Huynh Thuy Le ancient house

Huynh Thuy Le’s ancient house is the house of Mr. Huynh Thuy Le, the protagonist of the novel "The Lover" which is the most unique architectural work in the Southern region. This old house is not only the combined value of the two East-West architectures, but also famous for its connection with a borderless affair by a French female writer Marguerite Duras, and a rich Chinese - Vietnamese man named Huynh Thuy Le in the early 1900s. The house became famous worldwide when the autobiography of female writer Marguerite Duras was adapted into a film of the same name (L'Amant) in 1991.

The ancient house of Huynh Thuy Le was owned by Mr. Huynh Cam Thuan, the richest Chinese businessman in Sa Dec, Dong Thap at that time, left to his youngest son Huynh Thuy Le to inherit, which is located at 255A, Nguyen Hue Street, Ward 2, Sa Dec City, Dong Thap Province, Vietnam. On one occasion, by chance, Mr. Huynh Thuy Le met Mrs. Marguerite Duras on My Thuan ferry in 1929 then they came back to live as husband and wife but without Mr. Thuan's consent. They lived together for 18 months, after that the writer came back to France, Le married a Vietnamese wife. Many years later, Mr. Le went to France and wanted to see his ex-lover again but was refused. Afterward, Mrs. Marguerite Duras rewrote her life story into a novel called "The Lover". The love story without borders of the Chinese-Vietnamese man and the young French girl made great ambulation. The Novel was awarded the Goncourt (the French most prestigious literature award) and translated into 43 languages.

The house is a unique combination of Eastern and Western styles reflecting by the roof which was shaped like a boat, while the arch of the door was designed in Roman style, carved with reliefs of flowers, plants, birds of the 17th century. Western architecture is evident in the front of the house, the ceiling, the window frames..., all decorated with Renaissance-style reliefs, arch arched in Roman architecture. The oriental architecture is seen through very sharp carvings and painted gold-gilded like birds, fruit trees and flowers such as bamboo, apricot, daisies, peaches... Many types of building materials such as bricks and glass are imported from France. The wooden doors, cabinets, beds and altars are all elaborately carved. Till now, household items such as wine cabinets, shelves or pots, lamps, phonographs are still preserved.

Up to now, the house is still preserved quite intact and became a symbol of a unique architecture hundreds of years ago even though many ups and downs of history. Most foreign tourists come here to visit the house as they want to come, to feel the intense breath from that short but eternal love story.

You can visit Huynh Thuy Le’s ancient house when joining a Mekong Delta tour or a tailor-made tour in South of Viet Nam together with such famous destinations like Can Tho, Cai Rang floating market, Ben Tre…

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