Hoa Ha Communal House

Hoa Ha Communal House, Hoa Khe Village, Dai Xuyen Commune, Hanoi City, is a city-level historical-cultural relic, ranked under Decision No. 1760/QD-UBND dated April 2, 2014, of the Hanoi City People's Committee. The communal house is a traditional religious work of the local residential community, dedicated to the village Tutelary God, and is associated with the history of formation and development of Hoa Ha Village. It is a place for religious activities and the practice of traditional rituals and customs of the community, with values in history, culture, belief, and community life of local people.

In the cultural space of rural villages in the southern part of the capital, ancient communal houses have always held a special position. More than religious architectural works, village communal houses are also places that preserve community memory, customs, festivals, and traditional values passed down through many generations. Hoa Ha Communal House, in Dai Xuyen Commune, Hanoi City, can be viewed within that rich traditional cultural space.

Dai Xuyen Commune is currently an administrative unit of Hanoi City; official local information is posted on the Dai Xuyen Commune electronic portal. The imprint of a Vietnamese village space. Village communal houses have long been closely associated with the life of residents in the Red River Delta. It is a place where people turn to the gods revered by the community, and at the same time a common living space of the village. Over time, the communal house has become part of the rural landscape, associated with village roads, banyan trees, water wharves, and simple community activities. For Hoa Ha Communal House, the value worthy of respect first lies in the significance of a community cultural institution. The communal house is not only present as an architectural work but also a place connecting generations of residents, giving local people a space to remember their ancestors, practice customs, and preserve traditional cultural features. A place preserving community memory. A village communal house often contains many layers of memory. Holidays, festivals, ceremonies, meetings, and community activities all contribute to creating the unique story of each communal house. Therefore, when learning about Hoa Ha Communal House, one should not look at it only as an ancient work. What is more important is to recognize the relationship between the relic – the countryside – the people. The communal house exists with the community, and the community itself is the subject that preserves and transmits the values of the communal house.

In the context of Dai Xuyen Commune continuing to develop and undergoing changes in economy, infrastructure, and social life, the preservation of traditional cultural spaces such as village communal houses is even more meaningful. Information on the commune's portal shows that the locality is currently also implementing many activities in land management, infrastructure, and socio-economic development. Cultural values need to be preserved. Rural heritage is not only in artifacts or remaining architecture but also in people's memory. Stories about the origin of the communal house, the deities worshipped, traditional festival days, rituals, customs, and people who have contributed to the homeland are all valuable materials. Therefore, preserving Hoa Ha Communal House should be placed within the overall preservation of community culture. In addition to preserving architecture, landscape, and artifacts if still kept, it is also very necessary to collect documents, record the accounts of elders, restore beautiful customs, and educate younger generations about the history of their homeland. This is the way for a relic not to become a work with only material value but to continue living in the spiritual life of the people. Hoa Ha Communal House in the appearance of Dai Xuyen homeland today. Today, Dai Xuyen lies in the development space south of Hanoi. Changes in transport, economy, and life are creating a new appearance for the locality.

However, amid that process of change, cultural sites such as Hoa Ha Communal House still play a role as “memory anchors,” helping people identify their roots and preserve the unique identity of their homeland. A developing rural area is evaluated not only by roads, houses, or new works but also by its ability to protect cultural values formed over many generations. The village communal house can therefore become a bridge between past and present, between tradition and modern life. Hoa Ha Communal House is not only a place name. It can also be seen as part of the cultural memory of the Hoa Ha and Dai Xuyen community – where stories about the homeland, ancestors, and village customs are continued from generation to generation. Learning about, introducing, and preserving those values will contribute to making the cultural picture of Dai Xuyen fuller, while also helping today's generation better understand the place where they were born and grew up.