Bich Luu Communal House

Bich Luu Communal House is the name used by local people from the 19th century to the present. Previously this area was originally part of Bich Du village, belonging to Tien Nghiem canton, Tho Xuong district. By the mid-19th century, Bich Du village merged with Hoa Cam and Luu Truyen villages to form Bich Luu village. Currently, the Bich Luu Communal House relic is located at No. 18 Tho Nhuom Street, Cua Nam Ward (formerly Hoan Kiem District), Hanoi City.

There are many routes to the relic and it can be reached by many different means of transport, but the most convenient and easiest is along the following axis: from the city center (Bo Ho Post Office), visitors follow Dinh Tien Hoang Street, turn into Trang Thi Street, reach the beginning of Cua Nam and turn left into Tho Nhuom Street; the Bich Luu Communal House relic is on the even-numbered side at house number 18 Tho Nhuom Street.

In the past, Bich Luu village had a craft of pressing vegetable oils such as peanut and sesame... and was popularly called Hang Dau village. Therefore, the wordDuin the village name originated from the worddầu (oil). Later, dyers from Van Hoang village (Thuong Tin) came here to settle and make a living, and the craft of pressing and selling vegetable oils moved to the shore of Hoan Kiem Lake. Legend has it that the dyeing trade on this street dates from the early Nguyen dynasty and declined under the impact of dyes brought by the French colonialists. During the French colonial period this street area was calledThe Dyers(rue des Teinturiers).

According to Han-Nom documents still preserved at the relic, such as royal investiture edicts, horizontal plaques, and spirit tablets, Bich Luu Communal House worships Chu Dong Tu and Princess Tien Dung with the famous legend of Chu Dong Tu - Tien Dung.

Chu Dong Tu (Chinese characters: 褚童子) is the name of a famous saint, one of the"Four Immortals"in Vietnamese belief. The legend of Tien Dung - Chu Dong Tu is one of themythical historiesrecorded in Linh Nam chich quai, telling about the ancient period of Vietnam.

Legend has it that Chu Dong Tu lived with his father, Chu Cu Van, in Chu Xa, Van Giang district, Hung Yen province, now part of Van Duc commune, Gia Lam district (some versions write Chu Vi Van). According to"Viet Su Giai Thoai"by Nguyen Khac Thuan - Education Publishing House). Unfortunately, the house burned down and all their property was lost; father and son had only one loincloth and had to take turns wearing it. When the father was dying, he called his son and told him to keep the loincloth for himself. Out of love for his father, Chu Dong Tu placed the loincloth with his father and endured being naked and miserable, making a living by fishing at night, while by day he stood half-submerged in water, approaching boats to sell fish or beg for food.

At that time, the third Hung King had a daughter named Tien Dung who had reached marriageable age but still only loved traveling among mountains and waters and refused to marry. One day, the princess's dragon boat came to visit that area. Hearing the sound of bells and drums, lute and flute, and seeing the procession and bustling attendants, Chu Dong Tu was frightened and hurriedly buried himself in the sand to hide. The boat came to the shore; Tien Dung went for a walk and then ordered people to set up a curtain in the reed bushes to bathe, but unexpectedly it was exactly where Chu Dong Tu was. The water gradually poured down, revealing Chu Dong Tu's body under the sand. Tien Dung was astonished, asked about the situation, thought it over, and then asked to be married to him.

When the Hung King heard the story, he was extremely angry and did not allow Tien Dung to return to the palace. She understood his intention, so she and her husband opened Ha Tham market and traded with the common people. Business was bustling and prosperous, and everyone revered Tien Dung - Chu Dong Tu as their lord (According to"Viet Su Giai Thoai"by Nguyen Khac Thuan - Education Publishing House). One day someone advised them on how to go out trading for great profit, and Tien Dung urged her husband to follow the advice. Chu Dong Tu then followed the merchants up and down everywhere. One day he passed a mountain in the middle of the sea namedQuynh Tien(some versions record it as Quynh Vi - see"Viet Su Giai Thoai"The story of Chu Dong Tu). This is the name of a mountain that exists only in mythology; Chu Dong Tu climbed to the hermitage on the mountain and met a Taoist priest named Phat Quang. Chu Dong Tu then gave money to the merchants to go buy goods, while he stayed behind to learn magic. When the boat returned to pick him up, Phat Quang gave Chu Dong Tu a staff and a conical hat, saying these were objects of supernatural power.

When he returned home, Chu Dong Tu told his wife everything. Tien Dung became enlightened, abandoned trading, and together with her husband traveled to seek a teacher and learn the Way. One day, when it was dark and they were tired with no inn or shop along the road, the couple stopped, planted the staff, and placed the conical hat over it, then rested on top. Suddenly at midnight, that place rose up into ramparts and golden palaces and jade halls, fully furnished, with attendants and soldiers everywhere. The next morning, the people around were astonished and brought incense, flowers, and sweet fruits to submit to them as subjects. From then on that place was prosperous and abundant like a separate kingdom.

When the king heard the news, he thought it meant rebellion and quickly sent troops to attack. When the royal army arrived, everyone asked to go out and resist, but Tien Dung only smiled and refused to resist her father. At nightfall, the royal troops camped at Tu Nhien beach across a river. At midnight, suddenly a great storm arose, and the citadel, palaces, and all the subjects of Tien Dung - Chu Dong Tu instantly flew up to heaven. The old ground suddenly collapsed into a very large lagoon.

The people considered this a miraculous event, so they built a shrine to worship them, offered sacrifices in all four seasons, and called that lagoon Nhat Da Trach Lagoon (One-Night Lagoon), that sandbank Bai Tu Nhien orBai Man Truand that market Ha Thi market.