Ben Xuan Garden House - An artistic garden house associated with music, poetry, and Hue's philosophy of life

Located on Van Thanh Street, Huong Ho Ward, Hue City, Ben Xuan Garden House nestles beside the Perfume River, in a rather special position between Thien Mu Pagoda and Van Thanh Hue. The space here is not overly separated from the surrounding landscape; on the contrary, it seems to be placed in just the right spot to blend with the ancient buildings and gardens already familiar to this land.

The grounds of Ben Xuan Garden House cover an area of about 2,000–5,000 m², facing south towards the Perfume River. Viewed from the water, the rooflines, lush trees, and surrounding landscape form a harmonious ensemble with Thien Mu – Van Thanh, offering a peaceful feeling somewhat detached from the outside world. Ben Xuan usually receives visitors by appointment, especially cultural delegations and international guests, so if you wish to visit, it is advisable to contact them in advance to schedule your time.

An interesting way to reach Ben Xuan Garden House is by incorporating a journey along the Perfume River. Instead of traveling solely by road, taking a boat downstream and watching ancient gardens and structures gradually appear on both banks will help you better appreciate the unique beauty of this area.

Ben Xuan Garden House is not a structure built overnight. For over ten years, the artist couple Camille Huyen and Mr. Truong Dinh Ngo dedicated immense effort to creating a space deeply imbued with the Hue spirit. Mr. Truong Dinh Ngo, a native of Hue, spent more than 40 years living in Germany, France, and Switzerland. Those years away from home provided him with the perspective of someone who had experienced Western culture, yet at the same time made memories of Hue an inspiration to return and build Ben Xuan.

The interesting thing about Ben Xuan Garden House lies in how the owners chose to build it: neither copying an ancient house nor turning it into a modern building detached from tradition. Instead, it embodies the concept of "adaptive preservation"—retaining the appearance, materials, and spirit of Hue architecture while offering interior comforts suitable for modern life.

To achieve this, many years were spent searching for and restoring old materials. Flat tiles, ancient bricks, wood, old doors, and porcelain items dating back hundreds of years were collected from various places and incorporated into the construction. Some bricks are said to be over 200 years old, once belonging to ancient houses or old citadel walls. Instead of leaving these materials in deteriorated structures, Ben Xuan grants them a new life.

What makes Ben Xuan Garden House stand out lies not in a single isolated building, but in how architecture, art, and nature are placed side by side. Walking through each area, visitors can encounter details quintessential to Hue yet expressed through a fresh lens—from nha ruong wooden houses and artistic gates to lush gardens and musical spaces.

The first impression comes from three artistic gates created by artist Camille Huyen. Each gate tells its own story. The Lotus Gate sits by the Perfume River, with a roof evoking the shape of a boat drifting on the water, creating a light and airy feel. The Zen Gate facing Van Thanh Street takes the image of the Buddha meditating on a lotus pond as its theme, influenced by the sculptural language of artist Diem Phung Thi. Meanwhile, the Stupa Gate (Om Gate) attracts attention with the symbol "Om" from the mantra Om Mani Padme Hum rendered in Sanskrit.

Deeper inside is the main house, a 3-compartment 2-wing Hue nha ruong house featuring flat tile roofing, carved beam-and-column systems, and jackfruit wood doors adorned with floral motifs transforming into dragons. The central compartment preserves the worship space and traditional details while serving as a display area for Camille Huyen's oil paintings and hosting art performances. Next to it are Co Lau (Ancient Pavilion), a library, and an ancient brick bridge leading to Nghinh Phong House, a structure influenced by Khai Dinh-era architecture set beside a water lily pond with goldfish.

However, one perhaps needs to step out into the garden to truly feel the spirit of a Hue garden house. Areca palms, seasonal fruit trees, water wharves, green patches, and a chemical-free organic rice garden are thoughtfully arranged to give the space a natural feel. Paths paved with ancient Bat Trang bricks, reported to be around 300 years old, add a sense of time to the garden. Another special feature of Ben Xuan is the classical theater built in the style of a Hue nha ruong house, with a seating capacity of about 60 people. This is the venue for Hue folk singing, classical music, poem-setting music programs, and artistic exchanges, transforming Ben Xuan from a simple garden house into a cultural space with a life of its own.

Ben Xuan Garden House is not a space dedicated exclusively to Trinh Cong Son, but if you love Trinh's music, you can easily find emotions here closely mirroring his musical world: the Perfume River, green gardens, moonlight, wind, stillness, and a slow pace of life. These images are deeply familiar in Hue culture and often appear in Trinh Cong Son's reflections on love, humanity, fate, and life.

An interesting aspect of Ben Xuan Hue is that music is not confined inside an auditorium to end when the performance finishes. Artist Camille Huyen often presents programs combining poetry, poem-set songs, and classical music, including compositions set to the poetry of Han Mac Tu and music by Cung Tien. The art song delivery creates a clear fusion between Eastern and Western music.

At Ben Xuan Theater, classical concerts, Hue folk singing, folk songs, or lullabies are presented in a setting vastly different from conventional stages. Listeners can enjoy music inside a nha ruong house, surrounded by the garden and near the Perfume River—where the surrounding scenery itself contributes to the mood of the performance.

Ben Xuan Garden House is not only a sightseeing spot but also a place offering deep cultural experiences for visitors. Below are some featured activities you should not miss when visiting:

• Architecture and Garden Tour: Stroll through art gates, nha ruong houses, ponds, and green gardens, discovering ancient materials and arrangements deeply imbued with the Hue spirit.

• Culinary Experience: Enjoy dishes featuring Hue flavors, meticulously prepared in a tranquil garden house setting.

• Musical Evenings / Concerts: Enjoy Hue folk music, classical music, poem-set songs, and East-West music in a theater built with nha ruong architecture.

• Note: Ben Xuan Garden House primarily receives guests by appointment, so please contact them in advance to schedule a visit or attend artistic programs.

Visitor Information:

• Address: Van Thanh Street, Huong Ho Ward, Huong Tra Town, Thua Thien Hue.

• Opening Hours: 8:00 - 17:00 (prior contact recommended to arrange visit schedule).

Instead of fading away like many other Hue garden houses, Ben Xuan has been breathed back to life, standing as a vivid testament to efforts in preserving and promoting cultural heritage amidst urbanization. The Garden House Tour with Sovaba Travel not only takes visitors to a famous tourist spot, but also opens up a journey to explore the soul of Hue culture. This is an ideal choice for art and poetry lovers who wish to experience the elegant, noble yet rustic lifestyle of Hue people. In a space harmonizing traditional architecture, music, poetry, and philosophy of life, the Ben Xuan Garden House tour offers visitors emotions both intimate and profound, distinctly different from ordinary tours.