Earthen houses - Unique feature of Binh Lieu

Dubbed the “mini Sapa of the Northeast region”, Binh Lieu district in Quang Ninh province is renowned for its stunning natural landscapes, with each season displaying its own unique beauty. If you love ancient charm and traditional culture, you can visit the Tay ethnic villages in Binh Lieu to explore the unique architectural style of their earthen houses.

Living harmoniously with nature, local houses are made entirely from natural materials including wood, clay, and stone. The bricks in particular are made from mud collected from fields and then moulded into shape. To bond the bricks, the Tay people knead clay from the fields. 

The foundations for the house were also taken from stone quarries along the riverside, contributing to its solidity.

The roof, meanwhile, is covered with yin-yang tiles - a special type of tile made from red clay. The architectural style of earthen brick houses combined with yin-yang tiles helps the house stay cool in the summer and warm in the winter. 

The architecture in Binh Lieu typically consists of a main house, a kitchen, a storage room, and a drying yard. The uniqueness of these Tay houses lies not only in the materials used but also in the construction methods. 

Binh Lieu district is now developing projects to restore and promote the distinctive cultural features of the local ethnic communities, including the Tay ethnic group.

Each traditional house of the Tay people in Binh Lieu is an invaluable cultural heritage that needs to be preserved and maintained. The houses not only symbolise the skilled hands and creative minds of local people but also embodies a treasure trove of knowledge, life experience, and wisdom in dealing with nature, which has been passed down through generations./.

VNA