Returning to Hoi An that time, I visited a small wooden house tucked away in a quiet alley, far from the hustle and bustle of the town outside. The house was not very large, but from the moment I stepped over the marble threshold, worn smooth by footsteps, I felt a completely different atmosphere. A gentle, peaceful silence, as if time itself slowed down a few beats when passing through this alley.
The house is home to three generations of a family. The elderly owner, who has spent almost his entire life with every corner of the well and the courtyard, smiled and welcomed me with a cup of jasmine-scented tea that was still lightly steaming. He said this house was built by his great-grandfather over a hundred years ago. Through many storm seasons and the ups and downs of the port town, the house has remained, enduring the heavy rains from the mountains, only to stand peacefully and welcome the summer sun that dyes every courtyard golden.
In the middle of the house is a small open-air courtyard. There, sunlight shines through the leaves of a night-blooming cereus plant, highlighting the velvety green moss clinging to the brick walls. I sat at an old wooden table, looking up at the yin-yang tiled roof, gray with the color of time. The tiles, interlocking like the hands of ancestors clasped tightly together, shelter all the joys and sorrows of those who remain. The old man gently stroked the ironwood pillar, polished by decades of oiling, and said: "This wooden house is wonderful, my dear. In the sun, it releases the scent of aged wood; in the rain, it holds a gentle coolness. We take care of the house, and in return, the house nurtures our souls."
In the space faintly scented with agarwood, I listened to the sound of water from the jade well splashing in the corner of the kitchen, the sound of a loom, or the soft clinking of antique ceramic dishes in the cupboard. Those rustic sounds did not break the silence, but rather seemed to be whispering the stories of old seasons of affection.
Seeing how the family members cherish every table and clean every wooden rafter without any intention of tearing it down to rebuild in a modern style, I suddenly felt strangely warm. They live with the house, relying on tradition to continue writing their own story amidst the pace of life today.
Vi Heritage has always believed that the greatest heritage does not lie in distant things, but right in that natural continuity. An ancient house only truly has a soul when there is still a warm kitchen fire every afternoon, the laughter of children, and hands that cherish and preserve the lifestyle of our forefathers.
Stepping out of the house as the afternoon sun faded on the mossy tiled roofs, I looked back. The house still stood there, humble and tolerant, continuing to whisper the story of time to those who know how to stop and listen...
Ready for the journey?
