Cantonese Assembly Hall Hoi An: A Brief Guide
With unique Chinese architecture and excellent location, Cantonese Assembly Hall is a popular place to visit in Hoi An, Vietnam.
About Cantonese Assembly Hall
Cantonese Assembly Hall (Hội quán Quảng Đông in Vietnamese) was built at the end of the nineteenth century (in 1885) by the Cantonese community in Hoi An.
From the 15th to the 19th century, Hoi An was a prosperous trading port in Vietnam, attracting many Chinese and foreigners to do business and settle.
Assembly halls were then founded as a meeting and trading place for the communities. So far, there are five assembly halls in Hoi An.
Initially, the Cantonese assembly hall worshiped Mazu and Confucius. However, after 1911, this place changed to honor Quan Cong (Guan Yu).
In addition to worshiping, the Cantonese Assembly Hall is a gathering place for the Cantonese community in Hoi An. Here, people often organize meetings to help each other in business and life.
Ticket prices
You’ll need a ticket to enter Cantonese Assembly Hall.
The ticket package includes five places and costs 120,000 VND ($5). There are 20 sightseeing places to choose from.
You can find the ticket booths at:
- Hai Ba Trung street
- 78 Le Loi
- 10B Tran Hung Dao
Things to see at Cantonese Assembly Hall
Wood and stone are the two primary materials of this assembly hall. The area includes the gate, front yard, main hall, and backyard.
Currently, the Cantonese assembly hall preserves valuable artifacts such as four large horizontal paintings, one large bronze urn 1.6m high and 0.6m wide, and a pair of Chinese celadon porcelain.
The gate
The front yard
Passing the gate, you’ll see a beautiful courtyard with trees and decorations. In the middle is a fountain with a statue of a carp turning into a dragon.
Main hall
The main hall has three compartments: the middle space worships Quan Cong, and the two sides are for Phuoc Duc Chanh Than and Tai Bach Tinh Quan.
In 1885, they worshiped Mazu and Confusion, but from 1911, they converted to worship Quan Cong and the sages.
You can see beautiful ceramic artworks such as a pair of precious porcelain and four large diaphragms. There’s also a record of the daily life of the Cantonese community here.
The backyard
The backyard is my favorite place. It’s spacious and has beautiful plants and a fountain, bringing a pleasant feeling.
If you’ve visited other assembly halls in Hoi An, you may not notice many differences. However, Cantonese Assembly Hall still has its character thanks to the harmonious combination of wood, stone, and exquisitely carved motifs you cannot find elsewhere.
How to get from Cantonese Assembly Hall
Cantonese Assembly Hall is located in Hoi An ancient town about 30km south of Da Nang.
The address is 176 Trần Phú, Phường Minh An, Hội An, Quảng Nam. It’s near the Japanese bridge, so you can combine your visit to both places.
From Da Nang
If you travel from Da Nang, you can drive along Vo Nguyen Giap and Truong Sa street. Then, turn to Hai Ba Trung Street and continue toward Hoi An city center.
You can book a bus from Da Nang to Hoi An if you don’t have a bike.
To get around Hoi An, you can hire a bicycle or walk around the old town.
Places to visit in Hoi An
Cantonese Assembly Hall is located near many famous attractions in Hoi An ancient town. From here, you can visit other attractions such as:
- Japanese Bridge: 50 m
- Sa Huynh culture museum: 40 m
- Old House of Tan Ky: 230 m
- Hoi An Museum of Folk Cultural: 500 m
- Thanh Ha Pottery Village: 3.3 km
- Tra Que Vegetable Village: 3.7 km
- An Bang Beach: 4.7 km
