Preserving the soul of the city, nurturing human connection.

Traditional houses in Hoi An. Photo: Nguyen Huu Khiem

Soul of the City

In the eyes of the renowned painter Luu Cong Nhan: "The entire ancient town of Hoi An is a canvas already painted." He expressed his overwhelming emotions during a visit to Hoi An in the 1980s: "I arrived in Hoi An on a day of torrential rain. I intended to stay only a week, but because I was captivated by the beauty of Hoi An, I lived there for a whole year. I didn't even go home for Tet..." (from the article "Hoi An - What captivated me").

In 1988 at Cho Ray Hospital, the poet Che Lan Vien wrote the poem "Hoi An" as a gift to the painter Luu Cong Nhan, with a few explanatory notes: "I don't love anyone in Hoi An, but I love the city itself. My childhood was spent there (at six or seven years old). After seeing Luu Cong Nhan's paintings of Hoi An's high-rise buildings, I'm giving him this poem as a token of my affection for him and his talent."

The poem contains verses that have resonated with countless people: “Hoi An is not my homeland / But my fragrance, how painful / Who can forget their homeland? / Fragrance? Oh, how difficult it is (...) Love wherever you want / But don't come to Hoi An / Kiss once there / For a lifetime, the tide will resound.”

Many people fall in love with Hoi An naturally, as they once fell in love with each other, but this love for Hoi An becomes a collective memory, as natural as feeling a kindred spirit, rather than the fleeting emotions of romantic love or the imagined impulses of the elite.

What makes Hoi An so lovely, memorable, livable, and therefore worth staying with? Is it perhaps the captivating allure of its core beauty, distilled and distilled from the soul of the town – the warmth of its people?

The late Polish architect Kazic once exclaimed: "The unique beauty contained in the historical streets, the richness of architectural styles, and the perfection of the carvings in the interiors of the architectural monuments give Hoi An ancient town outstanding characteristics in a distinct space."

The unique "unique beauty" of Hoi An ancient town lies in the intertwining of typical elements within diversity, embodied in the richness of architectural styles, and further enhanced by the perfect cohesion of each historical site.

The curved temple roofs, the narrow streets, the staggered house walls, the undulating tiled roofs, the curved ridges, the short, narrow roads, the deep, mysterious alleyways, the exquisitely carved door frames, the shimmering lights, the gently flowing river... for hundreds of years, these elements have been intertwined, supporting each other, giving the city's soul a strange and captivating charm.

Because of the centuries of time's accumulation that has shaped the city's soul and preserved its memory through heritage conservation, all architectural works of art and natural landmarks have become intimately familiar to the city.

Those deeply connected to the capital city are haunted by the image of Ho Guom Lake and the Turtle Tower, just as those who love Hue remember the Perfume River and Thien Mu Pagoda… For Hoi An, the Japanese Bridge is a symbol of “love, remembrance, and sorrow…” because of its typical value. But would the Japanese Bridge be so beautiful if it were built somewhere other than within Hoi An's ancient town? Similarly, would historical sites, even those classified as special, first, or second-class, captivate tourists if they were isolated, separate from each other, and not breathing life into one another within the unique space of the ancient town?

Humanity

The city of Hoi An was created first and foremost by its people. The soul and character of its people shape the city's character, reflected in the way its inhabitants live. This includes the way people treat each other, the spiritual life of its citizens, and the landscape created by its people, all of which define the relationship between people and that land.

This means that building the soul of a city is an effort of many generations, because the character of its people, their social behavior, the depth of their spiritual life, the urban landscape, and even their collective memory all require time to cultivate.

As a heritage site, Hoi An is difficult to compare with the ancient capital of Hue in terms of scale, and with My Son or Angkor Thom and Angkor Wat in terms of age. Its natural landscapes are also hard to match with Ha Long Bay, Cat Ba Island, and Trang An - Ninh Binh… But Hoi An possesses its own unique charm as a “living museum” of architecture, urban lifestyle based on the city-village philosophy, and a profound and unique “ worldview ” and “philosophy of life.”

For generations, the people of Hoi An have lived "with the ancient town, lived alongside the ancient town, and lived for the ancient town." Every day, daily life unfolds right in the heart of the ancient town; each ancient architectural structure deeply reflects the lifestyle and cultural characteristics of the people of Hoi An, known for their genuine kindness and hospitality. Therefore, Hoi An's cultural heritage is not just the beauty of its ancient architecture, but also the "traditional houses" with their stories about the way of life and how the people of Hoi An interact with each other.

Ancient houses nestled in narrow streets, where generations have lived and traded, where human relationships are strong and intertwined in a town-village structure. Thanks to this, the communities of Hoi An are drawn closer together, love their homeland more, and learn to care for and help one another.

In Hoi An, there is no distinction between city dwellers and country folk, no gap between rich and poor, no boundary between high and low status, or social standing. They live together with genuine sincerity, kindness, equality, and mutual respect; any display of superiority, showing off, or arrogance becomes awkward, alien, out of place, and will inevitably be rejected.

The people of Hoi An seem reserved, unassuming, and profound, "eating little, speaking softly, and walking slowly," but they are very affectionate and loyal; even those who come from afar will "know them at first sight, become close friends," "it's not their hometown, but their homeland," "they don't need to come to find their way back," "they will miss them when they leave and cherish them when they stay"...

The captivating charm of Hoi An's urban soul lies in the intense concentration of city life within the small urban space, the blurring of the lines between private and public spaces, allowing life to manifest itself in every house and every alleyway, vibrant and colorful.

Street life, with its authentic street vendors, the countless delicious dishes and drinks, the clatter of clogs on the narrow streets, the centuries-old cries of street vendors, the verses sung over cups of wine, and the stirring melodies of old love songs... all contribute to the soul of Hoi An, a quality perhaps rarely found elsewhere.

Nurturing the soul of the city

The spirit of a city is the spirit of the people who live in it. The spirit of a city is manifested when its people are able to express the voice of their hearts and live in harmony with one another.

Hoi An's urban heritage truly leaves the deepest mark on the lives of its residents and visitors through its traditions of daily life in tranquil spaces such as street corners, sidewalks, markets, wells, village courtyards, alleyways, flower gardens, and open-air courtyards.

Preserving such simple, intimate living spaces within the city makes it more inclusive and enriches life, because in these places, people from different social classes and backgrounds can more easily connect with each other. Hoi An is full of such places, but it still desperately needs more of these very human spaces.

To nurture the soul of the city, let us cultivate tolerance, create more opportunities for people to connect with one another, and preserve the memories and traditions shared by the community.

Let's start with the simplest and smallest things, the most concrete actions, and the most ordinary people, because these are the threads that weave together the soul of the town – the human connection within a warm community. Hoi An's community cohesion is reflected in the empathy, shared feelings, and the bonds of compassion among all social strata and visitors from all over the world.

It would be disastrous if the people of Hoi An, identified as the "heart and mind" of Hoi An culture, were to neglect or abandon their role as active participants, becoming opportunistic and alienated within their own homes and communities.

The way of life in Hoi An, characterized by genuine kindness, politeness, openness, and gentleness, has been a virtue for generations and cannot be replaced by a pragmatic, selfish, and thoughtless lifestyle. Otherwise, human kindness will be lost, and the soul of the town will fade.

Hoi An will remain not only a "homeland" but also a "fragrance" for many, a place that holds the essence of "favorable timing, geographical advantages, and harmonious human relations" for us to "build a place" or to "return to".