Ancient stilt houses in Binh Chuan – cultural legacy amidst tall mountains

  • Stilt houses are unique architectural structures, a culmination of the practical experience, customs, and beliefs of generations of the Thai ethnic group; adapted to the natural conditions and mountainous environment, creating a simple and familiar beauty. VNA Photo: Xuân Tiến
    Stilt houses are unique architectural structures, a culmination of the practical experience, customs, and beliefs of generations of the Thai ethnic group; adapted to the natural conditions and mountainous environment, creating a simple and familiar beauty. VNA Photo: Xuân Tiến
  • Thanks to its supporting columns and frame, stilt houses can be erected securely in sloping areas, without needing a flat surface. VNA Photo: Xuân Tiến
    Thanks to its supporting columns and frame, stilt houses can be erected securely in sloping areas, without needing a flat surface. VNA Photo: Xuân Tiến
  • Stilt houses are unique architectural structures, a culmination of the practical experience, customs, and beliefs of generations of the Thai ethnic group; adapted to the natural conditions and mountainous environment, creating a simple and familiar beauty. VNA Photo: Xuân Tiến
    Stilt houses are unique architectural structures, a culmination of the practical experience, customs, and beliefs of generations of the Thai ethnic group; adapted to the natural conditions and mountainous environment, creating a simple and familiar beauty. VNA Photo: Xuân Tiến
  • The
    The "dui" (roof-shielding) structure surrounding the stilt house roof is decorated with a sawtooth pattern. VNA Photo: Xuân Tiến
  • The heart-shaped pattern is large enough on the roof arch to allow for air circulation, create light inside the stilt house, and prevent rainwater from splashing in. VNA Photo: Xuân Tiến
    The heart-shaped pattern is large enough on the roof arch to allow for air circulation, create light inside the stilt house, and prevent rainwater from splashing in. VNA Photo: Xuân Tiến
  • The Thai community in the Binh Chuan valley believes that odd numbers bring good luck, so their houses are typically structured with three main rooms and two side wings or five main rooms and two side wings, and the total number of windows and doors is also an odd number. VNA Photo: Xuân Tiến
    The Thai community in the Binh Chuan valley believes that odd numbers bring good luck, so their houses are typically structured with three main rooms and two side wings or five main rooms and two side wings, and the total number of windows and doors is also an odd number. VNA Photo: Xuân Tiến
  • While the stilt houses of the Thai ethnic group, belonging to the Black Thai and White Thai branches in Northwest Vietnam, always have two staircases at either end of the house – a
    While the stilt houses of the Thai ethnic group, belonging to the Black Thai and White Thai branches in Northwest Vietnam, always have two staircases at either end of the house – a "tang chan" for women and a "tang quan" for men – the stilt houses of the Thai Thanh branch in Binh Chuan have only one shared staircase for going up and down. VNA Photo: Xuân Tiến
  • The dragon heads on the staircases of the ancient stilt houses of the Thai ethnic group in Binh Chuan commune (Nghe An province) always face upwards, symbolizing ascent and conveying the message that the homeowner's economy will always prosper and be abundant. VNA Photo: Xuân Tiến
    The dragon heads on the staircases of the ancient stilt houses of the Thai ethnic group in Binh Chuan commune (Nghe An province) always face upwards, symbolizing ascent and conveying the message that the homeowner's economy will always prosper and be abundant. VNA Photo: Xuân Tiến
  • The purlins and roof beams of the stilt house are decorated with stylized lotus flower motifs. VNA Photo: Xuân Tiến
    The purlins and roof beams of the stilt house are decorated with stylized lotus flower motifs. VNA Photo: Xuân Tiến
  • The wooden frame supporting the weight of the roof is joined together using sophisticated mortise and tenon techniques, creating a structure that is both sturdy and gracefully elegant. VNA Photo: Xuân Tiến
    The wooden frame supporting the weight of the roof is joined together using sophisticated mortise and tenon techniques, creating a structure that is both sturdy and gracefully elegant. VNA Photo: Xuân Tiến
  • In modern times, Thai stilt house in Binh Chuan still preserves its traditional architecture. VNA Photo: Xuân Tiến
    In modern times, Thai stilt house in Binh Chuan still preserves its traditional architecture. VNA Photo: Xuân Tiến
  • The cluster of stilt houses, with their ancient architecture, lies close together at the foot of the hill in the valley. VNA Photo: Xuân Tiến
    The cluster of stilt houses, with their ancient architecture, lies close together at the foot of the hill in the valley. VNA Photo: Xuân Tiến

VNA Photos

Ancient stilt houses in Binh Chuan – cultural legacy amidst tall mountains
9 hours ago | TTXVN
Nestled in the remote valley of Binh Chuan commune, Nghe An province, surrounded on all sides by towering mountain ranges and separated by the winding and treacherous Bu Liu and Pu Huot slopes, the ancient stilt houses of the Thai people have quietly survived for hundreds of years. More than just residences, these ancient houses in the villages of Xieng, Dinh, Quan, Que, and Tong are also "living museums" preserving the rich traditional culture, reflecting the unique architectural essence and spiritual life of the Thai people in the mountainous region of Nghe An. VNA Photo: Xuân Tiến

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