Vietnam: Entrance to the Quan Cong Pagoda (Chua Ong), Hoi An.

Vietnam: Entrance to the Quan Cong Pagoda (Chua Ong), Hoi An.

Quan Cong Pagoda, also known as Chua Ong, was founded in 1653 and is dedicated to Quan Cong, a member of the Taoist pantheon who reputedly brings good fortune to his followers and is also the Protector of Travellers. A gold-coloured statue of Chua Ong presides over the main altar at the back of the temple. He is accompanied by two celestial guardians and a white horse, which is his traditional mount. The small but historic town of Hoi An is located on the Thu Bon River 30km (18 miles) south of Danang. During the time of the Nguyen Lords (1558 - 1777) and even under the first Nguyen Emperors, Hoi An - then known as Faifo - was an important port, visited regularly by shipping from Europe and all over the East. By the late 19th Century the silting up of the Thu Bon River and the development of nearby Danang had combined to make Hoi An into a backwater. This obscurity saved the town from serious fighting during the wars with France and the USA, so that at the time of reunification in 1975 it was a forgotten and impoverished fishing port lost in a time warp.

Album / David Henley/Pictures from History/Universal Images Group

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