via Vietnam Express, 31 July 2024: Hoi An authorities have repainted the Japanese Pagoda Bridge a darker color following public complaints that the recent renovation made it look too new and modern. The bridge, a 400-year-old structure built by Japanese merchants and a national historical and cultural heritage site since 1990, was initially painted white during the renovation. The new darker color aims to restore its ancient appearance and better harmonize with the bridge’s base.
Authorities of Hoi An have repainted the newly renovated Pagoda Bridge to make it darker, following reports saying the renovation made the bridge look out of place.
The unit responsible for renovating the Chua Cau (Japanese Pagoda Bridge) on Tuesday painted the sides of the bridge with a darker color so that it would be “more in harmony with the base”, said chairman of Hoi An Nguyen Van Son.The sides of the bridge had degraded over time. During the renovation process, authorities painted them white, but some people said the new color made the bridge lose its “ancient” qualities.
The bridge, spanning over a small canal in Hoi An, was built by Japanese merchants 400 years prior. In 1990, the bridge was granted the status of a national historical and cultural heritage. The structure has undergone seven rounds of renovation, but as it is constantly exposed to the elements, it degrades quickly.
Source: Hoi An pagoda bridge repainted amid complaints of looking ‘too new’
