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As a cultural treasure in Ha Giang, Vietnam, H’mong Kings’ Palace, also known as the Palace of the Vuong family, is a famous tourist attraction on the Dong Van Karst plateau in the northern highlands.
The ancient Hmong King Palace with a unique design attracts tourists to visit @Salm
In this paper, we will discover useful and interesting information about this place related to ethnic groups of Vietnam’s history and signature architecture. With its unique architecture, intricate carvings, and fascinating exhibits, the Hmong King Palace is a must-visit for anyone interested in Vietnamese history and culture. Let's learn about this interesting place with Asia King Travel!
From a person from a poor family in the mountains of northern Vietnam, Mr. Vuong Chinh Duc participated in the Deer organization of the Hmong people in Dong Van to resist the invasion of the Black Flag Army (China), through the process of fierce fighting, the people revered him as a leader, became King H'mong.
The main features of the palace are its stone walls, wooden pillars @Salm
In order to build a mansion in Sa Phin, in 1890 Vuong Chinh Duc invited a Han (China) geographer named Truong Chieu to find a location. After traveling all over Dong Van, Truong Chieu finally chose Sa Phin to build that mansion. The fung shui geomancer explained that a turtle-shaped hill emerges in the middle of the Sa Phin valley, surrounded by high mountains. Building a house on the back of a turtle will be rich and noble for a lifetime.
When the fung shui geomancer finished choosing, Vuong Chinh Duc assigned Mr. Hoang - a scribe from Nam Dinh, and Mr. Cu Chung Lu - the person in charge of Vuong Chinh Duc's H'Mong army, to study and sketch the building on the land. Vuong Chinh Duc invited the Han people in Yunnan Province (China) Tong Baijiao to contract, design and construct. Tong Baijiao took the Muslim people in Tuyen Wei County, Yunnan Province, to design and build.
Unique architecture of the Mansion with 2 floors @Salm
The mansion started construction in 1898 to 1903 and was inaugurated. The total budget is about 15,000 Indochinese dong (equivalent to 150 billion VND ~ 6,360,000 USD). The mansion was built in the style of a defensive fortress. The surroundings are a stone wall 60-70 centimeters thick, 2 meters high, with many apricot holes. At the back of the house, there are 2 solid blocks.
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The architecture inside the mansion is a combination of 3 different cultures including the Mongols, the French, and the Chinese. The project consists of 4 horizontal houses, and 6 vertical houses divided into 3 areas the front palace (for guards and slaves), the middle palace, and the rear palace (for living and working) with 64 small rooms divided into 2 floors.
In order to meet the criteria of solidity, the builders used green stone to build to help the mansion stand firm against enemies and time. The roof of the walls and pillars are made of wood to add majesty and flexibility to the rooms. Another material used is terracotta used for tile roofs to make the shape easier but no less sturdy.
The rows of houses are lined up close to each other into a harmonious unity @Salm
Although there is a combination of 3 cultures in architecture, many people comment that the Vuong family mansion is extremely harmonious, flexible, and rhythmically like a unified block without any constraints or coercion.
In addition, although the project is built on a land area of up to 3000m2, the Mansion is not as massive as many people imagine because it is composed of small subdivisions, with simple and rustic features of folk architectural culture. The design style with the low inside and high outside principle makes the overall mansion even closer to the surrounding scenery.
Until today, the H’mong King's Mansion is one of the few buildings that meets all the requirements for housing, working, and becoming a defensive base whenever there is a war. You can feel the pristine atmosphere because the basic items and structures are still preserved in their original appearance. The wardrobes, beds, and chairs are all made of wood, creating a rustic feature of high-mountain life.
Hmong fire stove @Salm
In addition, the most special thing is the fire stove of the Hmong people. For the reason of the weather in the mountains, the fire stove was placed in the middle of the house to heat the whole room. it’s also the place where the members of the family gather. That’s why it is considered a feature that makes it different. The structure inside the house is extremely unique because the entrances and exits are connected between the rooms, and when you enter, you will explore the passages of the mansion as if you are deciphering an interesting maze.
The Vuong King's Palace is located on the Dong Van Karst Plateau, you can search for more information on the Google Maps application. If you are starting from the center of Ha Giang City, you should follow the route of Quan Ba Gate of Heaven - Yen Minh Pine Forest, the next destination is the mansion.
The court praised the H'mong King in fighting for pacification on the border through diaphragm @Salm
In case you start from Hanoi, it’s easy to book a sleeping bus to Ha Giang City, there are just around 300 kilometers from Hanoi City Center, estimated around a 5-6 hour drive. If you want to rent a car and then drive by yourself, it’s possible but make sure that you already have rich experience in driving through hard roads because the road to Ha Giang will have bends and passes that are quite difficult.
The Hmong King Palace will be an ideal stop for those who love history and want to learn more about the culture of ethnic minorities. Come to this historical heritage, you also can hear many interesting stories about the Vuong family besides enjoying the mountainous atmosphere with forest fruits sold outside the mansion by the locals. Don’t hesitate to contact Asia King Travel to plan your incredible trip
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