to local residents and restaurants but also stalls selling souvenirs and local arts and crafts. 

Link: The Complete Guide to Hoi An’s Markets (Hidden Hoi An)

One of the highlights of Hoi An’s nightlife is a visit to the popular night market across the river on An Hoi island - Open from around 5pm to 11pm daily, the night market is home to vendors selling a wide variety of local dishes (the most popular apparently banana crepes) as well as touristy souvenirs, arts & crafts and clothes. 

The three-hundred meter long night market is located on Nguyen Huang St. and tends to be quite busy at night, so if you plan on visiting be prepared to get up close and personal with your fellow tourists while navigating the market. 

When you get tired of the night market, you’ll find various bars where you’ll be able to grab a seat, listen to some live music and enjoy the beautiful view of Hoi An across the river.  

Herb city

When it comes to food, no matter where you go in Vietnam, you’re going to find some amazing things to eat. That being said, Hoi An is home to quite a few local dishes that you absolutely have to try when you’re in town. 

Obviously you’re able to get Banh Mi everywhere you go in Vietnam, but Hoi An is regarded as the spiritual homeland of the popular sandwich, so you’d do well to sample it once, twice or many times while you’re in town.

There are arguments a to where you’ll find the best version, it seems like the most popular Banh Mi in town (thanks to the late, great Anthony Bourdain) is the Banh Mi Phuong restaurant in the heart of the Old Town.

Roadside skewers by the Central Market

Roadside skewers by the Central Market

Here are some other dishes that you should try when you’re in town: 

  1. Bánh Bao Bánh Vac - Hoi An’s popular White Rose Dumplings.

  2. Mì Quảng - A popular and very fragrant local noodle dish. 

  3. Cơm Gà - Hoi An’s answer to Hainan Chicken

  4. Cao Lầu - A noodle dish that you’ll only find in Hoi An. 

  5. Bánh bột lọc - Bite-sized glutenous rice and pork dumplings

  6. Hoành thánh chiên - large fried wontons topped with chili and peanut sauces. 

  7. Sticky rice balls - Found on the streets in town, these rice balls are chewy and delicious.

  8. Chè Soup - A sweet chilled soup to help cool you off and give you the energy to explore. 

Link: Hoi An Specialties: The Best Local Vietnamese Food (Hidden Hoi An) 

My Son Sanctuary 

One of the most popular trips outside of Hoi An is to the My Son Sanctuary, the ruins of an ancient Hindu kingdom that once controlled much of Vietnam, Cambodia and beyond. 

When you’re in Hoi An you’ll find places all over town advertising tours of the sanctuary, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The tour, which really only takes a few hours and typically starts in the early hours of the morning allows you to enjoy the nearly two-thousand year old ruins and still gets you back in town in time to enjoy breakfast. 

If you’re in Hoi And for a few days, a visit to the My Son Sanctuary is highly recommended.

Link: My Son Sanctuary

Activities Outside of Hoi An

Let’s assume that you’ve planned to spend a week or more in Hoi An and you’ve had your fill of checking out all the historic areas of the city and have already taken a tour of My Son - What else is there to do

You’re in luck, one of the ways that the local government has attempted to diversity tourist activities and reduce the congestion within the Old Town is by promoting activities in areas nearby which include trips to the beaches, cycling tours, motorcycle tours, kayaking, palm basket boat rides, lantern boat rides, cooking classes and many more. 

If you’d like more information about what else you can do while you’re in the area, click the link below: 

Link: Activities and Tours in and Around Hoi An Old Town (Hidden Hoi An)  

Getting to Hoi An

Hoi An is a coastal town in Vietnam’s central Quang Nam province that is roughly a 30km drive southeast of neighboring Da Nang City. Since Hoi An has become such a popular destination for travelers, getting to the historic town from Da Nang is quite easy and convenient.

Whether you arrive by air through Da Nang International Airport, by train through Da Nang Station or by coach, you’ll be able to easily get yourself to Hoi An through public or private transport, all of which are quite affordable.

How you get to Hoi An really depends on where you’re coming from, what time of the day you arrive and how much you’re willing to spend.

If you’re arriving in Da Nang by train from another part of Vietnam, you could easily hop on a bus to save some money - Unfortunately if you arrive in town after 6:00pm, that option won’t be available to you.

Link: How to Get From Da Nang to Hoi An on Bus 1 (Hidden Hoi An)

Lantern shopping

We flew directly from Taiwan to Da Nang Airport on a cheap flight, arriving at around 7:30pm. We didn’t have the option of taking the bus, but my travel partners weren’t really interested in taking one anyway. We had already booked a private car which picked us up at the airport, took care of our luggage, gave each of us a bottle of water and delivered us directly to where we were staying. 

Even if you haven’t booked a car prior to your arrival, Da Nang Airport as well as the train station will have an ample amount of taxis available that will take you to Hoi An. 

The drive from Da Nang to Hoi An takes around 30-45 minutes and costs between $15-20 USD, which is quite cheap considering the convenience of being delivered directly to where you’ll be staying while you’re in town. 

Link: Transportation Guide: How to Get from Da Nang to Hoi An

Lantern boats waiting for passengers

While in Vietnam, you should download the “Grab” app for your phone, which is basically South East Asia’s Uber, so that you can easily grab a taxi or motorcycle during your travels without having to worry about confusion or being taken for a ride. Likewise you’ll probably want to get Vietnam’s native “FastGo” app which performs the same role, but offers an additional option in case all the Grab drivers are busy (which in Hoi An is common).  

Once you’ve arrived in Hoi An, getting around is relatively easy as most people tend to walk or ride bicycles. How you explore the area is up to you, but we found it convenient to make use of the bicycles provided by our home stay to ride into town where we’d park them and set off to explore.

Tourists catching some shade at one of Hoi An’s Chinese Assembly Halls.

Even though Hoi An has become one of Vietnam’s most popular tourist destinations, if you compare it to the rest of the country, its still a pretty chill place where you can enjoy some hip cafes, great food, historic buildings, beaches and a lot more.

Sure, you’re going to have to share your experience with a bunch of other tourists, but that shouldn’t really hinder your experience in the historic town. 

A visit to Hoi An is what you make of it - It can be a relaxing experience where you take in some history and chill in cafes or it can be one where where you party hard all night and enjoy the beaches during the day.

No matter what you type of experience you’re looking for, you’ll be able to stuff your face with great food and enjoy beautiful lantern-lit streets at after dark.   

In Hoi An you’ll find history on almost every corner in town but one of the secrets of the success of the area is that you’ll also find some of the hippest artists, musicians and young entrepreneurs in the country. There’s really something for everyone in Hoi An, so if you have a chance to visit, you shouldn’t pass it up.


Hoi an’s Japanese Covered Bridge (會安日本橋)

If my blog up until now has led you to believe that all there is to see in Hoi An are old Chinese Assembly Halls, I’ll have done you (and the historic World Heritage village) a bit of a disservice. There’s so much to see, do and (more importantly) eat in Hoi An that even if you devoted several weeks to exploring, you wouldn’t even begin to touch all the amazing things the area has to offer. 

Sure, there are currently only around ‘twenty-two’ historic properties within the village that are open for tourism, but that is a number that will continue to grow over the next few years. Thanks to the efforts of the local authorities, many places of historical significance throughout the town are either in the process of or are slated to be restored and opened to the public in the near future.  

Sure, you can use your admission tickets to check out the the historic buildings that have already opened to the public, but there’s a certain romantic feeling while walking around the historic streets and alleys of Hoi An where you’re able to appreciate the hundreds, if not thousands of historic properties that the village has to offer.

In fact, I think if you’ve spent a day or two exploring the historic tourist sites, you could easily spend the rest of your time in town doing a simple walking-tour to check out quiet alleys that are far away from the hustle and bustle of the tourist crowds. 

I hope to highlight some of these other areas over the next few blog posts.

Today though, I’m going to start by introducing one of the most popular tourist attractions in Hoi An (and what has coincidentally also become the symbol of the world heritage town itself), the famed Japanese Covered Bridge.

Which, if you weren’t already aware, no trip to Hoi An could be considered complete without a visit. 

Unlike the Chinese Assembly Halls that I’ve already posted extensively about, you can easily find a multitude of information about the bridge online. Unfortunately, not too many of those resources agree on the facts - So there’s quite a bit of contradictory information about the bridge online.

With this blog, I’ll be doing what I usually do to help tell the story of the bridge, its design and its long history so that you can get a feel for what you’re actually going to be looking at when you visit! 

The “Japanese-Covered Bridge” (日本橋)

When your entire town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, you can be sure that there is a plethora of cool stuff to see and do - More specifically though, when you’re the iconic symbol of that town and are also prominently featured on the back of one of the country’s national bills, its safe to say that you’re probably the stand out of what is already an amazing place to visit.

The so-called “Japanese Bridge” is Hoi An’s most recognizable landmark and not only serves as the symbol of the town but is also a nationally recognized landmark and is said to be the most beautiful bridge in South East Asia.

Yes, this bridge is beautiful, its also historic, but what most might not realize is that its also a pagoda, which means that it serves a practical purposes as well as religious purpose making it an important place for tourists and locals alike. 

One of the things that confuses a lot of tourists about the bridge is its name - which is why I referred to it above as the “so-called” Japanese Bridge above. So, before I get into the history and the design of the bridge, I think we should clear up some of the confusion about its name. 

Most tourists and travel sites are going to refer to the bridge simply as the “Japanese Bridge” or the “Japanese-Covered Bridge” in English, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. 

What probably confuses people most is the lack of uniformity from the various travel resources on the internet which use a mixture of formal and informal names.

This leads people to think that there are actually a bunch of tourist bridges in Hoi An. 

Oh wait, there are actually a couple tourist pedestrian bridges in town.

There’s only one that you should really care about though. 

Below is a list of the most common names for the bridge:  

  1. Lai Viễn Kiều (來遠橋) ‘Bridge that Receives Guests from Afar

  2. Cầu Nhật Bản (日本橋) ‘Japanese Bridge’  

  3. Chùa Cầu (廊橋) ‘Pagoda Bridge’ 

The official name of the bridge is “Lai Viễn Kiều” (來遠橋), which was presented as a gift by Lord Nguyễn Phúc Chu, who carved the name in Chinese characters on a plaque which he placed on the entrance.

Later, locals started to refer to the bridge colloquially as “Chùa Cầu” (廊橋), the “Pagoda Bridge” and its more widely used name today “Cầu Nhật Bản” (日本橋), the “Japanese Bridge.”

How you personally refer to the bridge is up to you, none of the names are wrong, but what you should keep in mind is that there is only one iconic bridge in town, so don’t get confused by all the names you’ll see on the web.

History

Although the exact date of its construction is unclear, the Japanese Bridge in Hoi An has been an important part of the booming international port town for (at least) the past four centuries.

Due to the lack of documented history there is an open debate as to when the bridge officially opened to the public, which if you know anything about bridges in Asia, is a bit strange.

The thing about bridges in this part of the world is that they’re almost always engraved with a plaque that includes the name and the date of its construction. This one could have included a similar engraved plaque at some point in its history, but the bridge underwent renovation and restoration projects in 1763, 1815, 1875, 1917, 1962, 1986 and 1992 and it could have disappeared during any of those periods.

It stands to reason though that if a plaque existed before the 1800s, someone would have wrote down the exact date of construction. The first recorded mention we have of the bridge dates back to 1617, so most scholars think that the best we can do is estimate that it originated sometime in the 1590s. 

The bridge was originally constructed by the Japanese Chamber of Commerce for the purpose of connecting the Japanese Quarter with the Chinese Quarter, which was at the time separated by a canal in the Thu Bon River (秋盆河). 

Once completed, the bridge became an important tool for business as it allowed for a flow of traffic across the canal and more importantly, networking between the two sides.

Unfortunately the Japanese were only able to make use of the bridge for a couple of decades before they were forced to return home. The reason for this was because the Tokugawa Shogunate (德川幕府) back home in Japan instituted an isolationist “Sakoku” (鎖國) policy in 1633, which ultimately closed the country (and all aspects of foreign trade) for almost two centuries and required all Japanese citizens doing business outside of the country to return home.

Link: Closed Country “Sakoku” (Wiki)

Although there is also debate about whether or not this is the case, it seems that our best indication as to the exact age of the bridge are the animal statues that guard the entrances of either end of the bridge.

Despite their sacred nature in Japanese culture, the ‘monkey’ (symbolizing safety) and the ‘dog’ (protection) are also part of the Chinese Zodiac so it is thought that they represent the years of the zodiac when construction on the bridge was started and completed. 

What confuses me about this is that almost all of the information you’ll find about the bridge claims that this means that construction started in 1593 and ended in 1595. These years however were actually the ‘snake’ and ‘sheep’ years and thus don’t correspond to the year of the monkey or the year of the dog. 

Unless there’s something I’m missing, if we’re using the Chinese Zodiac as evidence of the age of the bridge, construction likely started in 1596 and was completed two years later in 1598.

I’d be happy to be proven wrong here though.

Link: Chinese Lunar Years: Animal Zodiac (Wisdom Portal)

The bridge after dark

In 1763, after the Japanese left town, the bridge was renovated and the pagoda was added with a shrine to “The God of Weather” (more on that later).  

Then during the French Colonial Period (1887-1945), the French, who made Hoi An an important part of their base of operations flattened out the bridge converting it from a pedestrian-only bridge to one that motorcycles could also cross.

In 1990, the bridge was recognized as a National Level Historic Site. 

Finally in 1986 the bridge was restored to its original ‘arched’-design with only pedestrians allowed to cross.

Unfortunately by that time enough structural damage had been done that another major restoration project would become necessary to ensure the continued existence of the bridge - which continues to be an issue to this day. 

The Legend of Namazu and the Pagoda

Hoi An may have been spared most of the devastation that the rest of the country had to endure during Vietnam’s various modern conflicts, but that doesn’t mean that the historic town has been able to avoid disaster throughout its long history.

The area is prone to not only typhoons and random flooding, but also earthquakes, which together have wreaked havoc upon the town on various occasions. 

Something you’ll notice when you visit in Hoi An is that there are visual reminders of each of these natural disasters marked on the walls of the historic tourist buildings throughout the town.

Which is also a reminder that it is inevitable that yet another disaster will strike. 

While we can’t predict earthquakes, we know when a typhoon will strike and are much better at preventing damage from flooding.

Back in the 16th Century though, these things were a bit more difficult to explain - The Japanese residents of Hoi An though thought they had it all figured out, and legend has it that the construction of the bridge was one of the ways to prevent such disasters from happening again. 

The Japanese, who likewise came from an area of the world that is prone to similar natural disasters, explained that this was all the work of Namazu (鯰), a giant catfish which lives under the earth and whose body spans from India to Japan.

The explanation was that when Namazu was swimming in the waters deep beneath the ground, it would cause the earth to shake.

According to the myth, the reason why earthquakes don’t happen more often is because another powerful god, Takemikazuchi-no-mikoto (建御雷) restrains the catfish and only when he lets his guard down is Namazu able to swim around and cause earthquakes.

Links: Namazu (Wiki) | Namazu: The Earthshaker (History of Geology)  

As it was widely believed that Namazu’s giant body stretched from India to Japan, someone came up with the idea that constructing a bridge in this location would essentially assist in the effort by placing a pin in its back to keep it in place.

To be safe, in 1763, an added layer of protection was added in the form of a pagoda (within the bridge) with a shrine to the “God of Weather.” 

This is where the information you’ll find about the bridge once again becomes a bit confusing.

Most articles will claim that the so-called “God of Weather” is the local “northern” god “Tran Vo Bac De”, which would lead you to believe that this is a northern Vietnamese god.

The entrance to the Pagoda on the bridge.

This isn’t actually the case and is probably the result of some bad translation. 

Tran Vo Bac De” is actually one of the highest ranking deities within Taoism (道教) and does hail from the “north”, but it’s the north of China and not Vietnam.

In China, he is often referred to as the “Zhenwu Emperor” (真武大帝), “Xuanwu” (玄武) or the “Black Emperor” (黑蒂) and is thought to be extremely powerful and able to control the elements, which (most importantly in the case of the bridge) includes water and the weather. 

This is important because not only was Hoi An a seafaring port of trade, but also an area that was prone to natural disaster, so it was considered auspicious to have a deity enshrined in the pagoda that people could pray to for better weather and safer travel conditions. 

Link: Xuanwu (Wiki)

Design  

The bridge after dark

Even though its commonly referred to as the “Japanese Bridge”, the architectural design is a harmonious blend of the various styles of Japanese, Chinese and Vietnamese design.

Sure, there are elements that are purely Japanese in nature but everything from the material used to the patterns and decorations are a fusion of the various cultures that have made their home in Hoi An over the past few centuries.  

The arched bridge is 60 feet in length (18 meters) connecting Tran Phu Road on the eastern side with Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Road on the western side.

Otherwise known as the Chinese Quarter and the Japanese Quarter, respectively.  

The base layers of the bridge are constructed with stone while the top is constructed primarily with red lacquered wood. The interior likewise features beautiful wood-carvings and motifs between each of the pillars and along the walls of the pagoda. 

Understandably, after several centuries, the original colors of the decorations both inside as well as those on the roof have faded and are in need of a bit of a refresh. The plain-looking wood that you’ll find today though is still quite good looking thanks to the craftsmanship of those who helped in the construction.  

Constructed as a physical and metaphorical ‘bridge’ between the two cultures, the roof was designed using a traditional Chinese style featuring three different layers with decorations on the top of each layer. Additionally, there is a special layer on both of the entrances on either side that faces the opposite direction as the three layers above, which is somewhat uncommon for this type of roof and makes its complex design quite unique. 

To the average tourist, the bridge may seem somewhat plain - I’ve even seen some travel reviews from people saying that you ‘shouldn’t bother wasting a ticket’ to walk on the bridge, but if you don’t take a few minutes to check out the interior, you’ll be missing out.

Sure, some of the decorations have faded over time, but I’m sure you wouldn’t be very good looking after four hundred years either, so make sure to take some time to enjoy the bridge. You most certainly won’t be wasting anything if you do.  

2020 Renovation Project

One thing that you’ll learn quickly when you visit Hoi An is that the city is prone to flooding.

As I mentioned above, in many of the historic buildings in the village, you’ll find markers on the walls that represent the various floods that have caused a considerable amount of damage over the years. 

The area is likewise prone to typhoons and earthquakes. 

With the constant thread of flood, earthquake or typhoon, the local government has to be constantly on the ball when it comes to the preservation and maintenance of the historic properties within Hoi An - which is part of the reason why they’ve instituted the admission ticket system. 

Unfortunately, the condition of the 400 year old bridge has become a major area of concern with fears that the bridge could collapse sometime in the near future as many of the poles and beams that support it have cracked and rotted.

To address this issue, the People’s Committee of Quang Nam Province approved an almost one million dollar project to restore the bridge to ensure its continued existence. 

It is unclear how long it will take to complete the restoration project, which is slated to start sometime within the first quarter of 2020, but you should be aware that if you visit sometime this year, that you may not be able to experience one of South East Asia’s most beautiful bridges as it will be covered up for restoration. 

Korean tourists at the bridge.

Link: Hoi An to spend $860,000 strengthening vulnerable Pagoda Bridge (VN Express) 

If you ask me, it would also be a bit helpful if the local government made an effort to also clean up the stinky, stagnant water in the canal that flows under the bridge. That being said, COVID-19 is probably preventing anything from happening on schedule as well as your visit to the area, so I’m sure we can expect the project to be delayed.

Getting There 

 

Hoi An is a coastal town in Vietnam’s central Quang Nam province that is a 30km drive southeast of neighbouring Da Nang City (峴港市). Since Hoi An has become such a popular destination for travellers, getting to the historic town from Da Nang is quite convenient.

Whether you arrive by air through Da Nang International Airport, by train through Da Nang Station or by coach, you’ll be able to easily get yourself to Hoi An through public or private transport, all of which are quite affordable.

While staying in Vietnam, you should also download the “Grab” app for your phone so that you can easily grab a taxi during your travels without having to worry about a language barrier or getting cheated.

Link: Transportation Guide: How to Get from Da Nang to Hoi An

Once you’ve arrived in Hoi An, getting around is really easy - just walk everywhere!

The ‘Old Town’ area of Hoi An that has become a UNESCO World Heritage Site isn’t all that big, and due to so much pedestrian traffic, they’ve blocked the area off from cars, so unless you’re riding a bicycle or a scooter, the best way to get around is on foot.

When you’re ready to start exploring you’ll find that the majority of historic properties, temples, museums and restaurants are located on or between the riverside and Tran Phu Street. What you’ll want to keep in mind though is that exploring the historic properties of Old Town isn’t free, so you’re going to have to purchase an entrance ticket.

The entrance tickets are 120,000 VND (5 USD) per person and gives you access to five sightseeing places. The tickets are valid for the duration of your stay, so if you don’t use all of the tickets on your first day, you’ll still be able to use what you have remaining on the next day.

With so many places to visit within the Old Town though, five tickets might not be enough, so you might have to purchase a second set of tickets if you want to fully experience the town. 

Link: Hoi An Old Town Ticket, Entrance Fees & Sites (Hidden Hoi An)

While some of the other attractions in town might be a little more liberal with their ticket-taking policies, you can rest assured that when you arrive at the bridge that the gatekeepers will be there to take your ticket. This not only helps with crowd control but also ensuing that the bridge gets enough funding for its preservation and allowing it to continue serving as the symbol of Hoi An. 

Like many of Hoi An’s tourist destinations, the Japanese Bridge is located on Tran Phu street. 

It is conveniently located at the western end of the street and connects to the laid back Nguyen Thi Minh Khai street across the canal. If you arrive at a time of the day when there is a long line of people wanting to get on the bridge, never fear, the area near both sides of the canal is well-known for its cafes and restaurants. You should be able to stop for a quick break before making your way onto the bridge.

Congrats to the lovely couple having wedding photos taken!

You’ll also want to remember that a ticket is only required for those who actually want to walk on the bridge. If you haven’t purchased your admission tickets yet, never fear, one of the eleven ticket stalls within town is situated across from the bridge where you can walk in, get your tickets and a map of the popular tourist destinations in the old town.

If you just want to take photos of the exterior, you can easily walk around and take photos. Likewise, if you want to cross the canal, there is another nearby footbridge to get across without having to use one of your tickets.

But you should definitely not miss the chance to walk across the bridge if you’re in Hoi An.

Address: Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai, Phường Minh An, Hội An, Quảng Nam 564010, Vietnam


Minh Huong Communal House (明鄉萃先堂)

While we were planning for our trip to Hoi An, it quickly became obvious that the majority of the locations I was adding to the the itinerary were all historic buildings that could be considered quite similar to those that I’ve become used to exploring here in Taiwan.

The Fujian Assembly Hall for example for the most part could have been a typical temple around here.

I’ve mentioned already a few times in my previous articles that what I was looking forward to most during this trip was in part the familiarity I’d have with what I’m already used to but also how the architecture and design of these halls diverged from what I’m used to here in Taiwan.

I felt like I could still learn quite a bit in the process.

And I did learn quite a bit while visiting the Chaozhou, Fujian, Hainan and Cantonese Assembly Halls.

The history and architecture of these old buildings was really impressive, even for me, someone who spends quite a bit of time exploring historic buildings around Asia.

There was one hall though that admittedly wasn’t on my list before I left for Hoi An and when I happened upon it by chance, I felt extremely fortunate that I didn’t miss out on the opportunity to explore it.

The “Minh Huong Communal Hall” is probably the most unique of all of Hoi An’s Assembly Halls.

Strangely though, when people introduce Hoi An, it rarely ever gets grouped together with the other Assembly Halls and because of that, its almost non-existent on the tourist radar.

It nevertheless has all of the same characteristics of the other halls in town and as far as I’m concerned absolutely should be included on your list of places to visit when you’re in the area.

You might be wondering why this hall gets excluded from the traditional list of Assembly Halls in Hoi An.

That’s actually both a simple and a complicated answer.

The ‘Assembly Halls’ in Hoi An as well as other areas of Vietnam and South East Asia were always constructed to serve specific communities of ‘Overseas Chinese’ immigrants like the Hokkiens, Cantonese, etc.

This one though wasn’t constructed for ‘Overseas Chinese’ - it was built for a special group of people who were of Chinese descent, but held a special status in Vietnam and weren’t considered to be immigrants despite the fact that they were Chinese.

Some people claim that this is the reason why this Assembly Hall is often left off the list of “Chinese Assembly Halls” in Hoi An, but I think that’s a pretty poor reason to exclude it.

I’ll also go as far to say that I guarantee that if you visit this one, you’ll learn a lot more about the history of Hoi An than you will at any of the other Chinese Assembly Halls. So even though it might be considered smaller and less impressive than the others, where it lacks is also where it excels.

The Minh Huong Communal Hall is where I learned the most about Hoi An and its amazing history.

I think that if you visit, you’ll feel the same.

“The Minh Huong” (明鄉人) 

The Ming (明朝) ruled China from 1368 until 1644 when the dynasty was overthrown and ultimately replaced by the Qing Dynasty (清朝). Over the span of 276 years and sixteen different emperors, the Ming period became known for its contributions to literature, drama, porcelain and its trade and cultural ties with the outside world. 

As far as Chinese history goes, the Ming Dynasty is often one that is looked upon the most favorably.

There are a lot of reasons why the Ming Dynasty is referred to the “Great Ming”, but for the Chinese people, the most important thing to remember (about the Ming and why it is so fondly remembered) is because it was preceded by Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty (元朝) and then overthrown by the Manchu-led (滿族) Qing Dynasty, both of which were considered “foreign”, to say the least.

The Ming Dynasty was essentially the last dynasty that was ruled by the “Chinese” before the modern period.

For a lot of people, especially those in Southern China, when the Ming Dynasty ended, it wasn’t just the end of an era - it was the end of their way of life. So, instead of submitting to the rule of yet another group of non-Chinese, a lot of people decided to simply pack up their things and leave.

Link: 反清反到越南的『明鄉人』(The News Lens)

Famously, a large military group of these Ming-loyalists arrived here in Taiwan and established a colony (which would later become a kingdom) of their own in the southern area of the island. The Kingdom of Tungning (東寧王國) as it became known was led by the pirate Koxinga (鄭成功), a former navy commander, and existed solely to help restore the Ming.

Even though the so-called ‘kingdom’ only lasted from 1661-1683, it has had lasting effects on the cultural landscape of Taiwan.

Link: Tungning Kingdom (東寧王國)Koxinga Shrine (延平郡王祠)

For others, emigration was a considerably more difficult process and most of the Ming-loyalists who fled China sufficed to travel south through Vietnam, Cambodia and beyond.

The vast majority of those who left did so fearing reprisal from the new regime as they were connected in some way to the Ming politically or militarily, which also meant that the majority of them were male.  

In Vietnam, the Nguyễn lords, who controlled most of the south held an affinity for the Ming and agreed to allow the refugees to freely settle in areas formerly part of the Champa kingdom around Hoi An (會安) where there was already an ethnic-Chinese population. 

Initially the refugees were referred to as the “Minh Hương” (明香) or “those who worship the Ming Dynasty”, but in 1827 by royal decree, they were renamed “Minh Hương” (明鄉) which meant “people of Ming origin.”

The reason for this upgrade in status was that many of those refugees (as I mentioned above) were those with special skills and had contributed to the political and economic system in the area for quite some time.

This preferential treatment however had some pros and cons in that they were given tax and business incentives (among other privileges), but also required them to live in communities that segregated them from the overseas Chinese merchants in the area. 

Note: It might seem confusing as the Vietnamese name for “Minh Hương” never actually changed, but the way to refer to them in Chinese did. Instead of using “明香” (míng xiāng) they became known as “明鄉” (míng xiāng), which is actually pronounced almost exactly the same but has a separate meaning as “鄉“ refers to the notion of a community

Link: Minh Hương (Wiki) | 明鄉人 (Wiki) | Hoa People (Wiki)

As the Minh Huong people became permanent residents, it was only natural that they started to intermarry with the local people and further integrate into Vietnamese society.

As this took place they started formed their own ethno-cultural identity which allowed them to celebrate their Chinese heritage while at the same time differentiating themselves from the newer waves of Chinese immigrants who came to Vietnam. 

That being said, after several generations their links to China gradually started to dissipate and although they maintained some of their cultural traditions, the majority of them preferred to speak Vietnamese rather than Chinese.

In fact, these days the vast majority of the descendants of the Minh Huong people are unable to speak, read or write Chinese - but there is a movement to help rectify these issues, especially among younger generations wanting to learn more about their ancestral heritage.

Today the total population of Minh Huong people in Vietnam is unclear due to the fact that their integration over the past few centuries has made it difficult to record their numbers.

In 1950 it was estimated that there were around 75,000 people of Minh Huong ancestry in Vietnam while today academics claim that there are likely more than a hundred thousand.

The important thing to remember is that the Minh Huong weren’t a homogenous group - They were people who fled from many different areas of China and were grouped together upon arrival in Vietnam based on their loyalty to the Ming Dynasty.

So, in order to keep their special privileges they had to integrate into society while at the same time facing discrimination from later waves of Chinese traders and immigrants who likely considered them traitors and were jealous of their economic privileges.

So, if for example you were a Minh Huong of Cantonese descent and you noticed that there was a newly constructed Cantonese Assembly Hall in town, a visit would have been considered an awkward experience for any number of reasons. 

Fortunately, even though the Ming Huong fully integrated themselves into Vietnamese society, one of the similarities that they shared with the other ethnic-Chinese groups was they also constructed their own traditional halls of worship and places where they could get together to network and celebrate their cultural heritage.

Link: Chinese Assembly Halls of Hoi An

As I’ve already mentioned, even though the Minh Huong Communal House (明鄉萃先堂) is rarely ever grouped together with the other Chinese Association Halls in Hoi An, I don’t really see much of a point in separating them. The Communal Hall plays a similar role and serves the same purpose as a place to get together, worship and celebrate ones culture and heritage.

Unfortunately due to the fact that most travel information about Hoi An tends to differentiate the Communal House from the Association Halls, there is very little information about this one available online.

I hope that this helps out and also convinces you to visit!

Minh Hương Tụy Tiên Đường (明鄉萃先堂)

The “Minh Hương Tụy Tiên Đường” or simply the “Minh Huong Communal House” is one of the many tourist destinations within the historic heritage town of Hoi An. Recognized as a National Historic Cultural Relic in 1993, it underwent a period of restoration from 2002 to 2009 with funds from the national government and is today open to the public for tourism. 

The history of the hall however is a little bit confusing and there is certainly quite a lot of misinformation and claims about its age found in English-language travel resources. 

The reason for the confusion (as far as I can tell) is that while not much has been written about it (in any language), the hall has undergone a considerable amount of changes over its history which has made it difficult to keep track of what’s actually going on inside. 

Of particular note is that some of the deities that you’ll find enshrined within the hall are relatively new residents and have been transferred there from other Minh Huong places of worship in Hoi An.

This is because several historic Minh Huong places of worship have already been torn down to make way for new developments.

So, with little written about the hall, it’s not easy to actually report accurate historical information. 

The date of its construction is unclear, but it appears that the establishment of the hall dates back to the mid-17th century. The reason why the dates of the halls origins are confusing for most people is because they fail to realize that the location that we can visit today wasn’t the original location of the hall.

The best estimate that we have for this particular hall is that it moved to its current location and was opened in 1820.

Note: I realize that this might seem a bit confusing, but when it comes to historic Chinese structures like this, its important to remember that the year it was “established” and the year it was “constructed” or often “reconstructed” are not actually the same.

I guess you can’t fault people for exaggerating the age of their “historic” buildings just a little.

Historically, the hall was used not only just as a place of worship but also for community outreach, business networking and celebrating cultural events.

It also served as the home of the administrative office of the Minh Huong Village Council for a period of time. 

Although the exact date of its construction isn’t all that clear, what we do know is that it was crafted by the people at the famed Hoi An Kim Bong Carpentry Village (金奉木雕村), which for the past several centuries has created some of the most beautiful woodwork in the whole of Vietnam.

The elaborate woodwork at this hall is no different and even after two-centuries and a couple of restoration projects, their work is still in excellent condition and maintains a similar appearance to what you would have seen on the day the hall first opened. 

Link: Come to Hoi An to Visit Kim Bong Carpentry Village (Exotic Voyages)

Like the other Assembly Halls and Temples in Hoi An, the front gate and the door to the building face south. The reason for this is that, according to Feng Shui (風水), south represents the element of fire (南方屬火), which means that the building is always going to attract positive energy.

The thing about “fire” energy though is that it’s a strong one for fame and reputation, but to harness that energy, you need a brightly covered entrance which is why the front gate of the hall is beautifully painted yellow - something that you’ll notice is quite common all over Hoi An.

Another important thing to remember about the fire element is that it is sometimes considered to be too strong, so you need to make use of a corresponding element like ‘wood’ (木) or ‘water’ (水) to add some balance - This is why the front courtyard to the hall has trees growing on either side with planted shrubs. 

The hall is designed with the traditional ‘two-halls and two protective-dragons’ (兩殿兩護室) style, which simply means that the building is rectangular in shape with a ‘front hall’ (前殿), an open-air courtyard and a ‘main hall’ (正殿) with two ‘protective-dragon’ (護龍) sections connecting the buildings on the eastern and western sides.

From the street you’re met with a beautiful bright yellow four-pillar gate (牌樓) which reads “Minh Huong Communal Hall” (明鄉萃先堂) with a dark red background.

The yellow gate also has a four rows of lanterns on each side which are quite pretty at night. 

As I just mentioned, once you walk through the gate you’re met with another courtyard which has some trees and some shrubs planted as decorations. The courtyard simple, but quite pretty and opens directly to the door of the front hall.

As you enter the ‘Front Hall’, you’ll either be met directly by someone wanting your ticket or a shrine with several statues on it. The shrine features not only statues, flowers and a place for worship, but also some beautiful wood-work in the area that surrounds it. 

The front hall here isn’t all that large, but there is quite a bit in terms of decoration to notice.

They have spiraled-coils of incense hanging from the ceiling, large vases, floral displays and an area where you can purchase some Chinese zodiac-related trinkets.

The hall is naturally lit, so it can be a bit dark at different times of the day, but the amount of colour they’ve added with their decorations makes it quite pretty. 

The existence of a shrine in the front hall is something that makes this specific building stand out from the other Assembly Halls in the area. From my research, it seems like the shrine is relatively new with practical reasons for placing it where it is.

The reason is because even though Hoi An is popular tourist destination, the Minh Huong Communal Hall hasn’t really been able to attract tourists in the same way that some of the other historic buildings have. So, to make up for a bit of lost revenue, they’ve placed some popular deities on the shrine near the front door where they can be seen from the street. 

The reason why this is practical is because it helps to attract Chinese tourists (and more importantly donations) which helps to maintain the hall. It’s also quite helpful due to the fact that the main shrine within the temple only really attracts other Minh Huong people for ancestral worship.

The gods in the shrine were chosen for their specific abilities and their importance to both the Minh Huong and your average person of Chinese descent, making it a place where everyone can get together. 

From left to right you have: 

  1. The Goddess of Childbirth (金花娘娘/註生娘娘)

  2. Thiên Hau, the Goddess of the Sea (天后聖母)

  3. The God of Medicine (藥王本頭公)

  4. The Protector of Life, Emperor Baosheng (保生大帝)

  5. The Earth God (福德正神)

Interestingly, just above the shrine you’ll find a traditional plaque (牌匾) hung from the ceiling that loosely translates as “Perfect Virtue” (明德惟馨). The plaque was gifted to the hall by a group of merchants (五帮眾商) on the anniversary of the founding of the Republic of China (中華民國), which notably marked a decade after the official fall of the Qing Dynasty.

Once you’ve progressed past the front hall, you’ll find the ‘Protective Dragons’ (護龍) on the eastern and western sides of the hall. The ‘dragons’, which are more or less ‘wings’ are used for community-related activities where events are held and people are able to get together for various purposes.

Similar to what you’ll find at the other Assembly Halls in Hoi An, the western side is used for administrative purposes while the eastern side is more or less a large empty space.

Coincidentally while I was visiting the hall there were a couple of local guys sitting at the table, drinking some tea and having a very engaging chat about something that seemed quite important.

The Main Hall (正殿), which is traditionally home to the place of worship in these Assembly Halls is where you’ll find shrines set up for the people who visit the temple to worship. 

The thing about this hall is that there is very little written about it, so information about what you’ll find inside is hard to come by - I’ve had to make use of my language skills with English, French and Mandarin to make sense of what little is available, so I hope that what I’ve been able to find is helpful in explaining what you’re going to see when you visit.

The first thing I’ll say is that when you enter the main hall, one of the things you’ll notice is the expert craftsmanship of the wood-work inside. The dark stained wooden doors and the decorations almost glow with the natural light that seeps in on sunny days.

I was especially a fan of the sliding doors which make for great light when you’re taking photos. 

There are three shrines in the shrine room, each of which have a statue and ‘spirit plates’ (牌位) in front of them. In this case, the statues are simple representations of spiritual “Civil Servants” (文官) who are known for their literary and intellectual skills concerning governance and business. 

The thing that differentiates this place of worship from the other Assembly Halls in town is that the “gods” themselves have been moved to the front hall, so what you’ll find in the main hall here are simple spirit plates representing three important groups of Ming Huong elders.  

Suffice to say, the shrines in the main hall are used for Minh Huong ancestral worship and are specifically dedicated to “Thập Đại Lão” (十大老), “Lục Tánh” (六姓) and the “Tam Gia” (三大家), which are entirely unique to this place of worship (and to Hoi An), which is why its not easy to find much information about them. 

The “Thập Đại Lão”, otherwise known as the “Ten Elders” are a group of ten of the earliest Minh Huong families that came to the area (around 1644) and include the Khổng (Kong 孔), Nhan (Yan 顏), Dư (Yu 余), Từ (Xu 徐), Chu (Zhou 周), Hoàng (Huang 黃), Trương (Zhang 張), Trần (Chen 陳), Thái (Cai 蔡) and Lưu (Liu 劉) families. 

The second group, the “Lục Tánh”, otherwise known as the “Six Families” arrived in the area in 1650 and include the Ngụy (Wei 魏), Trang (Zhuang 莊), Ngô (Wu 吳), Thiệu (Shao 邵), Hứa (Xu 許) and Ngũ (Wu 伍) families. 

And finally the “Tam Gia” or the “Three Families” who were headed by Hsi Kuo-hsiang (洗國詳), Wu Ting-kuan (吳廷寬) and Chang Hung-Chi (張弘基) and arrived shortly after the others.

Note: In this case you’ll have to excuse me, I don’t have the actual Vietnamese romanization of their names, so I’ve just converted them into the typical Chinese romanization. 

There are also spirit tablets placed for other families and people (27 in total) who showed up in the area later on, but the three main shrines are dedicated to these three groups. 

Link: Spirit Tablets (Wiki)

Every year the hall is home to events that the descendants of about sixty families who trace their roots back to the early Minh Huong immigrants attend in order to worship their ancestors and even though its a tourist destination, it is also an important place of worship for the small population of Minh Huong people in Vietnam.

Getting There

 

Hoi An is a coastal town in Vietnam’s central Quang Nam province that is a 30km drive southeast of neighbouring Da Nang City (峴港市). Since Hoi An has become such a popular destination for travellers, getting to the historic town from Da Nang is quite convenient. Whether you arrive by air through Da Nang International Airport, by train through Da Nang Station or by coach, you’ll be able to easily get yourself to Hoi An through public or private transport, all of which are quite affordable. 

While staying in Vietnam, you should also download the “Grab” app for your phone so that you can easily grab a taxi during your travels without having to worry about getting cheated. 

Link: Transportation Guide: How to Get from Da Nang to Hoi An

Once you’ve arrived in Hoi An, getting around is really easy - just walk everywhere! 

The ‘Old Town’ area of Hoi An that has become a UNESCO World Heritage Site isn’t all that big, and due to so much pedestrian traffic, they’ve blocked the area off from cars, so unless you’re riding a bicycle or a scooter, the best way to get around is on foot. 

When you’re ready to start exploring you’ll find that the majority of historic properties, temples, museums and restaurants are located on or between the riverside and Tran Phu Street. What you’ll want to keep in mind though is that exploring the historic properties of Old Town isn’t free, so you’re going to have to purchase an entrance ticket. 

The entrance tickets are 120,000 VND (5 USD) per person and gives you access to five sightseeing places. The tickets are valid for the duration of your stay, so if you don’t use all of the tickets on your first day, you’ll still be able to use what you have remaining on the next day.

With so many places to visit within the Old Town though, five tickets might not be enough, so you might have to purchase a second set of tickets if you want to fully experience the town. 

Link: Hoi An Old Town Ticket, Entrance Fees & Sites (Hidden Hoi An)

The Minh Hoang Communal House is located on Tran Phu road, the main stretch of Hoi An between the Chaozhou Assembly Hall and the Hainan Assembly Hall. The house is also located close to the Hoi An Market as well as the famous Banh Mi Phuong restaurant. 

It is however not located within the central tourist area of Hoi An, so if you plan on visiting, depending on where you’re staying, it could be an extra few minutes of walking to get there. 

That area of Hoi An may seem a bit like the ‘outskirts’ of town, but there is actually quite a bit to see and it is in an area that hasn’t received as much attention in terms of restoration thus far. If you visit the home or any of the attractions nearby, you should also try to walk through some of the beautiful alleys across the road where you won’t find many tourists but will find some excellent opportunities for taking great photos. You’ll know you’ve arrived at the communal hall when you’ve found the huge yellow gate, its pretty hard to miss. 

Address: 14 Trần Phú, Cẩm Châu, Hội An, Quảng Nam, Vietnam

The hall is open from 8:00 am - 5:00 pm daily.