Nghia Lo Communal House (Tho Vuc)

According to the book 'Cac tran, tong, xa danh bi lam' written during the reign of King Gia Long (1810–1819), Yen Nghia commune formerly belonged to La Noi canton, Tu Liem district, Quoc Oai prefecture.

The communal house stands on high ground, facing southwest toward a large lake, surrounded by large timber trees. Its plan follows the shape of the character 'dinh', with Ta huu mac on both sides. In front are two bronze pillars 7 m high; on either side are brick-and-mortar gateways imitating eight-curved roofs made of tubular tiles. Connecting the main pillars is the gate and enclosing wall. The wall has a dragon panel and a tiger panel in relief made of lime mortar. The two square pillars measure 1.2 m on each side. Passing through the gate, one enters a brick-paved courtyard; square lotus bricks alternate with rectangular bricks extending to the communal house’s steps. On both sides of the courtyard are the left and right side halls, 7 m long and 3.8 m high. Their trusses are of the plain 'bao tron dong ben' type, with beams set into the walls, so there are no columns. The Dai bai is the main architectural work of the relic; from the courtyard, six stone steps lead up to it, and it is paved with 30 cm x 30 cm square tiles. The stone steps comprise 53 pieces; the longest is 1.53 m long, 14 cm thick, and 24 cm wide. The Dai bai has an interior 7 m wide and 15.5 m long, with 24 columns. The communal house has three bays and two curved-roof wings; the Dai bai is enclosed by brick walls for protection. The trusses inside the Dai bai are made in the 'chong ruong con nhi' style, and a tiger emblem is molded on the upper beam. The two trusses of the central bay have four corner panels carved on four inner and four outer faces with phoenixes, dragons curling in water, and turtles. Other corner panels depict bamboo branches turning into dragons. The eave brackets are carved with leaves and leaves stylized into dragons. Overall, the architecture is simple and bears the late Nguyen style. In the Hau cung are two sets of dragon thrones and spirit tablets, including one tablet dating to the Later Le period and one to the Nguyen period. There are three offering stands and nine figs, one jar with dark blue enamel decoration for offerings (offering water). One Bat Trang eel-skin ceramic incense bowl, two round incense bowls, two pairs of candles, 2 horizontal plaques, and 2 sets of eight-carriage palanquins. In particular, the communal house still holds a stone stele 65 cm high and 40 cm wide, inscribed 'Hoi khoa Tien si', engraved with the surnames of Nghia Lo people who passed examinations in the reigns of King Le Thanh Tong (1463), in the fourth year of Quang Thuan; the fourth reign of King Le Hien Tong (1499), the second year of Canh Thong; the reign of King Kinh Tong (1607), and the eighth year of Hoang Dinh.

Nghia Lo Communal House worships A La Nang De and her younger brother Quoc Cong. Legend says that formerly Mr. Nguyen Vien, a native of Chau Ai, came to Co Chau to serve as an official under the Han; he hated the cruel invaders and secretly allied with forces against To Dinh. But like Thi Sach, he was killed by To Dinh. His elder daughter was A La and his son was Quoc. When Hai Ba Trung issued the call for uprising, the two siblings recruited soldiers in the region and brought them to join the uprising at Hat River. A La was appointed vanguard general of a troop. The two siblings achieved great merit in defeating the Han invaders and liberating the country. Hai Ba Trung granted them rewards and titles and allowed them to return to establish a hamlet and train troops in the Day River area. There, A La and her younger brother planted mulberries, raised silkworms and grew rice with the people, caring for their lives and training soldiers. When the Han sent Ma Vien to invade our country again, Hai Ba Trung were defeated, and A La and her younger brother sacrificed themselves heroically on the Hat River. To remember the merit of the two talented generals, the local people built a shrine; the villagers of Nghia Lo worship A La and her younger brother as the village tutelary deity and the patron deity of the people.

HISTORICAL EVENTS AND FIGURES

Nghia Lo is a silted area of the Nhi Ha River, a branch of the Day River, which annually deposits alluvium, creating fertile land there; as population gathered densely and villages formed, religion inevitably emerged, and the communal house was born.

Based on the Ngoc pha kept in the communal house and on legend and worship taboos, we know that the communal house worships the following deity:

Along the Day and Tich rivers, in many places people worship A La Nang De and her younger brother Quoc Cong. Many translated genealogies call her A La Nang De or A La Nuong Nuong or A La Nuong Nuong De. These names all refer to one person, Lady A La, a talented general under the Hai Ba Trung period.

Legend says that Mr. Nguyen Vien, a native of Chau Ai (now the Thanh Hoa region), came to Co Chau (the Quoc Oai region) to serve as a minor official under the Han; he hated the cruel invaders and secretly allied with forces against To Dinh. But like Thi Sach (the husband of Trung Trac), he was killed by To Dinh. When he died, he left a wife and two children. His elder daughter was A La and his son was Quoc. The mother and two children worked hard to support one another. When she grew up, A La was beautiful and unusually talented. When Hai Ba Trung issued the call for uprising, the two siblings A La recruited soldiers in the region and brought them to join the uprising at Hat River. A La was appointed vanguard general commanding a troop. The two siblings A La achieved great merit in driving out the Han invaders and liberating the country. Hai Ba Trung granted them rewards and titles and allowed them to return to establish a hamlet and train troops in the Day River area (Quoc Oai). There, A La and her younger brother planted mulberries, raised silkworms and grew rice, caring for life and training soldiers. When the Han sent Ma Vien to invade our country again, Hai Ba Trung were defeated, and A La and Quoc Cong sacrificed themselves heroically on the Hat River. To remember the merit of the two talented generals, the local people built a shrine. The villagers of Nghia Lo worship A La and her younger brother as the village tutelary deity and the patron deity of the people.

The uprising of Hai Ba Trung was the crystallization of a whole process of struggle, sometimes secret, sometimes open, of the Vietnamese people. It was a movement of the entire army, gathering in the Hat Mon uprising led by the two ladies. The uprising succeeded; it was a broad mass movement. The outbreak of the Hai Ba Trung uprising was an awakening of national spirit against the annexation and assimilation schemes of the largest empire in Asia, then in its heyday.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELIC

Nghia Lo Communal House (Yen Nghia commune) is a valuable historical-cultural relic, preserving many imprints of Vietnamese traditional architecture, sculpture and beliefs. According to the Han-character Ngoc pha compiled by Dong cac Dai hoc si Nguyen Binh in the first year of Hong Phuc (1572), the communal house originated very early. Through remaining artifacts, especially a spirit tablet in late Later Le art style and 11 royal edicts of the Nguyen period, it can be determined that the communal house was built around the early 18th century and underwent large-scale restoration in the Dinh Mao year (1867).

The communal house was built on high ground, facing southwest, with a large lake in front and many ancient trees around, creating a harmonious landscape. Its plan is in the shape of the character Dinh, including Dai bai, Hau cung, Ta mac and Huu mac. In front are two bronze pillars about 7 m high and a gate system built of brick and tubular tiles.

The outstanding value of Nghia Lo Communal House lies in its decorative and carved art. On the pillars, corner panels and trusses appear many traditional images such as the four sacred creatures (dragon, unicorn, turtle, phoenix), tiger emblems, dragons, carp leaping over Vu Mon, lions playing with a ball, and intricately carved leaf and floral motifs. These images express ancient conceptions of strength, longevity, luck and the aspiration to rise.

Inside the communal house many precious artifacts are preserved, such as dragon thrones, spirit tablets, incense bowls, altars, sets of eight treasures, ceremonial weapons, halberds, horizontal plaques, couplets and a stone stele recording villagers who passed examinations under various dynasties. These are valuable materials for studying local history, culture and the tradition of valuing learning.