Dục Tú Communal House

The Dục Tú communal house and pagoda relic site is located in Dục Tú Village, Dục Tú Commune. Dục Tú also has a narrower meaning as a place of “sacred land and outstanding people” that ancient books praised as “Dục Chung Anh - Tú Hải Hà” meaning: nurturing sacred energy to beautify rivers and seas. Located in the settlement area of ancient Vietnamese people, the land of Dục Tú has a history thousands of years thick. According to archaeological data at the Đồng Vông, Đường Mây, Bãi Mèn, Đình Tràng, Dục Tú... sites, with archaeological artifacts of stone, bronze, pottery, and burned rice grains, this land contains cultural layers from many eras, and before Thục An Dương Vương established the capital at Cổ Loa, the people of Dục Tú had already gathered into villages and hamlets beside the ancient river near the Cổ Loa citadel. From the earliest period with the name Bến Hamlet, then Bến Dộc, to Dệt Hamlet (referring to villagers who raised silkworms and wove fabric), then Dộc Hamlet, then Kẻ Dộc, Cổ Giang Hương, and finally the name Dục Tú. In relation to the Cổ Loa capital, Dục Tú was also a gateway into the citadel. Officials often stopped to rest in Dục Tú before reaching Cổ Loa citadel.

Dục Tú Communal House worships the village guardian deity Sĩ Nhiếp, a Chinese man from Quảng Tín County, Thương Ngô Commandery. Sĩ Nhiếp served as Thái Thú of Giao Châu (Giao Chỉ), was granted the title Long bộ đình hầu, and established his capital at Liên Lâu (Thuận Thành – Bắc Ninh); he was credited with spreading Chinese characters into the land of Việt. During his time as Thái Thú, tradition says he cared for and improved the lives of the people. According to Chinese historical records and ancient Vietnamese texts, Tích Quang, Nhân Diên, and Sĩ Nhiếp played very important roles in promoting the Sinicization process in Giao Châu by actively opening schools. During nearly 40 years as Thái Thú of Giao Châu, he adopted and respected the customs, habits, and daily life of the Vietnamese people. Therefore, the people, especially Confucian scholars, called him “Sĩ Vương” and honored him as: “Nam Giao học tổ”. Later he was posthumously conferred by the Trần dynasty as Thiên cảm gia ứng linh vũ đại vương. He was evaluated by contemporary Vietnamese historians as a positive and respected figure. Dục Tú Communal House is located on land at the western head of the village, in spacious, airy, and beautiful grounds. The communal house was restored in the mid-18th century (according to local folklore) and during the Nguyễn period (based on the inscription on the first beam in the Đại đình). The communal house has a large architectural scale, with an overall structure including: the communal well, courtyard, Tiền tế, Đại đình, and Hậu cung. The wide communal courtyard is paved with old Bát Tràng bricks.

The communal house faces west; the wide pond in front of the communal house has long been called by villagers the communal well; previously the whole village shared this well for daily water for eating and drinking... The well is enclosed by a surrounding bank. The five-bay Tiền tế has four corners with curved upturned roofs, creating an elegant and soft appearance; the roof is covered with di tiles, on the ridge are molded dragons facing the moon, on the borders are molded kỳ lân, and at the corners are molded phoenixes and clouds. The area around the Tiền tế is entirely open, with no enclosing wall. The Tiền tế was built in 1932, yet its architecture is beautiful and elegant, with decorative patterns strongly bearing the late Nguyễn style. The Đại đình has seven bays, four rows of columns, a floor paved with bát bricks, curved upturned roof corners, lemon-flower decorations on the ridge, and in the center are molded sun and stylized clouds, with kỳ lân running along the borders. The three-bay Hậu cung connected to the rear is built in the đầu hồi bít đốc style with four rows of columns. Among the architectural decorations, mention must be made of carved panels featuring a large phoenix in the center in a dancing posture, its two wings spread wide, with each wing feather carved powerfully and decisively, making the phoenix posture strong. Below the phoenix is a turtle rolling in water carrying a lotus leaf, with the water waves as chrysanthemum-vine patterns; on the beam bodies, brackets, and rafter ends are embossed with chrysanthemum vines. In the central bay of the Đại đình, the đầu dư are carved with beautiful dragon heads.... The carved images on the main trusses centered on dragons, symbols of the sky; the writhing dragons highlight the swirling clouds. From the dragon's mouth spews a stream of water dotted with carp swimming upstream... Each animal has its own appearance and diverse form, making the carved panels highly artistic and representative of Nguyễn-period sculpture.

Dục Tú Communal House has a very early founding history, but the physical traces of its initial construction no longer remain. The relic currently exists with architecture mainly from the Lê Trung Hưng period and was renovated in the Nguyễn period, with traces remaining on the pair of first beams in the Đại đình that read:“Tự Đức thập nhị niên tuế thứ kỷ mùi tứ nguyệt cát nhật đoài thượng giáp trùng tu”. And “Tự Đức thập nhị niên tuế Kỷ Mùi mệnh hạ cát nhật trùng tu thượng lương” meaning the communal house was restored in the 12th year of Tự Đức (1859). According to the elders, an earlier restoration took place in the mid-17th century; the above lines record the second restoration in the spring of 1859. Later, because of termite damage over the years, the communal house was repaired many times while retaining its current architecture. Thus, in nearly 400 years of existence, the relic has been restored and repaired many times, and through each repair, past artisans left later generations enduring evidence through decorative works on wood and materials used to restore and embellish the relic.