National-level relic site, Bảo Vệ Communal House, Phúc Thọ Commune, Hà Nội City

National-level relic site, Bảo Vệ Communal House, Phúc Thọ Commune, Hà Nội City

Bảo Vệ Communal House is located in Bảo Vệ Village, Phúc Thọ Commune, Hà Nội City. Bảo Vệ Communal House is a place of worship for the village tutelary deity Trương Hát, a skilled general of Việt Vương Triệu Quang Phục who made great contributions to reclaiming national sovereignty after Emperor Lý Nam Đế passed away (6th century). Bảo Vệ Village, Phúc Thọ Commune, has two relics, Bảo Vệ Communal House and Long Đại Temple, both worshipping the village tutelary deity, Mr. Trương Hát.

According to the accounts of elderly villagers, Bảo Vệ Village Communal House was built long ago. The communal house faces southwest; in front of its gate is a small pond, next to it is the village road, and beside it is an ancient banyan tree that is lush all year round, with clusters of roots hanging down over the communal house yard, creating a familiar and intimate scene: banyan tree, water wharf, and communal house yard are commonly found in Vietnamese rural villages.

The communal house was first renovated in the Bảo Đại Tân Mùi year (1936) and has many times been restored and repaired by local people... In 2024, Bảo Vệ Communal House received attention from local authorities, who carried out restoration and embellishment of the Main Hall item (including the Great Worship Hall and Rear Sanctuary) and upgraded the technical infrastructure system using the state budget.

The traditional festival of Bảo Vệ Communal House takes place on the 11th and 12th days of the second lunar month every year; during the festival, villagers organize the Tế Thánh ceremony at the communal house according to traditional rituals, along with cultural and artistic activities and folk games, creating a joyful and exciting atmosphere among the people.

In addition, at Bảo Vệ Communal House and Long Đại Temple, there are important festival days: the birthday of the village tutelary deity on the 4th and 5th days of the first lunar month and the death anniversary of the village tutelary deity on the 10th day of the fourth lunar month every year; especially on the afternoon of the 4th day of the first lunar month, there is a palanquin procession of the village tutelary deity from Bảo Vệ Communal House to Long Đại Temple and a procession back to the communal house in the evening of the same day.

The traditional rituals at Bảo Vệ Communal House and Long Đại Temple express reverence for the village tutelary deity and remind local people to remember their roots, be grateful to their ancestors, and awaken love for their homeland and country and a spirit of solidarity.

With its outstanding historical and cultural values, Bảo Vệ Communal House was ranked as a national-level relic under Decision No. 68-VH/QĐ dated January 29, 1993, by the Ministry of Culture and Information (now the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism).