The 3rd richest person in ancient Saigon
At that time, the business activities of the Ly family were so large that people said that half of the people in the West bought necessities from Ly Tuong Quang. He became the king of necessities.
With capital, Mr. Quang expanded his business to real estate. He bought land with good locations and terrain in Saigon to build houses and then rent them out. Many anecdotes say that in ancient Saigon, the Xuong clan owned more than 30,000 houses.
After a few years, his real estate occupied half of the Cho Lon area, spread to Gia Dinh and became a famous wealthy man in ancient Saigon.
Because his middle name was Tuong but was pronounced in Chinese as “Xuong” by family members, Mr. Ly Tuong Quang was called Ba Ho Xuong by the people at that time. From then on, the reputation of Xuong’s ruler was famous throughout the six provinces of the South.
Document The life and career of Mr. Ly Tuong Quang records how, after becoming a rich man, Xuong decided to buy lands associated with his childhood. He immediately bought 3 small pieces of land, where he was born, grew up, and became a wealthy tycoon.
He also bought the ancient forest of Xom Boc, which was where he buried Mr. Sang E. After that, Ba Xuong bought the large plot of land where his parents were born.
I remember when I was poor when I was a teenager, my uncle bought the whole street corner where he used to sit and make rice noodles. Currently, this street corner is the corner of Tran Hung Dao and Chau Van Liem streets.
Later, he continued to expand the above lands. In each plot of land, he planted 5 lychee trees with the intention that his descendants would not forget their roots.
Rich and wealthy Xuong families also send their children to prestigious schools. His children later became successful, becoming engineers, doctors, civil servants, or choosing a business path.
Currently, in District 5 (Ho Chi Minh City) there are still traces of the peak wealth of the Xuong clan. This is an ancient house with beautiful architecture and is from the Ly family’s street. The house has been ranked as a city-level architectural and artistic relic.
During his lifetime, this house was the residence and trading headquarters of Mr. Xuong. The house was built in 1873 with precious wood and decorated with exquisite sculptures.
The interior of the house such as the altar, altar page, worship statue, wooden altar, couch, sofa… are all made from top quality wood. These products were all purchased by the seller and transported from China by ship.
Therefore, even after more than a hundred years, these products are still intact. Even more, the more you use them, the more shiny they become, taking on water and creating a very beautiful pattern.
In Tan Phu district (Ho Chi Minh City), there is also a majestic ancient tomb of the royal couple Ly Tuong Quang and his wife, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Lau. The two tombs were solidly built on a land area of about 200 square meters.
Although built more than 100 years ago, the two tombs still retain the typical beauty of Vietnamese fine art in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This is also one of the three ancient tombs recognized by Ho Chi Minh City. recognized as an architectural and artistic relic.
Mr. Ly Thanh Liem said that there are still many descendants of lord Ly Tuong Quang. Most live scatteredly in Ho Chi Minh City. Some others are residing abroad.
Every year on the anniversary of Mr. Ly Tuong Quang’s death, children and grandchildren gather at his mausoleum to burn incense and express their gratitude. The ancient tomb is also visited by many people who admire the reputation of the Xuong family and burn incense every day.