The horizontal lacquered boards and couplet tablets at Trung Hoa Huiguans in Hoian, Quangnam

Abstract

During the 17th-18th centuries, Hoian gradually became an urban centre and a prosperous trade-port. At that time, the Hoa people settled in Hoian and built five huiguans consisting of Phuc Kien Huiguan, Trung Hoa Huiguan, Quang Dong Huiguan, Quynh Phu Huiguan and Quang Trieu Huiguan. The Huiguans are extremely special buildings with high historic and cultural values. It marks the notable stages of the Hoa’s immigrating and settling in Hoian and reflects the up-and-down stages of this land. Horizontal lacquered boards and couplet tablets are special items in these Huiquans. It conveys to us the message from history, the value of handicrafts in such aspects as archaeology, Han-Nom, society, culture, chirography, literature, etc. They also express Hoianese’s spirit life, offerers’ and skilled workers’ concept and art standards handed on to future generations. Trung Hoa Huiguan is that of the Five Bangs (one type of congregations the Hoa people in Vietnam) in Hoian. This Huiguan was built in the early 18th century and took an important role in the Hoa’s history of settling in Hoian. At present, in the most formal spaces of the Huiguan, many horizontal lacquered boards and couplet tablets are hanged up for display and worship. The Huiguan’s special tradition and uniquities needs to be conserved and researched since it provides materials for full research works on the Hoa people and on the history of Hoian in general.