Phuong Liet Communal House

Phuong Liet village communal house is also called Giap Cuu communal house or by its vernacular name Vong communal house. The communal house was built facing southeast and adjoins the residential area of Phuong Liet village.

Phuong Liet village (Vong village) formerly belonged to Hoang Mai canton, Thanh Tri district, Thuong Tin prefecture, Son Nam Thuong tran. In the third year of Dong Khanh (1888), Phuong Liet belonged to Hoang Mai canton, Hoan Long district, Hanoi province; later it belonged to Phuong Liet ward, Thanh Xuan district, Hanoi city.

Phuong Liet Communal House worships the village tutelary gods Cao Son Dai Vuong and Tich Lich Hoa Quang (Hoa Quang Ton Than). The deity Cao Son, named Nguyen Hien (Hien Cong), together with his younger brother Nguyen Sung (Sung Cong), is the second deity among the Three Tan Vien Mountain Saints and made many contributions to helping the people prevent and combat natural disasters and fight foreign invaders. The deity Tich Lich Hoa Quang had the power to summon rain and wind, so King Hung conferred on him the title Tich Lich Than Vuong and assigned him the mission of suppressing demons and evil spirits that harassed good people.

Phuong Liet Communal House consists of many components: a pillar-style ceremonial gate (Nghi Mon Tru Bieu), Ta Mac (left auxiliary building), Dai Dinh (main hall) structured in the shape of the character “nhất” (一), and some auxiliary architectural works behind, together with a system of courtyards and gardens surrounding the relic site.

The Dai Dinh (main hall) was built in the style of a five-bay gable wall with closed ends, with two sloping roofs covered with ri tiles. Inside, the wooden structure is uniformly structured in the upper style of gia chien chong ruong and the lower style of ke bay on a plan of four rows of columns. Decorative patterns are simple. In the central bay of the Dai Dinh, an incense table is arranged, above which are placed ritual objects and the tablet of the village tutelary god. Phuong Liet Communal House currently preserves many antiquities such as bronze cauldrons, candlesticks, incense bowls, etc. The communal house was built a very long time ago and has undergone many restorations.

To the left of the communal house is the Ta Mac (left auxiliary building), built as a longitudinal house with three bays and two sloping roofs covered with ri tiles, where offerings to the tutelary god are prepared.

Phuong Liet Communal House is also a typical revolutionary and resistance relic of Hanoi city. Before the August Revolution, Phuong Liet Communal House was a revolutionary base, a place for secret activities, and a Viet Minh cell was developed there. The communal house was also a communication station, receiving documents for propaganda of the Viet Minh Front. On August 19, 1945, in the communal house courtyard, the Viet Minh cell gathered forces, organized a rally, and declared the seizure of power. The two Ta and Huu Mac buildings of the communal house were then used as the working headquarters of the Provisional Revolutionary Committee, later the headquarters of the Provisional Resistance Committee.