Amid the narrow lanes of Tu Hoang Village, also known as Nhon Village, in Xuan Phuong Ward, Hanoi, one house stands out with its imposing wooden gate, intricately decorated with porcelain plates.

Beyond the gate lies a garden of more than 400sqm, shaded by trees and carrying the gentle fragrance of orange jasmine. Carefully tended pots of desert roses, yellow apricot blossoms, four-season apricot and camellias are shaped into graceful forms, interspersed with miniature rock gardens and lively landscaped scenes.

At the far end of the garden stands a two-story wooden house featuring the distinctive architecture of a traditional northern Vietnamese home blended with elements inspired by houses in Hue. It is home to Vuong Dinh Que, affectionately known as Mr. Bon, 92, and his wife Nguyen Thi Canh. It is also where they preserve numerous century-old objects - the “treasures” Que has collected over seven decades.

The house, covering around 110sqm, is filled with traditional wooden platforms, long benches, horizontal lacquered panels, parallel sentences, and wooden and porcelain objects dating back a century or more. To Que, every piece carries its own story of history, culture and art.

A passion for antiques since the age of 20

Que said his fascination with old furniture, including traditional display cabinets and wooden platforms, began when he was 20. At the time, he spent years transporting goods by cargo bicycle, traveling through Hanoi’s streets and alleys and villages in neighboring provinces.

“Whenever I saw a family with an old traditional house, I would often ask to come inside and talk with them. If they had a beautiful piece of wooden furniture they no longer needed, I would offer to buy it and bring it home to use and preserve. The pieces were not necessarily expensive. In fact, many were things the owners wanted to throw away simply to free up space,” Que recalled.

Sometimes, after hearing from an acquaintance about a beautiful wooden cabinet or platform 80-90km away, Que would cycle all the way there to see it for himself.

“At first, I only bought small, inexpensive items. Later, when my business became more successful, I was able to collect more valuable pieces. But for me, collecting antiques is not simply about their appearance or monetary value. The most important and fascinating part is learning about their origins, materials, designs and meanings, as well as the individual stories behind them,” Que said.

In 2005, Que’s family demolished their old house to build the home that stands there today. He said the idea for its design began with a trip to Hue, where he visited a beautiful traditional house and took photographs for inspiration.

His home, however, is not a complete reproduction of Hue architecture. Its exterior carries influences from traditional Hue houses, while the second floor and many interior details follow the architectural style of traditional homes in the northern delta.

The house has two floors. The upper level follows a traditional five-bay structure with two additional side spaces and incorporates architectural components characteristic of northern Vietnamese wooden houses, including layered beams, supporting crossbeams, angled brackets and traditional wooden panel doors. The structure predominantly uses hardwoods such as lim, doi and trac.

The ground floor, where Que and his wife spend most of their time, includes a living room and bedroom. Upstairs is a solemn ancestral worship space, flanked by rooms used to preserve their century-old possessions.

During public holidays, Lunar New Year and family death anniversaries, the house becomes a gathering place for the couple’s six children and their families.

“When I built this house, I also hoped my children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren could come here and learn about traditional architecture, while having a place to relax and enjoy the flowers and ornamental trees,” Que said.

Every object tells a story

Nearly every corner of Que’s home is occupied by antique wooden furniture. He said the family owns seven traditional wooden platforms, along with long benches, display cabinets, sofas, decorative vases, horizontal lacquered panels and numerous pairs of parallel sentences.

Among them, Que has a particular affection for a trac hardwood spindle-back bench set. He estimates it to be around 155 years old and said he bought it from a formerly affluent family. At the time, he paid only a few hundred dong for the piece.

Another treasured possession is a Ngu Phuc wooden platform made from doi wood and finished with red lacquer and gold leaf. Its surrounding panels are carved with five bats, representing the five great blessings in East Asian tradition: happiness, prosperity, longevity, good health and peace.

The Chinese characters representing happiness and longevity appear on many objects throughout the house. Que explained that they express wishes for blessings, long life, healthy descendants and a happy family.

Upstairs, Que has placed a calligraphic panel bearing the words “Duc Hau Luu Quang” in a prominent position, serving as a reminder to preserve and pass down the family’s good moral values.

The house also contains around a dozen pairs of parallel sentences bearing lessons Que wants his descendants to remember: do good deeds to find peace of mind, think carefully before speaking, and continually cultivate one’s character.

“Collecting old antiques has taught me many valuable things. Above all, I have realized that setting an example is the most important thing when it comes to children and grandchildren. Even now, I maintain good habits such as exercising, keeping an orderly lifestyle, reading and working.

Every day, I wake up at 5:30am and go for a walk. Then I come home for breakfast, clean the house and take care of everything from the rooms to the garden. I still play chess and write poetry to keep my mind sharp. Whenever my children and grandchildren visit, I want to tell them about the objects in the house so they can better understand history and culture,” Que said.

Linh Trang – Nguyen Huy