Hoi An - a thousand years of history | Sunday Observer

Hoi An - a thousand years of history

14 May, 2023

During the past century, Vietnam has faced many hardships, but a lovely city called Hoi An that tells the world about a thousand years of history without being harmed by any of them is on the banks of the Thu Bon River that flows through the South-central part of Vietnam.

Between the 15th and 19th centuries, this city, which was an important and busy port in Southeast Asia, was mostly visited by Chinese, Japanese and Dutch traders. They came to Vietnam to trade in silk cloth, Chinese ceramics, pottery and spices and later left the country, having contributed new architecture and traditions to Vietnam.

The city of Hoi An, which preserved those architectures and traditions, is a popular tourist attraction today. Most of the buildings in Hoi An are painted yellow, hence it got the name ‘Yellow City’. Most of these buildings were built in the 17th-18th century.

A few centuries ago, Hoi An was a busy trading port where traders came from all over the world, and Chinese and Japanese traders had a special place. This is due to the fact that they managed to mix the cultures of several Asian countries. Thus, the foreign influence that came into Vietnam has influenced not only the customs and language, but also the architecture.

UNESCO

According to UNESCO, there are over 1,100 well-preserved wooden-framed buildings in Hoi An. The walls of these are made using bricks or wood. Among these buildings, one can see many monuments, an open market, local trade and domestic buildings, a pier and many religious shrines. Also, the Japanese wooden bridge and pagoda built in the 18th century are also a top tourist attraction.

Due to the cultural and architectural importance of Hoi An city, UNESCO has named it as a World Heritage Site in 1999. Because of this, the attention Hoi An city received is also high. In addition to this, it is also an amazing fact that the entire history of Hoi An city has been documented. The topography of the city, its importance as a trading city in the past, the rise of Hoi An and its present are all duly recorded, providing an invaluable opportunity for archaeologists.

Almost all buildings scattered throughout Hoi An are coloured in yellow, similar to gold. It appears as if the sun’s rays are enveloping the city at every moment.

The town’s people believe that the colour yellow signifies royalty and greatness. Likewise, according to Vietnamese folklore, yellow symbolises luck, pride and prosperity.

Sightseeing and shopping

Hoi An is a great place not only for sightseeing but also for shopping. There are cheap places to stay and several types of commodities could be purchased. There are souvenirs, clothes and food.

Almost all the souvenirs that can be bought in Hoi An reflect the culture of Vietnam and are painted to create a pleasing sight.

The biggest tourist attraction is the clothes made in Hoi An. Design patterns can be added to the clothes according to the customers’ wishes and sometimes European designs are added along with traditional Vietnamese clothing designs. There is a tendency that some tourists come to Hoi An just to buy clothes due to the availability of unique clothing styles at low prices.

Not only the clothes but also the food sold in Hoi An is a fusion of Vietnamese and European cuisine. Also, most of the houses on both sides of the river also sell home-made food. Chao Lao is considered a must-try dish for every tourist in Hoi An. A traditional Vietnamese dish made with noodles, pork and green vegetables and noodles, it is sold only in Hoi An.

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