Not only is Hue famous for charming natural scene but also particularly impressive with cultural spirit beauty in every detail of the architecture. Apart from palaces, tombs, pagodas, temples… Hue attracts a large number of visitors for its beautiful garden-houses, an identity of Hue.
Being constructed in line with eastern geomancy rules, Hue garden house is a collection of architectural system arranged in North-South direction. Despite different size, every garden house has the same general design containing gate, alley, binh phong (a brick screen),miniature mountain, shallow basin, court-yard, and house.
The gate is often built of bricks and the paths leading to the front doors are lined on both sides by green trees. Binh phong is also built of bricks. Behind binh phong is shallow basin with miniature mountain included, a large court-yard and then wooden house surrounded by numerous varieties of plants, trees and flowers.
It would be a shortcoming if talking about garden house without mentioning about ancient nha ruong (wooden house) Nha ruong is often made of wood and covered with sophisticated carvings.There are various types of nha ruong: one compartment and two lean-tos, three compartments and two lean-tos, five compartments and two lean-tos, multi-storied…
A garden house often reflects the owner’s spirit and lifestyle. It is harmonious combination of human and plants, material and mental life, which creates balance in the life.