Carrying stories of valuable history, culture, and art, each ancient architectural work in Da Nang is both a witness to time and a link between people and a golden past...
The Thac Gian village communal house follows the typical architectural layout of ancient village communal houses and temples, oriented from the gate, screen and courtyard, to main hall. Photo: T.Y
A golden age
Each ancient architectural work in Da Nang is like a page filled with information, helping us understand more about the formation and development of the land. For example, the Thanh Khe village fishery temple, built in the 6th year of Duy Tan's reign (1912), still preserves stories about the fishing trade tied to the lives of Thanh Khe residents through many generations.
According to the elders, the temple is located on a high mound, facing northwest towards the Phu Loc River, a direction often chosen according to traditional beliefs.
As a religious monument, besides the main hall with three compartments, the temple also has a land god shrine, a memorial shrine, a kitchen house, and the grave of the founder Ho Quy Cong, a major family living in Thanh Khe village in the 17th century under Lord Nguyen Phuc Nguyen.
Also in Thanh Khe district, the Thac Gian village communal house has long become an architectural, historical, and cultural symbol for local residents.
Dr. Architect Phan Bao An from the University of Technology and Education under the University of Da Nang, evaluates this structure as having a typical layout of ancient village communal houses and temples, with the gate, screen, courtyard, main hall, and back sanctuary all aligned along a central axis which is the backbone connecting other components, ensuring balance, harmony, and compliance with feng shui principles. In addition, there are some auxiliary spaces such as the kitchen house, shrines, and altars.
The communal houses in Da Nang serve religious activities, so the main hall where the main activities take place is always centrally located. The roof is covered with yin-yang tiles with gutters for drainage, and beneath is a space of three compartments and two lean-tos with five rows of columns, each row having six columns. The ridge is decorated with "four sacred animals" reliefs and beautiful ceramic inlays.
"This is a characteristic architectural feature in the decoration of village communal houses in Da Nang compared to those in the North. If village culture often associates with the image of bamboo hedges, the village communal house inside the village is considered the heart, connecting activities and the consciousness of people towards their roots," Mr. An concluded.
Alongside historical, spiritual, and religious values, ancient structures also retain architectural and sculptural value. According to Dr. Architect Le Minh Son, Head of the Architecture Department, Faculty of Architecture, the University of Science and Technology - the University of Da Nang, in the late 19th century and the early 20th century, Da Nang was under French colonial rule with the name Tourane, and the city's planning and construction followed Western functional and model frameworks.
With the aim of developing the street network starting with Bach Dang Street (Quai Courbet), public, residential, and religious architectural works were built from 1888 to 1920 following classical French architectural patterns.
Among them, the Government House (1898-1900, 42 Bach Dang Street, over 120 years old) was a crucial political institution. The building was designed in a neoclassical style, symmetrically arranged with exquisite artistic details. Located strategically on Bach Dang Street, the building faces the Han River with an open space in front. This building represents a development phase of the city.
Community participation needed
When it comes to ancient architectural works, many of them are believed to possess inherent allure, evoking nostalgic beauty and stories of the past along with valuable cultural and historical significance. In other words, the intrinsic attraction of these structures and relics lies not only in their architectural beauty but also in their mysteries and historical stories.
Director of the Da Nang Museum Huynh Dinh Quoc Thien stated that every 3 to 5 years, the museum coordinates with district-level cultural and sports offices, relic management boards, and protection teams to conduct comprehensive inventories of the relics.
This inventory process plays an essential role in preserving and promoting the cultural heritage values in Da Nang. By assessing the condition of the relics and ancient structures, authorities can identify potential risks and propose measures to protect and restore these works. However, according to Mr. Thien, the task of inventory and protection is not solely the responsibility of the authorities but requires community participation.
Raising public awareness about the values of cultural heritage and encouraging their involvement in preservation efforts is crucial. "When people appreciate the value of relics and take pride in them, they will become active and effective protectors. Moreover, preserving religious and spiritual architectural works has great significance in educating the younger generation about national history and culture. Through visits and learning activities at the relics, students can gain deeper insights into the past, thereby forming a consciousness to protect and promote cultural heritage values," Mr. Thien analysed.
Meanwhile, from the perspective of historical and cultural researchers, Mr. Bui Van Tieng, Chairman of the Da Nang Historical Science Association, affirmed that each architectural work formed and accompanied by time is truly a historical witness. People can perceive the artistic and aesthetic tastes of the builders, as well as the architectural styles of different periods or schools.
For instance, through the architectural works in Da Nang from the 1890s to the first half of the 20th century, one can see the influence of Western culture in general and Western architectural styles in particular, mainly French architecture. Additionally, communal houses and temples are also ancient architectural works that need protection.
"Da Nang features some village communal houses have both familiar and unique architecture, such as Than Nong communal house in Phong Le Nam Village, Hoa Chau Commune, Hoa Vang District, with buffalo horn decorations on the roof. With a more accurate understanding of tangible cultural heritage, the ancient architectural works preserved by Da Nang residents need to be further promoted to highlight the cultural and historical values of each work. More importantly, this is to timely prevent acts of destruction or ignorance that might harm ancient monuments and architectural works, under the guise of restoration, turning hundred-year-old architectural works into garish and gaudy structures. In this process, the city's historians are always ready to accompany the media to help Da Nang deserve to be a city with memories," Mr. Tieng passionately shared.
Urban heritage and architectural beauty play a significant role in shaping the historical narrative and identity of each region. Therefore, it requires each of us, especially researchers and historians, to adopt proper approaches and interventions to preserve the inherent values of these structures.
Reporting by Tieu Yen - Translating by Truc Vy