A man and a woman sat facing each other at the entrance to the Hoi Quan Nghia An Temple

Man and woman sitting face to face — Entrance to Hoi Quan Nghia An Temple

To the west of Ho Chi Minh City lies Cholon, the city's historic Chinatown. Though times have changed, traces of Chinese culture remain vivid — Chinese characters on shop signs, the faint scent of incense drifting through the streets.

Tucked into a corner of this old neighborhood is the Giac An Hội Quán Temple, built in the 19th century by the Teochew Chinese community. It once served as a communal gathering place for immigrants — a spiritual anchor far from home. But it is also a temple dedicated to Guan Di, the deified figure of Guan Yu, a revered general and guardian of commerce. For the Chinese diaspora, he remains a powerful and sacred symbol.

Peering through the ornate gate, I saw two figures sitting quietly across from one another — a man and a woman. They weren’t praying, nor were they guiding tourists. They simply sat in stillness, as if time had softened around them. Perhaps they were resting in the cool shadows of the courtyard, away from the harsh midday sun. Or perhaps, in watching those who passed through the gate, they had simply let the moment stretch on.

Deeper inside the temple, the decorations swayed ever so slightly — lanterns hanging from the ceiling, vibrant carvings glinting in the light, the smoke of incense curling upward. Everything seemed suspended in a gentle silence, held together by the heat and hush of the afternoon.

Hoi Quan Nghia An Temple on Google Map

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