Dong Lai Communal House

Dong Lai Village, Noi Bai Commune, Hanoi City

Dong Lai Communal House is a religious architectural work dedicated to the village tutelary god, General Duong Giang from the era of the Hai Ba Trung.

The relic was at least initially built in the early Le dynasty; from then until now, Dong Lai Communal House and Pagoda have deteriorated and been restored and embellished many times during the Nguyen dynasty. The current architecture is the product of a restoration in the early 21st century. Dong Lai Communal House and Pagoda were ranked as a city-level historical relic under Decision No. 102/QĐ-UBND dated January 9, 2020 of the Hanoi City People's Committee.

The communal house still preserves a woodblock recording the divine genealogy of the tutelary god worshipped there, bearing the Thanh Thai reign title in the Quy Mao year (1903); a system of stone steles, including one stone incense tree with the Canh Thinh seventh year, twelfth month reign title (1799), and a stele bearing the Dong Khanh first year reign title (1886), along with many worship objects such as thrones, horizontal plaques, couplets, ornamental curtains, incense bowls... in the artistic style of the Nguyen dynasty.

Based on the woodblock, it shows that Dong Lai Communal House relic worships the tutelary god, His Holiness General Duong Giang from the Hai Ba Trung era. Today, according to annual custom, during Khanh Ha - the celebration day of His Holiness Duong Giang (from the 14th to 16th day of the 10th lunar month), local people organize a village festival according to local customs and practices. 

Dong Lai Communal House has a history of construction from quite early, going through the ups and downs of national history. To date, it still preserves a large quantity of stone steles, most of which have become faded, chipped, or broken, including one stone incense tree bearing the Canh Thinh seventh year, twelfth month reign title (1799), and a stele bearing the Dong Khanh first year reign title (1886).

Dong Lai Communal House was ranked as a city-level historical relic under Decision No. 102/QĐ-UBND dated January 9, 2020 of the Hanoi City People's Committee./.