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Just up from the covered bridge at 4 Nguyen Thi MInh KHai, Phung Hung House has been home to the same family for eight generations, since they moved from Hue in about 1780 to trade cinnamon and hardwoods from the central highlands, as well as silk and glass. The large two-storey house is Vietnamese in style although its eighty ironwood columns and small glass skylight denote Japanese influence, while the gallery and window shutters are in Chinese style.An upstairs living area features a shrine to the ancestors as well as a large shrine to the protector deity Thien Hau, suspended from the ceiling; prayers were said here for the safe return of family member away on trading trips. A set of seven dice an a bowl on a table in front of the altar used to be thrown to determine the auspicious time to set out on a journey, although a plastic set has replaced the bone or marble originals |



