Phung Village Communal House

Bung Village Communal House worships General Phung Thanh Hoa². Legend has it that as a child, he was intelligent and well-versed in military strategy and martial arts. In 541, when Ly Bi raised the banner of uprising against the Liang army (China), he gathered local volunteers to rise up in response. After defeating the enemy, Ly Bi proclaimed himself king and founded the state of Van Xuan. The Liang dynasty again ... sent troops to invade our country; Phung Thanh Hoa was appointed by the king as Right General, and together with Left General Trieu Quang Phuc, he charged to the front line to fight decisively against the enemy. After the enemy was defeated, Phung Thanh Hoa returned, took the land of An Hoa Trang as a place to settle and renamed the village Phung Gia Trang. After his death, he was conferred as a tutelary deity and the villagers revered him as the Tutelary God of Bung Village.

Some artifacts still kept at the communal house, such as carved brackets, a dragon palanquin... have confirmed that Bung Village Communal House was built during the Later Le period (1583-1788). In 1936, the communal house was repaired, with a J-shaped structure; the rear sanctuary is connected to the main hall with 5 bays, floored with wood, and the communal house columns are large, up to 50-60 cm in diameter; around the communal house railings were erected, and on both sides are the left and right corridors. In 1947, implementing the policy of 'scorched earth resistance' against the French colonialists, the main hall was dismantled, leaving only the rear sanctuary. In 1952, the communal house was rebuilt but deteriorated due to war and time. In 2007, the local government and people rebuilt the communal house according to the old structure.

Currently, the communal house still preserves one palanquin from the Le period, one palanquin from the Nguyen period, 2 Nguyen-period edicts conferring the title 'Trung dang than', 1 genealogy of the deity, 2 large horizontal plaques inscribed 'Huong than Huu so' and 'Thanh cung van tue', and 1 carved, lacquered and gilded scroll inscribed with a poem praising the merits of the tutelary god:

The sacred and pure spirit remains ever majestic
The righteous energy stands tall and imposing
Waves surge, waters rise, the deity's power works
Mountains and rivers shine with the saint's merit
His bright merits are recorded in the history of the Early Ly
His illustrious deeds are clearly recorded in the Later Le era
Wealth and talent remain with heaven and earth.
Great grace is handed down for all ages

A rough translation is:
The pure and sacred spirit lasts forever.
It testifies to a bright and lofty integrity.
Waves rise and waters swell through the deity's power.
The rivers and mountains shine bright, recording his mighty deeds?
His bright merits shine in the Early Ly dynasty.
In the Later Le era his achievements are clearly recorded.
Heaven and earth leave behind a rich and beautiful life.
For all generations his deep grace is engraved.