Dai Cat Communal House
Introduction
Dai Cat Communal House dates from the 17th century and is dedicated to three generals of the Trung Sisters.
The communal house is located on a high, spacious, open plot beside the village. In front of the communal house is a small lake. It faces west and has a chuoi vo layout. The communal house consists of: a Front Hall with one main bay and two side bays, built in the tuong hoi bit doc style, and a Rear Sanctuary with two bays, also built in the tuong hoi bit doc style.
The communal house worships three village tutelary deities: Mr. Quach Lang and the two ladies Dinh Bach Nuong and Dinh Tinh Nuong.
Passing through the Tam Quan gate, you will see an ancient banyan tree on the left and a martyrs' stele house on the right, built like a small square pavilion with two tiers and eight roofs. Next is a large courtyard; at the end of the courtyard is the Front Hall, with five-bay left and right wings on either side. All the architectural works have recently been extensively renovated. The communal house grounds are quite large and enclosed by walls, with a rear gate on the left at the back leading to the Temple Alley.
The Front Hall has three bays with four rows of lim wood columns facing west. There are side doors in the two rear walls, while the front and back are left open. Behind the Front Hall is an open courtyard and a five-bay Central Hall with folding panel doors. The Rear Sanctuary is two bays deep plus one side bay and connects to the Central Hall in a chuoi vo layout. All the roofs are made in the old style, with curved corner eaves decorated with dragon figures.
Inside the Front Hall and the forbidden sanctuary, many precious antiquities are still preserved, such as a bronze bell, a lo bo, a dragon throne, ancestral tablets, horizontal plaques, Chinese-character couplets, a set of dragon robes, a nghi mon panel, and a Qing dynasty porcelain jar dated to the 18th century.
Every year, the villagers hold a festival on the 10th day of the third lunar month. The festival includes boat-racing competitions on the Nhue and Hong Rivers.
On 31-01-1992, the Dai Cat communal house and temple complex was ranked by the Ministry of Culture and Information as a national architectural and artistic relic.
