Quang Dong Assembly Hall, also known as Quang Trieu Pagoda or Cantonese Assembly Hall was the important meeting center of the Chinese in Hoi An, especially for Quang Dong people. To visit here you can enjoy the unique art and architecture as well as learn about the history of the town.
Quang Dong Assembly Hall was built in the late 18th century, built by the Chinese from Quang Dong of Quang Chau Province. It also has another name Ong Pagoda and worships Quan Cong – The General of China and symbolize for six words “trung, nghĩa, tín, trí, nhân, dũng – Faithfulness – Justice – Prestige – Intellectual – Clement – Bravery” which are necessary for businessmen to work property.
With a unique architecture built by wood and stone materials, the assembly hall is a closed work with a three-door gate, with a large garden decorated with ornamental trees, in the middle is a communal house, on both sides of the East-West house, the main hall and the backyard, … quite similar as other assembly halls in Hoi An.
It is one of the long time old houses in Hoian and contributes for the ancient houses and temples in Hoian. Also, it is one of the sixth Assembly Halls of Chinese in Hoian. Located at 176 Tran Phu Street, near Japanese Bridge, it is easy for tourist make a walking to visit.
The Quang Dong Assembly Hall is thus an indispensable tourist spot in Hoi An ancient town to discover. And many young couples love to choose this site for taking wedding photos to get the memorial moment in their happy time.
How is Quang Dong Assembly Hall (Quang Trieu) unique?
By the convenient location is close to Japanese Covered Bridge, the famous bridge in Hoi An, Quang Dong Assembly Hall captivates the large number of tourists to visit in their Hoi An tour to the peaceful town.
Quang Dong Assembly Hall is also the place to worship Goddess Thien Hau and Confucius at the beginning time. And then it has moved into worshiping Guan Gong and the ancestors of Cantonese Assembly Hall.
Thanks to its unique architecture of the Guangdong region and local traditions, ancient artisans painstakingly constructed and decorated it to make Quang Trieu Assembly Hall (Cantonese Assembly Hall as today) to have its own exquisite beauty.
It is worth a visit Quang Dong Assembly Hall
The front gate is made by stone with many carvings of two dragons on two sides, phoenix and unicorn mascots at the two columns. This hall was built in 1885 by the Cantonese merchant guild as a private place of Cantonese community and belief in the ancient town of Hoi An.
From the 15th to the 19th centuries, Hoi An was one of the busy commercial ports of Vietnam. This is one of the first cities to attract overseas Chinese to settle in Vietnam. Following them, there were many assembly halls borned to be a meeting and trading place.
Quang Dong Assembly Hall is located on the closed “Nation”- shaped campus, including the three-entrance gate. The large front yard has bonsai; the east and west are the rows of houses, courtyards, main hall and chancel. The harmonious architecture by wood and stone in the structure plus the decorative motifs offers this assembly hall the amazingly imposing unique beauty.
Quang Dong Assembly Hall currently preserves a lot of valuable ancient artifacts including four large horizontal lacquered boards. There is a large bronze censer 1.6m high and 0.6m wide a long with a pair of Chinese celadon porcelain pedestal, etc.
Especially, the assembly hall organizes the festivals and has some special activities on January 15th and June 26th of lunar calendar annually which attract tourists from local and foreign.
All year round, this construction has the unique architecture with a lot of tourists visiting. Compared to many other buildings in Hoi An, the art of using harmonious wood and stone materials in bearing structures and ornate motifs which give the Assembly Hall of Cantonese uniquely.
In the middle of the yard there is a fountain, embossed with a flexible dragon shaped according to the legend of “physiological dragon fish” (fish turns into dragon). The main hall is large and spacious with a large system of rafters connected by solid columns.
According to the restored document, the Assembly Hall was originally a place of worship for Thien Hau Thanh Mau and Mr Confucius. Every year, on the full moon of the first lunar month, the Cantonese Assembly Hall organizes the Nguyen Tieu festival (fullmoon festival), worship the ancestors of Tien Hien which takes place vigorously with traditional rituals.
This is the feasting on the reunion of the compatriots and wishing the New Year with the fortunate year and fortune. The Quan Cong worship hall is the symbol of Faithfulness – Justice – Prestige – Clement. Yearly, there is the Quan Cong festival on 24th June as lunar calendar attracts a lot of local people and tourists.
The temple is divided into 3 spaces including: the middle worships Quan Cong and the white horse (called Bach Xich Tho) of this famous General, the two temples worship Tai Bach Tinh Quan and Phuoc Duc Chanh Gods.
The assembly hall also keeps a lot of valuable artifacts and documents about the migration process and commercial activities of the Chinese people many centuries ago.
In addition, the Quang Dong Assembly Hall also preserves many ceramic products, images that simulate plays about the Cantonese culture. Especially ancient relics like: four large diaphragm pictures; a large censer by bronze 1.6m high, 0.6m wide and a pair of envoy by valued pearl and many documents reflect the daily life of the Guangdong community in Hoi An.
Quan Cong’s horse painting protects two wives of Liu Bei is a unique work of art that hangs prominently on the stone walls of the Assembly Hall which give the most impression to visitors.
Location & Entrance fees
- Address: 176 Tran Phu Street
- Price: Entry with Old Town ticket (~5.2 USD/ticket)
