A
Bit of History
Hoi
An dates back to the first century but the town developed significantly between
the 15th and 19th century when Hoi An was the main trading
centre in central Vietnam. The local architecture blends many influences and
ideas.
During
Vietnam’s French rule trade moved to Da Nang and Hoi An was largely forgotten
about. This is probably what has left it so beautifully intact that in 1999
UNESCO declared the old town a World Heritage Site, on account of it’s being a
remarkably well preserved and unique opportunity to step into history.
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| Phuc Kien Assembly Hall, Hoi An, Vietnam |
Phuc
Kien Assembly Hall
We
started our morning at the Phuc Kien Assembly Hall (don’t say that too quickly!)
Built in 1690, Phuc Kien functions as both a traditional assembly hall for the
Fujian Chinese community and a temple to the goddess Thien Hau, who protects
sailors. Phuc Kien’s bright courtyard leads to the traditional hall and then
the ornate altar, at which the goddess of fertility and 12 midwives stand.
Childless couples come here to pray for children. Many other Fujian deities and
symbols also feature. The complex provides an intricate and beautiful display
of the beliefs of some of Hoi An’s locals.
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| Friendly dog in Phuc Kien Assembly Hall, Hoi An, Vietnam |
Hoi
An Craft Workshop
At
Hoi An Craft Workshop we saw local women creating what I can only rather lamely
explain as ‘pictures’ by completing hugely detailed silk embroidery. Working from paintings or photos they
embroider images onto fabric. Apparently many VIPs have commissioned them to
create portraits. At the workshop we also saw silkworms being kept, fed and
ultimately their silk being harvested, spun and made into thread.
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| Silk embroidery, Hoi An, Vietnam |
Tan
Ky Traditional House
Our
next stop was Tan Ky House, which is a wonderfully preserved traditional
merchant’s house by the river, which seven generations of the same family have
been careful to preserve. The house showcases Vietnamese, Chinese and Japanese
design elements in a tribute to the period when Hoi An was occupied by these
three communities. Decorative carvings provide intricate detailing to the
interior and a rather shocking indicator on a wall near the back of the
property shows the flood levels of recent years, which have been almost 2
metres high and prompted the requirement of a trapdoor in the ceiling for the
quick evacuation of merchandise to the first floor
Museum
of History and Culture
After
visiting the Quan Com Temple we popped into the Museum of History and Culture,
which is just behind the temple. The museum contains artefacts dating a long
way back into Hoi An’s history, even to the Champa period. There are also lots
of historic photos showing how little the streets of Hoi An have been
developed, which are wonderful to see.
Japanese
Covered Bridge
Built in the 17th
century by Japanese craftsmen to facilitate trading, the Japanese Covered
Bridge has become the living icon of Hoi An. Using it to cross the river is
like stepping into a moment of history. While you can see the water beneath you
if you peer through the floorboards the structure is very solid. Statues of
monkey gods guard one entrance and dog gods the other. The bridge is the only
known covered bridge to contain a Buddhist Temple, apparently to pray for the
soul of a legendary earthquake-creating monster that was killed when the bridge
was built.
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| Japanese covered bridge, Hoi An, Vietnam |
Old Town streets
Between
stops we made our way from street to street in the old town and found the
streets charming. The walls were mostly a warm, faded yellow, balconies dripped
with bright bougainvillea and there was an aura of calm (during the
pedestrianised hours anyway).
While
walking through Hoi An we saw local craftspeople working in their workshops and
gathering together to be social. There are many souvenir shops selling lanterns, clothing and souvenirs. Hoi An is also well known for it's highly skilled tailors that can whip up beautiful outfits in only a few days. If you have a few days it is definitely worth getting measured up!
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| Street vendor, Hoi An, Vietnam |
One thing that caught our eye was a large
group of men sorting things in buckets. On closer inspection, it turned out
they were picking through birds’ nests, a local delicacy.
Vendors
selling souvenirs and tailors offering bespoke outfits would call out as we
walked by but were easily deterred with a friendly smile and “No, thank you”,
which was a far cry from some of the physical grabbing and other persistent
sales tactics we experienced elsewhere in Vietnam.
Hoi
An is largely a tourist destination these days, but it is still a unique place
that has largely been well-preserved and enables visitors to experience
historical Vietnam. Walking around the old town provides the opportunity to
take it slowly and take in all the detail that you might not notice from a
vehicle, such as the traditional eye carved onto the front of buildings to
protect against bad spirits.
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| Hoi An Old Town street, Vietnam |
Visitors
need to buy tickets to enter the points of interest in Hoi An. The one ticket
you purchase is for entrance to five places. Each time you enter one a
rectangular tab is cut off your ticket. However, the tickets are not required
simply to stroll in the old town. One ‘snip’ is required to visit the Buddhist
Temple on the Japanese Covered Bridge, but not simply to walk across the
bridge.
Have
you ever been somewhere that felt like time had stood still? Please share your
experiences in the comments below.
