Lương Nỗ Communal House

Lương Nỗ Communal House is located in Lương Nỗ Village, Phúc Thịnh Commune, Hanoi City.

The communal house was founded very early, in the Later Lê period, and underwent several renovations in the Nguyễn period. In 1990, the rear sanctuary was rebuilt on the old foundation. In 2004-2005, the main hall and rear sanctuary were restored following the architecture of the former ancient communal house. Lương Nỗ Communal House worships three deities: Đức Thánh Đương Cảnh Thành hoàng Lý Nhã Lang Linh Quang Địa Vương, Princess Ả Lã Nàng Đê, and deity Lý Uy Dũng.

Lương Nỗ Communal House stands on a large, open plot of land outside the residential area. Its architectural structures are harmoniously arranged in a spacious setting. The architectural items include the ceremonial gate and the main hall, which are harmoniously linked. In front of the communal house is the ceremonial gate, an imposing four-pillar gate with two large pillars connected to two smaller pillars to form side gates; on top of the pillars are four phoenix statues with their tails together forming a leaf-shaped 'trái giành' motif, while below, the lantern panels depict the four sacred animals, and the pillar bodies have frames bearing Chinese-character couplets. The two side pillars are decorated quite meticulously, with a pair of nghê in a kneeling/worshiping posture on top. The sections adjoining the pillars form left and right arched gates with overlapping curved eaves and imitation tubular-tile roofs. The roof ridge is decorated with two dragons flanking the sun, and the roof corners curve into dragon and cloud shapes, creating an elegant, light feel. The gable sections form rectangular frames inscribed 'Left Gate' and 'Right Gate'. The wing sections on both sides bear reliefs of two supervising mandarins and decorations themed pine-deer and plum-bird.

Past the ceremonial gate is a large courtyard paved with red bricks leading to the main hall. The main hall is built on a foundation higher than the courtyard, with brick edging around the foundation. The courtyard and main hall are connected by five stone-paved steps, with brick-paved verandas on both sides.

The communal house consists of three bays and two lean-tos with imposing curved knife-edge roofs; a three-bay rear sanctuary runs lengthwise and connects to the main worship hall, forming a 'ding'-shaped layout. Architectural decoration is provided by carved panels on the beam ends, with motifs of turning leaves, the four sacred animals, and the four noble plants.

Rear sanctuary: comprising two bays and one side bay built lengthwise at the rear and connected to the central bay of the front worship hall, creating a 'ding'-shaped ground plan. The floor is paved with red bricks and the roof is covered with local tiles. Architectural decoration focuses on carved panels at the beam ends with motifs of turning leaves, the four sacred animals, and the four noble plants. Inside the rear sanctuary there is little decorative carving, mainly smooth planed and tightly joined woodwork; at the front of the rear sanctuary is a system of panel doors, with two passageways opened on the left and right. The doors bear relief carvings themed 'phoenix holding a letter' and 'single dragon', covered with gold leaf; inside are arranged three dragon thrones worshiping the three tutelary gods.

Outside the main architectural complex, the relic site also has a four-bay auxiliary house on the right, roofed with local tiles, used as a place for preparing offerings whenever there are village affairs. The central bay of the front worship hall contains a communal altar with many ritual objects, ceremonial vessels, and several typical artifacts: three horizontal plaques, the central one in the front worship hall bearing four Chinese characters 'Anh linh mac chac'; and three couplets decorating the communal house pillars. All are elaborately carved, brightly lacquered and gilded, and date from the 19th-20th centuries.

Most notable are the three dragon thrones for worshiping the saints, which have great historical value. During the resistance wars, the communal house was destroyed, so local people moved the thrones to the village pagoda for safekeeping, and they have now been returned to the communal house. The three thrones for the three saints each have a distinct and quite perfect appearance; the throne arms are carved with dragons, the bases are decorated with dragons flanking, the four sacred animals, and the lattice panels are exquisitely carved with dragons. At present, Lương Nỗ Communal House still preserves deity records and royal edicts copied in 1938; the document consists of 4 pages in Romanized Vietnamese and 32 pages in Chinese characters, kept at the Institute of Social Science Information, code Q418/XL9. The content includes three royal edicts, one deity record, and the legends of the three human deities worshiped as village tutelary gods.

During the August Revolution, Lương Nỗ Communal House was a place where the masses gathered to participate in rallies and the uprising to seize power in Đông Anh District; it was also a venue for organizing elections to People's Councils at various levels in the locality and was used as the headquarters of the provisional revolutionary government during the resistance war against the French colonialists.

In addition to seasonal ceremonies and the first and full moon days, Lương Nỗ Communal House annually organizes a festival to honor and commemorate the merits of the deities. This is an indispensable cultural activity at the relic site. The main festival is held on the 6th and 7th days of the first lunar month. In addition, the relic site also has festivals related to the deities co-worshiped there:

+ The 25th day of the 11th lunar month (birthday) and the 9th day of the 11th lunar month (death/ascension day) of Ả Lã Nàng Đê.

+ The 9th day of the 3rd lunar month: Spring Sacrifice; the 10th day of the 8th lunar month: Autumn Sacrifice; the 9th day of the 7th lunar month: Upper-field Ceremony; the 1st day of the 4th lunar month: Lower-field Ceremony.

Offerings to the saints include vegetarian trays, as well as black pigs, sticky rice and chicken, wine, fruit, bánh chưng and bánh dày... During the two festival days, folk games are organized: Chinese chess, human chess, and tug of war.

Lương Nỗ Communal House was ranked as a city-level historical-artistic relic under Decision No. 541/QĐ-UBND dated February 2, 2009.