Chuon Village in Phu Vang District, seven kilometers from Hue City, Thua Thien-Hue Province, boasts distinctive local culture as well as specialties. The village is on the bank of Tam Giang brackish lagoon—the largest of its kind in Southeast Asia.
Chuon Lagoon from above - Photos: Hieu Truong
Chuon Village endowed with its beautiful nature as a gift from Mother Nature and the hospitality of local people may be a treat to visitors.
An Truyen Temple
An Truyen, which is also the official name of Chuon Village, is a 420-square-meter temple. In spite of its small size, the temple is recognized as a national architectural relic in 1994. It consists of seven compartments and 80 pillars. The whole complex represents a unique design of temples in Vietnam as well as the central coast region’s culture.
Built in the distinctive architecture of the Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945), the ancient temple has remained almost intact despite the last war. Therefore, visitors can now contemplate its unique décor.
Chuon Lagoon at sunrise
Chuon Village’s specialties
The village boasts both idyllic scenery and food specialties. Paddies are grown in the low-lying fields there to provide the best local sticky rice. Many kinds of local cakes made from the sticky rice are popular in Hue City and neighboring cities and provinces, such as banh tet (sticky rice cake) and banh bao (steamed stuffed buns).
Another signature product of Chuon Village is its rice wine. Aside from the special source of fresh water and quality rice, the wine is characterized by its yeast and the distillation process. According to local people, their village’s sticky rice and rice wine were used to serve kings only.
At Chuon lagoon, which is part of the much more famous Tam Giang Lagoon, local fishermen find their catches of what is arguably the best fish in the province, ca kinh (Siganus canaliculatus). From this fish, banh khoai ca kinh (kinh fish pancake) is prepared to become one of tastiest dishes the village has to offer.
Chuon Village is livelier in late afternoon. Afterward, the calm lagoon and the trails of smoke from kitchens paint a peaceful countryside painting hard to forget.
By Huynh Van My
