Ben Xuan garden house is located in Van Thanh street, Huong Ho ward, Hue city, Thua Thien Hue province. It is the wholehearted work of Camille Huyen and her husband. Following Hue royal architecture, Ben Xuan garden house's main construction materials are ancient bricks, tiles, porcelain, wood, ancient decoration patterns used under Nguyen dynasty, etc. Ben Xuan garden house is an impressive construction attracting Hue-loving people.
Located by Huong river, Ben Xuan garden house covers the area of 2000m2 from Thien Mu pagoda to Van Thanh street. Its "Poetry pavilion" reminds visitors of Khai Dinh architecture. There are three gates leading to Ben Xuan garden house which are also installation artworks of Camille Huyen i.e. Lotus gate - the boat-shaped Gate by Huong river, Thien Su gate on Van Thanh street with the Buddha statute sitting on lotus pond - a simulated version of sculpture artist Diem Phung Thi's artwork and But Phap gate.
The main house is located in the central position. It is called Co Lau and serves as a worship place as well as a library. Being decorated with owner's oil paintings, it is the place where music performances take place. On the right side of the main house, there is a hundred-year-old bridge leading to Nghinh Phong house where Khai Dinh architecture remains.
In general, Ben Xuan is a large Hue garden where fruits and organic rice are grown.
Particularly, it is in Ben Xuan theater that Camille Huyen performed songs composed from poems of Han Mac Tu or Cung Tien song, etc. Separated concert house is available for classical music performances while large yards are ready for Hue singing and water puppet performances.
At present, Ben Xuan is one of the destinations where Hue culture and Vietnamese culture are introduced to far and near visitors through meals and art performances prepared by Camille Huyen. With its hospitality, culture, music, history and gastronomy, it is hoped that Ben Xuan will become an East-West cultural meeting and leave unforgettable impressions on visitors. Hopefully, hundreds years from now, ones still remember and share stories about Lotus Gate, But Phap gate, Thien Su gate while traveling on the Perfume River.
Photos taken at Ben Xuan garden house
