Ngoc Bai Communal House

Ngoc Bai Communal House was ranked at City level under Decision No. 6932/QD-UBND dated December 15, 2016, by the Hanoi City People's Committee

Ngoc Bai Communal House currently stands on land in the residential area. Its component parts include: the Nghi Mon (ceremonial gate), courtyard, Tien Te (front hall), and Hau Cung (rear sanctuary).

Ngoc Bai Communal House has a fairly early construction history; through the ups and downs of national history, no documents concerning the date of its initial construction remain. To determine that date, the following bases can be used:
Based on the system of royal edicts still kept at the relic: the earliest edict dates to Canh Hung 28 (1767); an edict of Quang Trung 3 (1790); the latest is an edict of Tu Duc 33 (1880).
Based on the system of stone stelae still kept at Ngoc Bai Communal House, including the Thanh Thai 3 (1891) stele; the Ky Ky stele of Tu Duc 13 (1860); the Dong Giap Tan Cong Phu Hau Than stele; a faded Ky Ky stele of unclear date; and the Ky Ki stele (with faded characters) of Bao Dai 2 (1926).

In addition, there are many worship objects such as dragon thrones and spirit tablets, incense tables, ceremonial curtains... in the artistic style of the Nguyen dynasty.
According to accounts by elderly people in the Management Subcommittee of Ngoc Bai Communal House Relic, on March 1, 1949, the French destroyed Ngoc Bai Communal House to build a post.
In 1952, the rear sanctuary was built.
In 2002, the front hall was built.
Thus, based on the above evidence, we can conclude that Ngoc Bai Communal House was initially built at least in the Le era, then was restored and repaired several times in the Nguyen era, and some components were embellished in recent years.

* Ceremonial gate:

The relic begins with the ceremonial gate, which has four main pillars. The pillar tops are decorated with four phoenixes, their heads facing four directions and tails meeting to form gable shapes, symbolizing phoenixes upholding justice and virtue; their eyes are the sun and moon, wings are wind, feathers are plants... the phoenix is a symbol of the universe's vitality in the four directions, bringing prosperity to the world. The four sides of the ridge are tiger-face motifs, symbols of happiness and prayers for good harvests; the four corners are represented by four dragon heads, expressing wishes for water and rain through the deity and for happiness everywhere. Next are lantern panels decorated with the four sacred creatures; the pillar bodies are edged and lined, with raised Chinese couplets in the middle, and the pillars are tied at the neck.

* Front hall:

The front hall is built in three bays, roofed with local tiles, the ridge covered with Western tiles, the long edges built in dinh-style, with a stepped foundation below and nail-head motifs. It has four rows of columns corresponding to four roof trusses; the two central trusses are built in the thuong gia chieng, trung ke ngoi, ha ke lien bay style; the two end trusses are built in the thuong con, trung con, ha ke bay style. Above is a system of balusters, while below is left open (no doors) to provide ventilation for the relic; the end walls are built of laterite.
Rear sanctuary:

After a small courtyard of about 40 cm is the rear sanctuary. The rear sanctuary is a longitudinal house connected from the central bay of the Dai Bai to the rear, forming a Dinh-character architecture with three longitudinal bays in tien dao hau doc style, roofed with local tiles, and a ridge in dinh style. In front, the rear sanctuary opens with a wooden folding-door system; two curved roof eaves are decorated with stylized dragons, giving the roof lightness; the corners are decorated with nghe in a running-inward posture. The two outer roof trusses rest on the two end walls; the two central trusses are uniformly made in thuong con, ha con, bay style; the con panels are decorated with dragons with sharp claws, the four sacred creatures, clouds, water waves...; the roof is covered with local tiles, and the rear sanctuary is built of laterite. Here a wooden lining about 2.1 m high serves as the place of worship for the village tutelary god, above which worship objects such as the throne, bronze lampstands, water vessel set, and other relics are arranged.
In the center of the rear sanctuary hangs a pair of Chinese-character couplets praising the Saint's virtue.

Value of the relic
1. Historical, cultural, and scientific values:
Ngoc Liep—a place marked by many victories in the struggle against foreign invaders, defending the land and the village, a place preserving traditional cultural essences, and a source of pride for generations of young people. The people of Ngoc Liep have always had a tradition of diligence in labor and production and steadfastness and bravery in combat, leaving to posterity glorious pages of history and indomitable examples so that today's descendants of Ngoc Liep can continue the tradition and build their homeland to be ever richer and more beautiful.
The tutelary gods worshipped at the Ngoc Liep Communal House relic are those who had merit with the country and people, helped the people drive out foreign invaders and protected and upheld peace in life. Their achievements, conduct, images, and legends are recorded in historical books and in the local people's subconscious. In general, however, this is a form of worship of national heroes against invasion, a long-standing cultural tradition formed from the soul of the Vietnamese people. Worshipping these deities is a precious tradition of our nation. The deities are honored as bright examples for all generations of people to follow. Ngoc Bai Communal House is a relic closely tied to the life of the local residents.

The communal house embodies historical, cultural, scientific, and artistic values, helping affirm the depth of cultural tradition expressed in a complete and tightly organized village structure with fine institutions preserved to this day. Located in an open position, the communal house has a strong traditional cultural atmosphere together with the village pagoda. Ngoc Bai Communal House Relic will become a cultural tourism destination within the overall system of relics in the region.

At Ngoc Bai Communal House Relic, 3 royal edicts dating to Canh Hung 28 (1767), Quang Trung 3 (1790), and Tu Duc 33 (1880) are still preserved. Seven stone stelae dating to the Nguyen era, through this documentary system, not only affirm the founding of the communal house but also constitute a valuable source for research on social history, economy, culture, and decorative art... under the monarchical dynasties.
Through the struggle against foreign invaders to defend the Fatherland, Ngoc Liep was honored by the State with Second- and Third-Class Resistance War Medals, posthumously conferred the title of Vietnamese Heroic Mother on 6 mothers, and various medals and orders on collectives and individuals.
* On architectural and artistic value:
Over its long existence, Ngoc Bai Communal House has preserved the appearance of a traditional communal house with curved roof eaves, laterite walls, and reliefs of dragons, phoenixes, the four sacred creatures... In particular, Ngoc Bai Communal House still keeps a system of wooden artifacts such as worship thrones, spirit tablets, horizontal plaques, couplets... which are artifacts of quite beautiful artistic style. These objects reflect the creative talent in traditional carving art of the craftsmen of the time. They are also a valuable source on history, culture, and decorative art, helping scientists and researchers understand more deeply the history, culture, and art of this land.
Like many other historical and cultural relics, Ngoc Bai Communal House is always a place for spiritual and cultural activities, a place to educate the people in tradition, and a place to regulate the behavior and ethics of remembering the source when drinking water for each local member.
The annual festival held at the relic is also a folk cultural activity oriented toward origins. The organization of rituals and folk games increasingly integrates and is closely connected with the life of local people and visitors from all directions. That is how previous generations educate today's and future generations in compassion, humanity, and love for the homeland and country.