Ho Tan Phan’s mammoth collection of artifacts stored in his house in Hue needs a proper space so these ancient vestiges can be preserved as well as displayed to the public
Nestled amidst a verdant garden in a quiet hamlet, the house of Ho Tan Phan serves as a gathering spot for antique lovers from Hue and beyond. People from all over Vietnam and overseas have travelled here to discuss and assess antiques. I know I’m in the right place when I spot row upon row of antiques sitting in the front yard.
The man of the house then materialises and ushers me into his living room, which is, in fact, just a small corner with a simple wooden table and chairs. There is little space left inside where hundreds of antiques pots are piled up to the ceiling. So surrounded by numerous old items covered by a thick layer of dust, we sip tea among the relics of Vietnam’s past. According to Phan some of the objects in the room have spanned three millenniums.
His collection of pottery can be classified into three periods: Pre-history (late 2nd century AD and earlier), Kingdom of Champa (from late 2nd century AD to early 14th century AD), and Dai Viet - Vietnam (from early 14th century AD to early 20th century AD). Pottery would have played an integral part in ceremonies which means his extensive collection offers a great insight into the ritualistic customs of the past.
It was 30 years ago when Phan decided to devote his life to researching antiques found in the rivers of the former imperial capital of Vietnam. At that time, people were dredging the river in search of discarded materials of value, such as steel or iron, which could be reused for construction. In the process antiques were constantly being uncovered. Most people would not have realised the value of what was being pulled out of the river.
However, Phan was shrewd enough to start collecting. Phan holds a 2,500-year-old jar in his hands. The jar is round at its base, which means it can’t stand on its own. But it’s incredible to think this terracotta jar has travelled through the ages and remains almost undamaged.
While for many people collecting antiques is a hobby, but Phan it is his life. He is deeply charmed by each antique as he believes that behind each item there’s a story of history and culture to be told. As a contributor to a journal named Nghien cuu Hue (Research Hue) and writer of regular articles on Hue’s history and culture, he borrowed the title of the semi-autobiographical novel by Marcel Proust to modestly describe his job: “À la recherche du temps perdu” (In search of a lost time). This is his motto.
This is what makes him strive to continue unearthing the past. Besides his pottery collection of over 10,000 items, he has a valuable library of books and never loses a chance to add to his collection. Now in his seventies, Phan is still on the move. With an old motorbike, he still goes on field trips to distant rural areas in Thua Thien Hue province in search of antiques and, as he puts it, to learn from other people.
He admits that there are many places he would like to visit but time is limited, money is tight, and health is no longer in abundance. Nevertheless, his friends who live in other provinces, help Phan out with his research where they can. Phan also dreams of setting up a private museum where his antiques can be protected and displayed. As I have seen his antique collection has already filled his house and spilled out into the lawn where much of it is exposed to the elements of nature. Every year he has to deal with the threat of floods.
“It took me months to clean the thick layer of mud off some of the objects after the last flood,” he says, looking at his weathered fingers. After the catastrophic floods of 1999, two thirds of his book collection was heavily damaged. But such events have only spurred him. A thin ray of hope glistens in his eyes at the thought of finding a refuge that is equal to the value of the antiques. After all, Phan believes this collection should be open to the public. “Other people have a right to benefit from this,” he adds.
Phan has spent most of his savings on the collection and while he is well known and admired in archaeology circles, his collection is relatively unknown to the world at large. He continues to write articles in the hope of drawing attention to his research and antiques. Friends have suggested he launch a website to promote his cause. Meanwhile the antiques which have lasted through the centuries still sit in his garden. Their future is undecided, but we all know that time and tide waits for no man.
