QUẢNG NAM — The 19th century home of scholar Huỳnh Thúc Kháng in the central province of Quảng Nam will get a facelift with an investment of VNĐ50 billion (US$2.2 million) approved by the provincial People’s Committee.

The project will be implemented in the 2017-19 period, including leveling of the surface to extend its total area to about 20,500 sq.m and upgrading the road, water, electricity and lighting systems.

The main hall, exhibition and reception rooms will also be renovated, as will the surrounding garden, park, tea hill and lake.

“The aim of the project is to promote the values of the house, making it appropriate for the historical roles and significant contributions of scholar Huỳnh Thúc Kháng,” the vice chairman of Tiên Phước District People’s Committee Phùng Văn Huy told Việt Nam News.

“Besides, it is expected to create favourable conditions for visitors, helping educate young Vietnamese about patriotism and revolutionary tradition and exploit the local tourism and socio-economic development potential,” he added.

Feudal scholar

Huỳnh Thúc Kháng was born in 1876 in Thạnh Bình Village in Tiên Phước District, becoming a feudal scholar. In 1904, he passed the imperial examination and received his doctorate. He was one of the innitators of the Duy Tân, a movement espousing non-violent patriotic activities, and the founder of Tiếng Dân (People’s Voice).

After the success of the August 1945 Revolution, President Hồ Chí Minh invited him to join the government system, and Khang served as Acting State President. He died in 1947 while on an inspection tour of the central region.

The Scholar Huỳnh Thúc Kháng Memorial House was built by his father in 1869 on a total area of over 1,700 sq.m in the style typical of Nguyễn Dynasty (1802-1945) architecture. It is a three-section house with a tiled roof and skillfully carved wooden frame. Many artifacts and documents relating to Kháng’s revolutionary life are on display there.

Scholar Huỳnh Thúc Kháng Memorial House was recognised as a national historical and cultural relic in 1990 and has been through many rennovations and embellishments. — VNS