Businessman builds museum for sharing artifacts

People can get lost in a world of ancient objects at one of largest national antiquity collections at Nguyen Manh Quy’s private house.
Quy at present is in the final stages of his construction work which will house more than 10,000 objects that he has been collecting for nearly 20 years.
The 39-year-old is probably the most famous person in Nui Hamlet, Dinh Tri Commune, Lang Giang District, Bac Giang Province, 60km from Ha Noi, as he has gained the reputation as a patron of the arts.
Passionate businessman
Quy has demonstrated his talent for cheo (traditional operetta) and chau van (ritual song) since he was small, a fact that encouraged him to become a student the provincial school for the performing arts.
A love for cheo and chau van took Quy from pagoda to temple and village communal house, where the arts are performed.
His regular cultural visits encouraged Quy to study more about the Han script, Vietnamese national customs and ancient artefacts.
Life was not easy, and Quy sold chickens and litchi. After making his fortune, he moved on to real estate.
It took him just a few years to become a billionaire, which allowed Quy to indulge himself in collecting Vietnamese antiques.
"I loved antiques when I was small. Now I’m delighted to own a big collection and be able to display them to the public," said Quy.
All the objects originate in Viet Nam. If a particularly intriguing object becomes available, he is happy to leave his work and take a trip to see it, no matter how far away.
In his collection, housed in 20 traditionally styled buildings on his 15,000sq.m land, the most precious object must be a Dong Son bronze drum dating back 4,000 years.
"I bought it about 15 years ago before the law was introduced making the buying of national treasures illegal. A local farmer in Trieu Son District, Thanh Hoa Province dug it in his garden and sold it to a collector who then sold it to me," says Quy.
He has been approached many times to sell the ancient artefact, on one occasion being offered a Toyota car worth VND1.2 billion (US$65,000) by a businessman in Ha Noi but he refused to sell.
"I told him that it isn’t that easy to buy such a rare drum. It must mean I’m extraordinarily lucky, and I’ll never sell it, not for any price. A car is a nice thing to have, and I don’t have one now, but I can easily get one in the future. But if I didn’t have the drum, I’d never have the opportunity of replacing it, it’d be gone for ever," he says.
The drum despite being thousands of years old is perfect. Images of birds and people on the drum bring to mind ancient festivals. Time seems to have left little mark on the object.
"It will be positioned in the most solemn place in my museum that opens next February," Quy releases.
The majority of Quy’s collection is made up of pottery and ceramic objects which are believed to date back up to 2,500 years.
"Through these things people can imagine how skilful and creative our forefathers were, making such beauties," Quy said when he points on the 100 piece ong dieu collection.
He says these ong dieu (pipes) are for men, while he also has 200 binh voi (pots of slaked lime that are used in the Vietnamese custom of chewing betel) and ong nho (spittoon) mostly for women.
"I really fell in love with them. Each of them is a discovery that makes me study more and more about the traditions and customs of our people."
In another place, Quy displays a group of objects which were lifted from a Hoi An dive off the coast of the central province of Quang Nam. These treasures include fine rare blue and white vases and bottles with gilded openwork decoration which are important late 15th and 16th century Vietnamese ceramics.
"I’m one of the first people to have seen the whole collection of objects that were brought up from the sea in 2005 and I am very lucky to have 17 of the finds. They are a unique set of vases and pots which are priceless," Quy says.
At his house, people will also have chance to witness locally-worked stone artefacts, typified by axes, swords, spearheads, knives and sickles which are located next to jars, dishes, bows, jewellery, cooking pots and human statues.
Quy is not only well-known among antiques dealers, his fame is nationwide, having appeared in Viet Nam’s Guinness book of records.
Quy says his current display is only a fraction of his collection. Many others are stored secretly and will only be shown when his 400sqm private museum opens.
The only thing that he reveals is a small bronze statue of Buddha that he bought from a fisherman years ago.
"It cost me only VND90,000 ($4.9) at the time but now it is around VND500 million ($27,000). You will see it and you will understand why," he says.
A love for culture
The 39-year-old man also is a keen supporter of traditional culture and arts.
A 300sqm area is reserved for the building of a traditional style long house which will be decorated in traditional Vietnamese style.
"I will invite researchers and experts here. They will help me make things perfect. I have prepared everything from the clothes, tools, to house ware to decorate the house," Quy says.
The man has spent time looking for typical examples of Vietnamese and Bac Giang ethnic minority people culture.
"It is not only for me, I hope I can help young people and students to learn more about our country as well as our rich and unique customs," he says.
"In my house, they will see the ao tu than of the Kinh people in the past, the clothes are a symbol not only of Bac Giang but of Viet Nam as a whole. They will also be able to see the simple styles of the Cao Lan ethnic minority people, and the colourful clothes of the Dao and Tay ethnic minorities," Quy says.
He currently has clothing from 38 ethnic groups, including 12 from Bac Giang. He says he hope to complete the collections of all 54 minorities of Viet Nam in the near future.
Traditional singing is also part of his plans. Quy has already prepared a space for its playing.
The billionaire says cheo and chau van are a key part of his life and will make his home full Vietnamese spirit. The performance of these arts will attempt to popularise the singing among young people.
"It won’t just be me, but other local senior artists will also perform when there is enough interest."
"I’m hoping that all the construction work will be complete in time to accept visitors before the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long-Ha Noi next year . It will be my present to the nation," Quy says, adding that entrance fees are free.