Hoi An Commercial Port: A Look at Its Glorious History

The busiest international port in Southeast Asia

If talking about the formation of urban areas and trading ports, Hoi An has started to develop for a long time. Archaeologists have discovered two ancient Chinese coins of the Han Dynasty, Ngu Thu and Vuong Mang. This is an important discovery showing that Hoi An has become a trading port since 2000 years ago. In the 9th and 10th centuries, under the Champa kingdom, Hoi An was called Lam Ap Pho, at that time it became a trading, trading and exchanging point of goods for merchants from Arabia, Persia, China...

But it was not until the 16th century, when Lord Nguyen came to guard Thuan Hoa land, and was later given the position of governor of Quang Nam by King Le, Lord Nguyen focused on developing the economy of Dang Trong, expanding trade with foreign countries, that Hoi An entered its heyday, becoming the busiest international trading port in Southeast Asia at that time.

It can be said that the 16th century marked the golden age of Hoi An, an important international trading port of Vietnam. Located on the banks of the Thu Bon River, on the vital sea route connecting Asian and European countries, Hoi An was not only a bustling trading gateway but also a place where many cultures, religions and customs from all over the world intersected. This strategic location turned Hoi An into a bustling trading port, where merchants from China, Japan, India, Portugal, the Netherlands and many other countries came to exchange goods. Rice, silk, ceramics, spices and handicrafts were the main items in the transactions here.

In the Phu Bien Tap Luc, one of the very valuable research books on Dang Trong, especially Thuan Quang in the 18th century, the bustling and developing trading activities of Hoi An and Quang Nam were recorded by Le Quy Don as follows: “Boats from Son Nam could only buy one kind of brown root, boats from Thuan Hoa could only buy one kind of pepper, and from Quang Nam, there was nothing that the merchants did not have, the other countries could not keep up. All the products produced in the prefectures of Thang Hoa, Dien Ban, Quang Ngai, Quy Nhon, Binh Khang and Nha Trang, by water and land, by boat or horse, were all gathered in Hoi An town, so the northern guests all gathered there to buy and bring back to their country.”

Hoi An was not only a bustling port and commercial center of Vietnam but also an important link in the global trade network of this period. Japanese merchants came to sell bronze, copper coins, iron, household items, etc. and buy sugar, silk, agarwood, etc. European merchants came to Hoi An to search for rare items from Asia, and at the same time introduced products from the West. The prosperity of Hoi An contributed significantly to the economic development of Dang Trong, while creating a rare multicultural and multi-religious environment.

Japanese Town was established, Chinese Assembly Halls were opened, Indian, Persian, and European merchants did business, lived, and worked here, turning Hoi An into a rare multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, liberal, and open city.

According to the analysis of historians, there are three main reasons for Hoi An to become the largest port city in Dang Trong and the whole region. First, the most important is the favorable geographical location: Hoi An is the gateway to the provinces and the East Sea, with a deep, wide seaport suitable for domestic and foreign merchant ships to anchor and trade. Second, goods from Quang Nam, Binh Khang, Dien Khanh, etc. are all concentrated in Hoi An by waterway and road. Third, the Nguyen Lord loosened the freedom of trade for foreign merchants, allowing them to enter to trade and ask them to buy weapons. All of these contributed to making Hoi An the most important maritime traffic hub of the Dang Trong region and the busiest trading center of the whole Southeast Asia at that time.

Bustling scene on Hoi An river. (Source: “A journey to Nam Ha (1792 – 1793)” by John Barraow, translated by Nguyen Thua Hy)

Cultural gem

As the busiest trading port in the region, the presence of foreign traders has given Hoi An a diverse cultural and architectural appearance. In terms of tangible heritage, Hoi An currently has more than 1,360 cultural and architectural relics. Of which, there are 1,273 architectural and artistic relics including many types of relics such as: houses, clan temples, communal houses, pagodas, assembly halls, Catholic churches, temples, bridges, wells, markets, mausoleums, shrines and tombs...

The ancient houses, assembly halls, temples and pagodas bearing the imprint of Japanese, Chinese and European architectural styles still exist today, proving a brilliant period of cultural exchange. Among them, the Japanese Covered Bridge is a very special architecture, considered by many to be a “symbol” of Hoi An architecture.

Japanese merchants contributed money to build the Japanese Covered Bridge in the 17th century. In 1719, Lord Nguyen Phuc Chau, when visiting Hoi An, named the bridge Lai Vien Kieu (meaning: Bridge welcoming guests from afar). According to the research date on the roof beam and the stele at the head of the bridge, the bridge was rebuilt in 1817. The pagoda on it was probably also rebuilt at this time. On December 17, 1990, the Japanese Covered Bridge was granted the title of National Historical - Cultural Relic.

Currently, the Japanese Covered Bridge is being restored. Although there are some conflicting opinions, all of them show the love of the people for this ancient structure of Hoi An.

Besides, assembly halls such as the Fujian Assembly Hall and the Chaozhou Assembly Hall are outstanding structures, not only places of worship but also gathering and exchange places for the Chinese community in Hoi An.

In terms of spiritual life, Hoi An people are sensitive and open-minded but still fully preserve traditional habits. Festivals, unique customs and diverse cuisine also create the special cultural identity of this land.

In “Phu Bien Tap Luc” by Le Quy Don, there is a story told by a merchant named Tran (from Guangdong) when he transported goods to Hoi An: The Minh Huong and Thanh people (China) who chose Hoi An as a place to settle brought lanterns from their homeland and had the habit of lighting the lamps every time night fell. During this period, Hoi An Ancient Town was divided into 3 main neighborhoods: An Nam Street of the Vietnamese, Khach Street of the Chinese and Hoai Street of the Japanese… They lived together, interacted, and traded under the rule of Lord Nguyen, creating economic interweaving and integration right from this time. In 1639, when Japan decided to close its doors to the outside world, Hoai Street of the Japanese was left for the Vietnamese and Chinese to manage.

In the late 18th century, Hoi An trading port began to decline due to competition from new ports and changes in trade routes. By the 19th century, Hoi An trading port had given way to Da Nang, a multi-functional port that developed according to the model of a modern port. However, Hoi An's cultural and architectural heritage was still miraculously preserved. In 1999, Hoi An was recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage, affirming its special historical and cultural value.

Through many historical changes, Hoi An - Hoai Pho - Faifo has completed its sacred historical mission in the past, taking on the role of the largest trading gateway in the region, bringing prosperity to the domestic economy, expanding the cultural and intellectual horizon, and contributing to strengthening the nation's strength. Today, the ancient town along the Hoai River plays the role of a "precious gem" of culture, preserving beautiful values ​​for posterity, for Vietnamese people and international residents to admire, admire, enjoy, and is voted as one of the 10 most attractive destinations on the planet... At any time, Hoi An is always something very strange, very special, very shining in the hearts of Vietnamese people.

Source: https://baophapluat.vn/thuong-cang-hoi-an-nhin-tu-lich-su-huy-hoang-post520598.html