Old glory: A closer look of the pavilion’s rooftop before restoration work (Photo:VNA)Thua Thien-Hue (VNA) - Anger broke out on social networks when it was discovered that aniconic building in the former imperial capital city of Hue had been changedcompletely while being restored.
Following online opposition to the change, experts have expressed concerns overthe authenticity of the building after its restoration.
On January 9, Phan Duy Dang, a resident of Hue, posted a picture of Quoc HocPavilion in its final stages of restoration on his Facebook account, in whichthe pavilion has been painted bright yellow, different from its originalearth yellow colour.
Dang’s photo spread across the network and many around the country shared thephoto to express their concern over the lack of authenticity of a Hue landmarkand their anger over careless restoration work.
“I must speak up over this. The heritage items are common legacy and we shouldn’tallow anyone to destroy them,” said Dang.
Dr Tran Dinh Hang, director of the Vietnam National Institute of Culture andArt Studies in Hue said the impact of careless restoration was not just thechange in colour, but the architectural patterns on the pavilion.
“They cleaned the original patterns off the building and this is unacceptable.No restoration method uses hammers and metal chisels on complicated concretepatterns, which happened here,” he said.
Dr Tran Duc Anh Son, a researcher working in Da Nang’s Institute forSocio-economic Development, said on his Facebook page that restoration work ona heritage item differed from house repairing, in which authenticity of theitem should be the top priority.
The constructors said the colour would fade after sunny days and had no worriesover the authenticity. They also explained that no one knows the exact originalcolour of the building because only black and white photos of it could befound.
But Hang refuted this, saying he owns a collection of colourful photos of thebuilding in earth yellow. He said experts and the public should be consultedover restoration work.
Nguyen Can, director of the Hue Controlling Centre for Parks and Urban FloraSystem and head of the pavilion’s restoration project, told local media thatconsultation work had been done with the local department of culture and sportsand the Hue Monument Conservation Centre, a body which has been blamed forchanging many old buildings in Hue.
The Vietnam National Institute of Culture and Art Studies in Hue requestedauthorities of Hue city to answer to researchers and the public over the case.
The pavilion was built in 1920 on the southern bank of the Huong River andopposite to the old Quoc Hoc High School’s memorial of Vietnamese and French soldierswho died in World War II.-VNA
Following online opposition to the change, experts have expressed concerns overthe authenticity of the building after its restoration.
On January 9, Phan Duy Dang, a resident of Hue, posted a picture of Quoc HocPavilion in its final stages of restoration on his Facebook account, in whichthe pavilion has been painted bright yellow, different from its originalearth yellow colour.
Dang’s photo spread across the network and many around the country shared thephoto to express their concern over the lack of authenticity of a Hue landmarkand their anger over careless restoration work.
“I must speak up over this. The heritage items are common legacy and we shouldn’tallow anyone to destroy them,” said Dang.
Dr Tran Dinh Hang, director of the Vietnam National Institute of Culture andArt Studies in Hue said the impact of careless restoration was not just thechange in colour, but the architectural patterns on the pavilion.
“They cleaned the original patterns off the building and this is unacceptable.No restoration method uses hammers and metal chisels on complicated concretepatterns, which happened here,” he said.
Dr Tran Duc Anh Son, a researcher working in Da Nang’s Institute forSocio-economic Development, said on his Facebook page that restoration work ona heritage item differed from house repairing, in which authenticity of theitem should be the top priority.
The constructors said the colour would fade after sunny days and had no worriesover the authenticity. They also explained that no one knows the exact originalcolour of the building because only black and white photos of it could befound.
But Hang refuted this, saying he owns a collection of colourful photos of thebuilding in earth yellow. He said experts and the public should be consultedover restoration work.
Nguyen Can, director of the Hue Controlling Centre for Parks and Urban FloraSystem and head of the pavilion’s restoration project, told local media thatconsultation work had been done with the local department of culture and sportsand the Hue Monument Conservation Centre, a body which has been blamed forchanging many old buildings in Hue.
The Vietnam National Institute of Culture and Art Studies in Hue requestedauthorities of Hue city to answer to researchers and the public over the case.
The pavilion was built in 1920 on the southern bank of the Huong River andopposite to the old Quoc Hoc High School’s memorial of Vietnamese and French soldierswho died in World War II.-VNA
VNA
