French villa built for the Meo King on the white plateau

(Dan Tri) - The 4,000m2 mansion was designed in a combination of East-West architecture and was built by the French colonialists from 1914-1921 as a gift to the Meo King, to make it easier for him to rule the people of Bac Ha.

Located right in the center of the white plateau (Bac Ha town, Bac Ha district, Lao Cai province), Hoang A Tuong mansion (known as King Meo in Lao Cai) has a prime location.

The mansion is located on a solid land "leaning on the mountain and stepping on the water", behind is Co Tien mountain, in front is a stream, on the left and right are high and rugged mountain ranges.

This 4,000-square-meter mansion was designed by a Chinese architect following Chinese feng shui and a combination of Eastern and Western architecture. The project was built by the French colonialists as a gift for Hoang Yen Tchao (father of Hoang A Tuong) to make it easier for him to rule the people of Bac Ha.

Construction began in 1914 and the mansion was completed and put into use in 1921. Up to now, the mansion has existed for 102 years but still has its own beauty standing out in the land of Bac Ha - known as the white plateau of Vietnam.

The entire structure was built in an east-west architectural style, with a closed rectangular shape. The main house is 2 stories high, with two rows of outbuildings on either side (two stories higher and lower than the main house), a gate and outbuildings behind. The rooms in the mansion are the residence of Mr. Hoang Yen Tchao, his wives, his son Hoang A Tuong, his guards and servants.

The highlight of the mansion is that although it was built in Western architecture, it still has a yin-yang tiled roof. Many details highlight the unique architecture of the Tay people's stilt houses. This luxurious and splendid mansion was once a terror to the people of Bac Ha when the family of King Meo Hoang A Tuong ruled and exploited the people under the direction of the French colonialists.

To build this mansion, the French colonialists transported cement and steel from Hanoi to Bac Ha by plane and packhorse. Stone, sand, lime and molasses were sourced locally. Hundreds of local people were exploited for labor to build the structure.

After being given the mansion, to serve the French colonialists, Hoang A Tuong and his son collected 500kg of opium from the people every year, and forced the people to sell another 500kg at a low price. The Meo King's family also headed the opium and goods trafficking network across Asia through Bac Ha. Later, his whole family had to live in exile in a foreign land. Since then, the mansion has been abandoned.

Later, the mansion was handed over by the State to the local government for management and preservation. The building was renovated and embellished as a place for tourists to visit and explore the place where the King of the Meo Bac Ha once lived, ruled, and exploited the people of the Northwest region.

Hoang A Tuong Palace has been recognized as a historical and cultural relic. Every year, it welcomes tens of thousands of tourists. Currently, it is a famous and attractive tourist destination of Lao Cai, attracting a large number of domestic and international tourists.

In the mansion, typical cultural activities of the highland people are recreated to promote the beauty of the ethnic groups of Bac Ha. Typical products of the white plateau are also displayed and introduced to tourists by local people.

Dantri.com.vn