Perhaps the most famous building in Hoi An, the Phung Hung House dates back over 200 years. Originally a merchant house for a family selling spices, silk, and chinaware, the house features colorful hanging lanterns, dark red and brown colors, a Japanese-style roof, and bright wall hangings and Chinese inscriptions.
The house itself is somewhat of an architectural marvel–the 80 columns that keep the structure up are set on a special lotus-shaped base that protects the columns from moisture and termites. The back of the house (which has a balcony right over the canal, where goods could be grabbed right as they arrived by boat) can be completely closed off in case of a flood, protecting the rest of the house against the damaging waters.
Although the shop that once occupied the first floor of the house is no longer here, you can still find little details from it here and there–from the handicrafts on tables and windows to the altar that honors the owner’s ancestors to the Yin/Yang tiles harmonizing the house.
