Lai Tao Communal House

Lai Tao Communal House is a typical cultural and spiritual work, located on a large, high, and airy plot in the center of the ancient Lai Tao village, now in Tran Phu hamlet, Lai Tao Village, Phuc Son Commune. The communal house worships three Great Kings (First Great King Cao Que Minh, upper-ranking deity; Second Great King Cao Tuan, middle-ranking deity; Second Great King Cao Chau Phap, middle-ranking deity), who were three brothers of the Cao family, generals in the era of the Trung Sisters, and Saint Tan Vien. The communal house was restored from the summer of 1912, facing east toward the Day River, with limestone mountains in the distance, creating beautiful land with rich feng shui significance. The work was built in a Dinh-shaped layout, carrying the architectural style of the late Nguyen period, with an incense hall, main worship hall, rear sanctuary, and two balanced rows of left and right side halls. The communal house stands out for its system of large wooden columns made of precious woods such as lim, sen, and tau; its roof is covered with ri tiles, with softly curved roof corners, and on the roof is an image of two dragons flanking the moon. Many carved details in the communal house are very vivid, showing images of carp, squirrels, monkeys, crocodiles, and many distinctive folk motifs. Not only of architectural value, Lai Tao Communal House also preserves many precious worship objects, horizontal plaques, couplets, and ancient palanquins solemnly lacquered and gilded.

Besides historical and artistic value, Lai Tao Communal House is also deeply connected to the spiritual life and struggle history of local people. This is a place to worship Bo Ha, the center of the village's religious convergence during festivals, where community activities, entertainment, singing, and dancing take place on the communal yard of more than 200m². During the resistance wars against France and the United States, the communal house was once a place for many meetings, rallies, and revolutionary activities, as well as a place to evacuate agencies and produce for the resistance. Although it was devastated by war, the communal house was still preserved, repaired, and embellished by the people, especially in 2003, when the communal pond, Uncle Ho's shrine, and the grounds continued to be built more spaciously. For the people of Lai Tao, the communal house is not only an ancient relic but also a symbol of the homeland, a place preserving the memories, traditions, and pride of many generations.

With its historical values, Lai Tao Communal House was ranked in 2008.