Cam Thịnh Communal House, Sơn Tây Ward, Hà Nội City

Cam Thịnh Communal House is located in the center of the former Cam Thịnh village, now Đường Lâm Residential Group, Sơn Tây Ward, Hà Nội City. This is a traditional worship site with a long history, closely associated with the cultural and spiritual life of local people.

The communal house is where the local tutelary deity Thổ Kỳ Đại Vương and Đức Gia Hậu Thượng tướng quân Phù Việt Hầu Cao Phúc Diễn, together with his wife Giang Thị Thắng, are worshipped. According to historical documents, Cao Phúc Diễn was a man who helped the villagers and held many positions under the Lê Trung Hưng era. His wife Giang Thị Thắng contributed greatly to the community. The two donated land and money to help the people build the village communal house. After their death, to remember their merits, the villagers worshipped them as Đức Thánh Gia Hậu. This worship expresses the tradition of 'When drinking water, remember its source' and the gratitude of generations of Cam Thịnh people toward those who contributed to their homeland.

Cam Thịnh Communal House was built in the Lê Trung Hưng period and has undergone many repairs, with a major repair recorded in the Bính Thìn year 1916. The current structure bears a strong traditional architectural style, with main components including the nghi môn, tả mạc, and đại đình. The đại đình was built in the Đinh-shaped layout, including a three-bay, two-wing đại bái and a three-bay hậu cung. The structure is mainly wooden, with columns, beams, kẻ, bẩy, and trusses arranged according to traditional architecture. Carved details on wooden elements such as dragons, lân, flowers and leaves, hổ phù, lotuses, and other decorative motifs both create a solemn beauty and demonstrate the artistic skill of ancient craftsmen.

Besides architectural value, the communal house also preserves many artifacts and antiquities of historical and artistic value. Notable items include the stone stele 'Hậu thần bi ký' erected in the 8th year of Vĩnh Thịnh (1712), five royal edicts, horizontal lacquered boards, couplets, worship palanquins, thrones, incense tables, incense burners, and more. In particular, these artifacts help clarify the history of the relic's formation and development as well as the local community's tutelary deity worship.

Over many generations, Cam Thịnh Communal House has not only been a place of worship and organization of traditional rituals but also a space for community cultural activities, where village bonds are strengthened and generations are educated about historical traditions, moral principles, and pride in their homeland. The relic also contributes to enriching the distinctive cultural heritage system of the ancient land of Đường Lâm.