An overview of traditional Vietnamese architecture

Traditional Vietnamese architecture

Vietnamese architecture was carried by several godfathers who influenced it: Chinese to the north, Indians and Khmer to the south, it is first in the layout of cities, palaces, temples, imperial tombs and communal houses that we discover traditional Vietnamese architecture. Cities, tombs, palaces were drawn according to very precise astrological and geographical criteria. To determine the site, we applied here the "geomancy" science taking into account the configuration of the stars at the time of the search for the site, and also, sometimes, stories of Yin and Yang (the image of two dragons bowing in front of the sun at the top of the roof): This is a fusion, a harmony with nature quite exceptional, combining the charm of the site and the mystery of all these calculations and parameters ...

In cities like Hanoi and Hue, the great imperial tombs, the temples of Hoa Lu ect ... responded to this architecture. The meeting with Buddhism allowed Vietnamese architecture to become rich and detach from Chinese influence.

From a technical point of view, the most important thing was the roof. Also the architects all their efforts on the pillars and the frame, fixed with two ankles (without nail) and carved abundantly, unlike the Chinese framework which was above all lacquered. The walls were often just fills of wood and brick. It is especially the temples that express this autonomy. Built in the shape of "H" "noi cong ngoai quoc", surrounded by walls on three sides and a large portico on the front, they correspond to Vietnam. Later, it was in the construction of communal houses (dinh) dedicated to genies protecting the village, that was fully expressed Vietnamese art, especially from the seventeenth to the nineteenth century.

As for pagodas (chua), they often have the same plan: Three rooms in parallel connected in the middle by a corridor or small bridges. The first, like a vestibule with two huge geniuses (the good and the bad) or Happiness and Woe, as well as other little protective genies). In the middle, the incense burner, the offering trays, the enormous prayer bells shaped like carp. In the last room, we find the representations of the most famous mandarins and bonzes and the Buddhas of the present (sakyamuni), of the past and the future (maitreya).

Vietnamese rural architecture
Of course we use the materials offered by nature: Wood, bamboo, palm, rice stubble. It expresses two influences: On stilts, here too, the frame is the most important element of the construction. Often the roof is covered by thatch, red tile, or wood (black Hmong).
Modern Vietnamese architecture is distinguished by the French colonial style with neoclassical Haussmanian, Art Deco or Cabourg style villa reminiscences. It was relayed to independence by the Neo-Stalinist Soviet architecture, one of the most beautiful jewels is the Hanoi City Hall. In short, as one Vietnamese intellectual said, the Vietnam civilization is a thousand years of French civilization.

The art of Vietnamese house decoration
Modeling has created a decorative art, with rich philosophical content (when Western decorative art usually focuses on visual beauty, without any need for meaning)In the whole of Tu Linh (the four fabulous animals), we find Long (the dragon), symbol of the domination, the force, the male character: Ly (the dragon horse) or Lân (the unicorn) symbol of desire for peace, the turtle symbolizes longevity and the phoenix, symbol of happiness; the dragon-phoenix couple with the pair "dragon-saurian" and "bird-immortal" symbolizing the happiness of the couple

In Vietnamese architecture, the dragon is not the prerogative of kings or emperors. He is so popular that everywhere in the country we meet him. It is part of the working life of the peasant, giving birth, giving birth to a large offspring, and so docile that women in skirts manage to dance on their backs. This not only shows the democratic character of Vietnamese culture, but also the degree of popularity of the dragon.

The four fabulous animals are associated with four other animals to form the eight animals. They are Ngu the fish, Phuc the bat, Hac the mythical crane and Ho the tiger. They are often presented in Vietnamese architecture.

The fish, linked to the legend of "fish that turns into a dragon", symbolizes success. The Chinese name of the bat is Buc symbol of happiness. The crane, a rare and beautiful bird, embodies the bliss, the marvelous countries, where there are cranes, there are immortals. The tiger represents strength, and is usually revered to fight ghosts, evil spirits and evil influences. 

When you travel to Vietnam, you will have opportinities to visite Vietname houses with it traditional architecture and sometime you will see modern and colonial architecture.