Inside the 200-year-old house of a famous scholar family in Hoi An

(Dan Tri) - Nguyen Tuong family temple was built more than 200 years ago, this is the place to worship the prestigious family of scholars, is a prominent cultural and historical heritage in Hoi An, Da Nang city.

Nguyen Tuong Family Temple, also known as Ong Lon Palace by locals, is one of the typical ancient buildings in Hoi An, preserved almost intact. This place not only marks the golden age of a famous family of scholars but also preserves many valuable documents of historical value.

The building was built in 1806, originally as the residence of Nguyen Tuong Van (1774-1822), who held the position of Minister of War under the reign of King Minh Mang of the Nguyen Dynasty. After his death, the house was converted into a family temple.

Nguyen Tuong ancient church located in a small alley right next to the Japanese Covered Bridge is a prominent cultural and historical heritage in Hoi An (Photo: Ngo Linh).

According to the Hoi An World Cultural Heritage Conservation Center, the Nguyen Tuong family in Quang Nam (old) is famous as a family of scholars, with a tradition of studiousness, many generations passed the imperial examinations and held important positions in the Nguyen Dynasty.

The eldest son of Mr. Van is Pho Bang Nguyen Tuong Vinh (who used to hold the position of Dinh Tuong Governor), the second son is Doctor Nguyen Tuong Pho (Inspector of Education of Quang Nam and Hai Duong ) under the reign of King Thieu Tri...

In particular, in the early 20th century, the descendants of this family were three famous brothers of modern Vietnamese literature: Nguyen Tuong Tam (pen name Nhat Linh), Nguyen Tuong Lan (Thach Lam) and Nguyen Tuong Long (Hoang Dao).

The royal decree of Nguyen Tuong Van and his eldest son Nguyen Tuong Vinh through the Nguyen Dynasty (Photo: Ngo Linh).

From the outside, this ancient church has a humble and simple appearance. The structure has 3 main rooms and 2 wings with a depth of 5 spans. Overall, the church has the structure and structure of a Hue traditional house with a wooden frame, two wings built with bricks but the roof is covered with yin-yang tiles - a typical material of Hoi An ancient town.

The wooden frame system and carvings are made by artisans from Kim Bong carpentry village - Hoi An with great sophistication and aesthetics.

The worship space is located in the middle of the house, separated by 3 sets of "upper and lower doors", each set has 4 panels.

Mr. Dang Hung Tung, son-in-law in the family, said that many valuable books are kept, associated with the three brothers Nhat Linh, Thach Lam, and Hoang Dao (Photo: Ngo Linh).

On the main door hangs a horizontal plaque engraved with the four words "Nguyen Tuong Tu Duong". The central altar worships the Minister of War; on both sides are altars for male and female descendants.

The building has undergone two renovations over 200 years, the first in 1909 and the second in 2005. Currently, the Nguyen Tuong family temple still preserves dozens of royal decrees of the reigns of King Minh Mang, Thieu Tri, Tu Duc and Thanh Thai; along with many Han Nom documents, paintings, wills and ancient books.

In 2008, the project was ranked as a provincial historical - cultural and architectural relic, becoming a unique cultural destination in the heart of Hoi An ancient town. In 2020, the tomb of Minister of War Nguyen Tuong Van was also recognized as a provincial historical relic.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/du-lich/ben-trong-ngoi-nha-co-hon-200-tuoi-cua-dong-ho-khoa-bang-noi-tieng-o-hoi-an-20250830110451710.htm