After nearly 2 years of demolition and major restoration, Hoi An Covered Bridge has been completed and is expected to be inaugurated and put into use on August 3, 2024.
However, as soon as the first images of the bridge after restoration - with a new, bright color, different in tone from the mossy color of the old project - immediately received opposition from the online community.
Like previous reactions to the relics of Thanh Toan Tile Bridge and Ngo Mon (in the Imperial Citadel) in Hue that have just been restored, Hoi An Covered Bridge was criticized as being too new and strange.
But how could the Covered Bridge not be renewed when it was demolished - that is, completely dismantled to reinforce the foundation, replace rotten pillars, damaged structural wooden bars..., ensuring safety? and sustainability for monuments. Although the Covered Bridge has been assembled as before, with most of the old tiles re-roofed, it is difficult to keep the original color over time.
The reaction of the people and public opinion is not wrong, because that is the immediate feeling when seeing an image of a relic, an ancient architectural work - which was tinged with moss, has been completely renewed and shined. Especially famous architectural works, monuments, and symbols such as Hoi An Covered Bridge. People in the old town and tourists who love Hoi An have long been counting time through tiled roofs and lime walls of ancient houses, watching the seasons pass by following the change in color of moss... Therefore, all changes on the roof When old house tiles or on relics such as Cau Pagoda are changed, there is an immediate reaction.
But posting two "different time-colored" photos of Cau Pagoda before and after restoration, from which to disparage and criticize harshly, is not appropriate. Because Covered Bridge has a history of nearly 400 years, it is in a low-lying area, flooded every year, and its structure is mainly made of wood, so it has degraded over time. If not restored, the bridge will break, collapse, and be destroyed. Covered Bridge has been majorly renovated 7 times. The last time was 1996.
Therefore, restoration is correct and necessary. The problem is whether the basic principles of monument restoration work are guaranteed or not? Whether it's a lie or a careless act or not, it's not the new or old color.
Assertion by Chairman of Hoi An City People's Committee Nguyen Van Son, Hoi An Covered Bridge was restored openly and transparently, supervised by experts and experts from Japan, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism; ensuring the fundamentals are originality, originality and authenticity.
If you want Hoi An Bridge Pagoda to have moss and ancient colors like in the past, you must give this project time. Or it's very easy, as Chairman of Hoi An City People's Committee Nguyen Van Son said, to research and find ways to repaint the building in a more suitable color, closer and similar to the old color.
