Travel

The Century-Old Home: A Sanctuary for a Large Family in Vietnam’s Bustling Metropolis

Behind the European-style wall lies a stunning antique home with intricately carved, time-darkened wooden columns and panels. This grand house is a sanctuary for over 20 members of an extended family, each contributing to its rich history and unique charm.

Administrator

25 December, 2024

The front of the European-style antique house. Photo: Ha Nguyen

On Go Cong Street, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, there lies a century-old antique house nestled amidst the bustling urban area. This is the residence of over 20 members of a large Chinese-origin family.

Mr. Duong Co So (62 years old, living in the house) shared that the house has been in his family since his great-grandfather’s time. He and the other residents are the sixth generation living here.

As it has been a long time, Mr. So could not exactly remember when the house was built. Like him, many other family members believed that the house was constructed in the 1890s.

The front door and windows of the house are adorned with beautiful embossed patterns. Photo: Ha Nguyen

According to the family members living in the house, the antique house was built on a land area of more than 500 square meters with a one-floor-one-attic structure. In addition to the front yard, which is about 50 square meters, the house also has a skylight in the middle, between the front and back houses.

The house’s facade attracts visitors with its brick wall decorated with embossed patterns, typically found in European architecture.

Inside, the house is constructed with precious wood, reflecting the distinctive Chinese cultural identity. After the main entrance, a wooden partition with intricate patterns separates the foyer from the porch.

The wooden partitions in the house are intricately carved with harmonious patterns. Photo: Ha Nguyen

The patterns on this partition are created from many similarly-sized wooden pieces, with intricate and harmonious carvings that serve both decorative and ventilation purposes for the house.

The foyer of the house is where the family altar is located. The partition behind the altar is also intricately carved and adorned with beautiful patterns. Above it hangs a worship painting with Chinese characters.

Mr. So said that this area used to be the common living space for the entire family. The foyer was also where the family held important events such as ancestral worship ceremonies, meetings, and receiving guests.

There are also large columns made of precious black wood. Outside the columns hang wooden plaques engraved with Chinese characters. Above the columns is a wooden partition with delicate and intricate carvings.

The foyer of the house features an ancestral altar and a memorial space for the deceased family members. Photo: Ha Nguyen

Nowadays, the foyer of the antique house is in a state of disrepair and is used as a parking area. In the middle of the foyer is a 40-meter-long pathway leading to the back houses.

On both sides of the pathway, the family arranges alternating living rooms, kitchen, and bathroom areas. “Currently, the house accommodates many members of the Yang family, with each family occupying the small rooms within this large house,” Mr. So shared.

Home to Six Generations

Over a century, the antique house, which once housed six generations, has fallen into severe disrepair. The wooden partitions in the foyer show signs of termite damage and are on the verge of collapsing.

The family had to reinforce them by erecting additional wooden columns. Meanwhile, some of the decorative carvings have broken and been fixed with wire…

Above the sturdy and glossy wooden columns are intricately carved partitions. Photo: Ha Nguyen

The original red tile floor has sunk and cracked. Notably, the roof has been replaced with corrugated iron sheets instead of the old yin and yang tiles.

The residents of the house shared that their family used to be wealthy. Following the Chinese tradition, their ancestors wished for their descendants to live together as a large family.

Therefore, the house was built spacious with many rooms. During the family’s golden age, the house was furnished with luxurious interiors.

However, many wooden partitions in the antique house are deteriorating, and the family has had to reinforce them with additional external columns. Photo: Ha Nguyen

The furniture in the living room was made of precious wood and intricately carved. The paintings and characters on the wooden plaques hung in the house were inlaid with colorful mother-of-pearl, and the common walkway was covered with red carpet.

Mr. So’s wife is also of Chinese descent. She has been living in this large house as a daughter-in-law for many years. However, like her husband, she does not know or understand much about the house or the family members from the previous generations.

She only knows that her husband’s family is of Chinese-Fujian origin. After they settled in Cho Lon and became successful, they built this large house for the entire family to live together.

Currently, the house is still home to over 20 members of a large family. Photo: Ha Nguyen

“In the past, our family had many members. Even now, although some have passed away a long time ago, and others have emigrated abroad, there are still about 20 family members living together here,” she shared.

“In recent years, our antique house has attracted many visitors and researchers. However, due to our limited knowledge about its architecture and history, we cannot provide much information to those who come to visit.”