LỖ GIAO COMMUNAL HOUSE, LỖ GIAO VILLAGE, THƯ LÂM COMMUNE, HÀ NỘI CITY
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Introduction
LỖ GIAO COMMUNAL HOUSE – HISTORICAL AND ARCHITECTURAL-ARTISTIC RELIC
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LỖ GIAO COMMUNAL HOUSE – HISTORICAL AND ARCHITECTURAL-ARTISTIC RELIC
Lỗ Giao Communal House is located at Lỗ Giao Village, Thư Lâm Commune, Hà Nội City, a traditional religious work of outstanding value in history, culture and architectural art. The communal house is also called Rỗ Giao or Giỗ Giao, named after the village's vernacular name.
The land of Lỗ Giao lies in an area with a history spanning thousands of years. Through the discovery of archaeological artifacts in the area, documents show that this was a settlement area of ancient Vietnamese people from very early on. Folk legends also tell that this land was once a place for recruiting soldiers of Phù Đổng Thiên Vương during the campaign against the Ân invaders.
Lỗ Giao Communal House is located on a large plot of land at the entrance to the village; in front of the communal house, it faces the fields, creating an open space. Adjacent is a large lotus pond; this place was formerly also a water puppet performance space during festivals, Tết and village fairs. The communal house courtyard is large, paved with bricks, surrounded by many ancient trees, creating an antique, intimate scene deeply characteristic of the Northern Vietnam countryside.
Based on extant documents, it can be inferred that Lỗ Giao Communal House was originally built in ancient times, around the 17th century. After many restorations and repairs, including a renovation around 2009–2010, the communal house still preserves structural components and decorative panels bearing the imprint of ancient village communal house architecture. The restoration of the ceremonial gate also contributes to enhancing the value and beauty of the overall relic. 111
Lỗ Giao Communal House originated from a temple dedicated to gods and is a place of worship for three Thành hoàng (village guardian deities) who rendered service to the country, including Cao Sơn, Quý Minh and A Nương. According to documents, the gods Cao Sơn and Quý Minh helped Hùng Duệ Vương fight the invaders; Lady A Nương, also called Thánh Bà, was a female general during the era of the Hai Bà Trưng. The worship of the Thành hoàng over many generations expresses the tradition of gratitude and remembrance of those who rendered service to the people and the country, while also reflecting the rich religious life of the local community. 111
The ceremonial gate of Lỗ Giao Communal House was built in the four-pillarstyle, with one large gate and two small gates leading into the relic space. The pillars are decorated with images of the four sacred creatures. A distinctive feature of the ceremonial gate is that all gates have four curved roofs with upturned corners, along with a system of large wooden doors made in the upper-lattice/lower-plank style, giving the structure an imposing, solid and solemn appearance.
Beyond the ceremonial gate is the main architectural space of the communal house. The structure has a layout in the form of 'ding', including the main hall and the rear sanctuary. The main hall consists of 3 bays and 2 wide side wings, roofed with native tiles; the ridge is built in the bờ đinh style, decorated with unicorns running along the ridge, cloud clusters, dragons and phoenixes at the upturned roof corners. The folding door system running along the front facade is made in the upper-lattice/lower-plank style, both creating solidity and preserving the traditional beauty of Northern Vietnamese village communal house architecture.
The communal house's rear sanctuary consists of 3 bays, connected to the central bay of the main hall running lengthwise, forming a T-shaped structure. The rear sanctuary roof is made in the style of two-tiered overlapping eaves. Its roof trusses are simpler than those of the main worship hall, mainly plain planing and simple rafter supports. Near the walls, brick platforms were built as altars. The central bay of the rear sanctuary is the most solemn space, where ritual objects, thrones, memorial tablets, and hats and robes of the village tutelary deities are placed. 111
One of the most outstanding values of Lo Giao Communal House is the system of architectural carvings on the cốn panels, đầu dư beam ends, con chồng brackets, and xà rường beams, bearing the artistic style of around the 17th–18th centuries. In particular, the carved panels strongly reflect the sculptural art of the Later Le period, demonstrating the technical level and aesthetic sensibility of former craftsmen.
The cốn panels are decorated on both sides using techniques openwork carving, relief carving, and high-relief carving, creating many rich and vivid layers of imagery. The decorative themes are diverse with familiar motifs in traditional fine arts such as the four sacred creatures, the four noble plants, a dragon curling in water, a dancing phoenix, and a unicorn attending.
These carved panels not only enhance the beauty of the building but are also valuable artworks, reflecting the exquisite carving technique of folk artisans. According to documents, Lo Giao Communal House is one of the few communal houses in the region that still preserves beautiful, rich carvings of high artistic value. 111
Besides its architectural value, Lo Giao Communal House also preserves a system of valuable documents and artifacts. Typical are 2 deity genealogies recording the legends of the three deities worshipped at the communal house, namely Cao Son, Quy Minh, and A Nuong (Holy Lady).
In particular, the communal house also preserves 16 imperial edicts from many dynasties. Among them are 2 edicts under the 46th year of Canh Hung (1785); 2 edicts under the 2nd year of Minh Menh (1821); 2 edicts under the 33rd year of Tu Duc (1880); 1 edict under the 2nd year of Dong Khanh (1886); 2 edicts under the 16th year of Thanh Thai (1904); 1 edict under the 3rd year of Duy Tan (1909); and 4 edicts under the 9th year of Khai Dinh (1924).
Along with the system of deity genealogies and imperial edicts, the communal house also preserves many valuable artifacts such as 1 incense altar; 2 horizontal lacquered boards; 3 pairs of parallel couplets praising the merits of the deities and the beauty of the communal house; 3 sets of eight-bearer palanquins; a long palanquin; 1 altar shrine; 2 thrones for memorial tablets made of lacquered and gilded wood.
Another notable artifact is a stone chime with the reign year Chinh Hoa the 7th (1686). In addition, the communal house also has a set of ten bat bửu objects, the upper part covered with copper, decorated with themes of the four sacred creatures interspersed with the four noble plants. The artifacts preserved at the communal house have different dates and artistic values, many bearing the artistic imprint of the 19th century. 111
Not only is it a religious architectural work, Lo Giao Communal House is also a space for the community's traditional cultural activities. Every year, Lo Giao village holds a festival on the 10th day of the 8th lunar month. This is an occasion for local people to remember the merits of the tutelary deities and at the same time maintain customs, rituals, and cultural beauty handed down through many generations.
With outstanding historical and artistic architectural values, Lo Giao Communal House was ranked as a national historical and artistic architectural relic under Decision No. 05/1998/QD-BVHTT dated January 24, 1998. 111
Over many centuries of existence, Lo Giao Communal House still preserves precious imprints of the history, architecture, and cultural and religious life of the local community. From the ancient village communal house space, traditional architectural system, and carved panels bearing the artistic style of the 17th–18th centuries to deity genealogies, imperial edicts, and the system of precious ritual objects, all create the distinctive value of the relic.
Today, Lo Giao Communal House, Lo Giao village, Thu Lam commune, Hanoi city continues to be a place that preserves the community's cultural and religious life and is a destination rich in historical and cultural value. Preserving and promoting the value of Lo Giao Communal House not only contributes to safeguarding the traditional cultural identity of the homeland but also enriches the heritage system and cultural destinations of Thu Lam commune and the capital Hanoi.
