Nguyen Huu Thong, researcher, former Deputy Director of Hue Sub-Institute of Vietnam National Institute of Culture and Arts, made such assessment of the story of Hue garden houses during a seminar held on April 21st at An Nhien Garden space (Phu Thuong Ward, Hue City).

Phuoc Tich ancient village is surrounded by the O Lau river in Phong Hoa Commune, (Phong Dien District), which is 40km north of Hue City. The village was founded in 1470, during the reign of Le Thanh Tong. With its poetic scenery, valuable architecture of ruong houses and garden houses, and unique cultural institutions, etc., the village was recognized as a national relic in 2009. Currently, the functional agencies are preparing a dossier to propose the village to be recognized as a special national relic.

Forty distinctive garden houses voluntarily registered to participate in the project, meeting the criteria and gaining approval to join the project for the period 2023 - 2026.

Recently there appeared in Hue many garden cafes, especially ones at ancient princes’ and princesses’ residences (Phu De.) Around a hundred years ago those houses were places for princes, princesses, mandarins and their relatives to gather on special occasions and death anniversaries.