Fujian Assembly Hall, one of the historical relics with bold Chinese architecture, is a destination not to be missed when coming to Hoi An because of the precious historical values that this place preserves. Let’s join IDC Travel to admire the ancient beauty and discover interesting things at Fujian Assembly Hall Hoi An.
General information of Fujian Assembly Hall
- Address: 46 Tran Phu, Cam Chau, Hoi An, Quang Nam, Vietnam
- Opening hours: 7 am to 6 pm
- Entrance fee: 80,000 VND/person (for Vietnamese visitors) and 150,000 VND/person (for international visitors).
Compared to other assembly halls, the Fujian Assembly Hall has the largest and oldest space. The hall was built in the 16th century, not only bearing a long historical mark but also being a typical cultural architectural work of Hoi An Ancient Town. With its majestic and splendid architecture, decorated with eye-catching red colors and sophisticated patterns, the Assembly Hall stands out even more, creating a unique highlight for the architecture of Hoi An. In 1990, this place was recognized as a National Historical and Cultural Relic.
The Fujian Assembly Hall in Hoi An is most crowded on holidays and full moon days. On the days of the Lantern Festival (January 15 of the Lunar calendar), the Thien Hau Festival (March 23 of the Lunar calendar), and every year, the Assembly Hall holds many festival activities. Therefore, you can choose a suitable day to come to the Fujian Assembly Hall and enjoy the festival activities here.
Fujian Assembly Hall in Hoi An
History of Fujian Assembly Hall
The Fujian Assembly Hall is a place to worship Thien Hau Thanh Mau, Quan The Am Bodhisattva and the gods who protect rivers, wealth and children. Thien Hau Thanh Mau is the one who protected Chinese merchants from the storms to arrive at Hoi An. The Fujian people from China migrated to Hoi An and built this place in 1697. Later, the Assembly Hall also became a meeting place for fellow Fujian people – the earliest immigrants from China who were present in Hoi An at that time.
Previously, the assembly hall was built entirely of wood. After many renovations and repairs, the Fujian Assembly Hall has become more and more splendid and spacious, contributing to the urban architecture of Hoi An ancient town.
> > > Visiting the Fujian Assembly Hall is just one highlight of what Hoi An has to offer. If you’re looking to experience more of the town’s charm, history, and local culture, joining our guided Hoi An tours is the perfect way to dive deeper into this magical destination.
What to see at Fujian Assembly Hall
Entrance to the hall
The distinctive Chinese architecture of the Fujian Assembly Hall has left a strong impression on visitors to Hoi An. The entrance gate bears the traces of time, is inlaid entirely with porcelain, with a curved yin-yang tiled roof decorated with majestic and solemn winding dragons, making a strong first impression at first sight. The gate has 3 entrances in the style of “male left, female right”, and also has another meaning of “Heaven, Earth, Human”. According to the ancients, to avoid bad energy from entering the inside, the middle door is rarely opened, except on major holidays, funerals, weddings, etc.
The entrance gate is a favorite photograph spot of visitors coming here
The main hall
Step inside and you will feel the solemnity that the Fujian Assembly Hall in Hoi An brings. The fairly large yard is decorated with many bonsai pots and rockery, highlighted by the image of a carp transforming into a dragon. In the vestibule, there is also a set of stone tables used as a meeting place and for business discussions of Fujian merchants.
Inside the main house is the place to worship the Goddess Thien Hau Thanh Mau and the gods who protect the rivers, money, children, and ancestors. On the right side of the main hall, there is also a model of a boat of merchants in distress. This boat was previously used for sea travel and dates back to 1875, with many unique details.
The sophisticated architecture of the main hall
The back chamber
The back chamber area is the place to worship 6 Luc Tanh Vuong Gia, 12 midwives and 3 goddesses of childbirth. In addition, visitors can light a large incense ring to pray for health, fortune, and luck for their family and relatives in this area. The special thing is that the incense ring can burn for up to 30 days. After the incense burns out, people in the hall will burn pieces of paper with their wishes written on it to make the prayer more sacred. In addition, this space also displays many worship statues, bronze bells, bronze drums, incense burners and sophisticated horizontal lacquered boards with many other valuable artifacts.
There are many large incense rings in the back of the hall
Religious activities at the hall
Many people believe that the Assembly Hall is a sacred place, “where wishes come true”, so the local people and visitors come here to pray for blessings. Therefore, the Fujian Assembly Hall is most crowded on full moon days and holidays, where many attractive festival activities take place to attract domestic and foreign tourists to participate. The most prominent is the Thien Hau festival, including a solemn ceremony and many worship rituals such as bathing the statue, vegetarian offerings, incense offerings and a festival with many unique cultural and artistic activities.
Particularly on the 2nd day of the 2nd lunar month, the Chinese in Hoi An also hold a ceremony to worship the God of Wealth with many offerings such as paper money, gold, silver, wine, three-egg (boiled eggs, crabs and boiled pork) …
Many locals and visitors come here to pray for blessings, especially during festivals
Some helpful tips for your trip to Fujian Assembly Hall
If you are planning to visit, here are some essential tips to enhance your experience when visiting the hall:
- The Fujian Assembly Hall in Hoi An is a spiritual place, so when you come here, please dress modestly and do not speak too loudly and do not bring food in to show respect and reverence.
- This is still an active place of worship, so turn off your flash when taking pictures and avoid taking pictures of people praying or performing rituals and always ask if you are unsure.
- In addition, on festival days or full moon days, this place is often very crowded so visitors need to be alert and careful with their belongings to avoid pickpockets.
- In the Assembly Hall, there are incense coils and large offerings for you to offer, so you do not need to bring anything from outside.
- The Fujian Assembly Hall is located in the center of Hoi An ancient town. Therefore, tourists can combine visiting many famous tourist attractions such as the Japanese Covered Bridge, the Hoi An Folk Culture Museum and Phung Hung Ancient House for convenience in traveling and exploring.
Fujian Assembly Hall in Hoi An is a place of worship for the people and is very sacred. Besides, the Assembly Hall also makes a strong impression with its unique and distinctive Chinese architecture. Add it to your itinerary, and let the timeless charm of this place leave an unforgettable impression on your journey to explore Hoi An.
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