After all these years, the tomb still preserves its antique and expansive charm. This demonstrates Mr. Suong’s riches at the time. The burial area is designed in the style of "the ether - the earth, and the deep."

Mr. Nguyen Manh Hung (62), the third grandson of Mr. Suong, who looked after the tomb, revealed that he had been taught stories about his ancestors since he was a child.

Mr. Ha My Suong, according to Mr. Hung, was a wealthy man in Rach Gia. He had no children throughout his lifetime, thus he adopted Thiem Son, the kid of his second sister. 

Mr. Suong commenced construction of a tomb for the family in 1936. This large undertaking required the hiring of over 100 brilliant craftsmen from all around. The tomb, however, was not constructed long ago, when Mr. Suong departed this life, leaving the entire estate to Mr. Thiem Son.

"In accordance with his father's wishes, Mr. Thiem Son attempted to complete the mausoleum's incomplete pieces. They all take turns preserving the family's grave in following generations," said Nguyen Manh Hung.

The whole tomb space is almost 1,000m2, planned and erected in great detail. The stone blocks weighing one ton were purchased as far as Ngu Hanh Son - The Marble Mounts in the central city of Da Nang and brought by sea, while marble was imported from overseas for construction, according to the genealogies. Marble comes in four different colors: white, gray, light pink, and dark pink.

"When approaching the east gate, there is a rockery depicting the deep, the grave of Mr. Suong's parents in the middle, and the palace of heaven in the west. The lengthy community home within is where the remains of 9 ancestors are revered. Then there's the palace, and underneath the palace lies the underworld, where fresco paintings representing the 18 levels of hell hang, but most of them have been stolen and ruined by termites," Mr. Hung explained.

According to Mr. Hung, the mausoleum's basement is likewise a significant historical treasure. During the resistance fight against France-America, this location served as a base for revolutionary cadres. Hundreds of people scooped 2 square feet of soil, up to 10m deep, behind the ancient church to create a mound resembling a water-like artwork.

Mr. Hung added that the purpose of building this memorial site is reminding youngsters of filial piety, teaching future generations to respect and remember their roots.

Mr. Hung smiled and stated that many years ago, there was a party of tourists in Hanoi wishing to visit, including archaeologists, architects, engineers, and so on. Upon their inspection of the tomb, they determined that the building material was uncommon and that the mausoleum was worth up to 3,000 taels of gold. The narrative of the "Tomb with 3000 taels of gold" has traveled far and wide since then.

The tomb was designated an architectural and artistic relic of Kien Giang province in 1998. Every year, this location draws a large number of young historians and visitors from all around to visit and appreciate.

Hoai Thanh