Hainan Assembly Hall

Every building in Hoi An has a story, but this one carries a tragedy so profound that even today, over 170 years later, incense still burns in memory of the innocent men who died. The Hainan Assembly Hall is the most emotionally powerful place in the Ancient Town, and its story will change the way you see this gentle city. Built in 1883 at 10 Tran Phu Street by immigrants from Hainan Island off the southern coast of China, this hall was not built to celebrate prosperity. It was built as a memorial, because of a catastrophic injustice. In 1851, a merchant vessel carrying 108 Hainanese traders was sailing near central Vietnam, loaded with goods for trade. A Vietnamese naval commander intercepted the ship, accused the merchants of being pirates, and had all 108 men executed. Their cargo was confiscated. The accusation was false. These were honest businessmen, and the commander had likely fabricated the charges to seize their valuable goods. The Vietnamese court eventually acknowledged the injustice, and the guilty commander was punished. But 108 men were already dead, far from home, denied even proper burials. The Hainanese community built this hall to ensure their memory would never fade....