Phuong Mac Communal House

- Origin: Phuong Mac Communal House (located in Phuong Dinh Commune, former Dan Phuong District, now Lien Minh Commune, Hanoi City) has a very long history. Legend has it that in the past, Phuong Mac Village and Thanh Mac Village (Phuc Tho District) were originally one; later, due to the phenomenon of "riverbank erosion and sand drift," the population split into two villages on the two banks of the Day River, but they still jointly worshipped the same tutelary deity.

- Legend of the village tutelary deity: The communal house worships the famous general Pham Phong At (also known as Pham Bach Ho). He was a man accomplished in both letters and martial arts and rendered great service by helping Ngo Quyen devise a plan to drive sharp stakes into the bed of the Bach Dang River, destroy General Hoang Thao, and heavily defeat the Nam Han army. Thanks to this feat, he was bestowed many honorific titles and 10 royal edicts (from 1783 to 1924) by various dynasties, which are still carefully preserved at the communal house.

- Architecture: Through many renovations, the communal house has still preserved the 18th-century wooden architectural art according to the feng shui principle of "inner cong, outer quoc." The most distinctive feature of the communal house is the two extremely exquisite "Dragon Spouting Water" wood carvings. Together with the Holy Mother Shrine (worshipping the mother of the tutelary deity) and Sung Nghiem Pagoda, the communal house forms a complete religious and belief complex strongly characteristic of the Red River Delta region.

2. Distinctive traditional festival

The Phuong Mac Communal House Festival is an occasion for local people to gather, commemorate the deity who rendered service to the country, and maintain the fine customs of agricultural residents. There are three major festivals during the year: the 10th day of the first lunar month (birth anniversary), the 6th day of the third lunar month (troop-rewarding day), and the 15th day of the eleventh lunar month (day of transformation).

Preparation: From the 7th day of the first lunar month, villagers begin cleaning up and, in particular, organize the pounding of "banh cuon" (a type of cake made from good glutinous rice, with mung bean filling cooked in sugarcane molasses) to make sacred offerings.

Main rituals (from the 8th to the 10th day of the first lunar month)

The 8th day: The village erects a 10m-high great flag (symbolizing the righteous flag of General Pham Phong At), carries the written oration to the communal house, and performs the introductory ceremony. In the evening, ca tru singing is organized to serve the deity.

The 10th day (Main Feast): From 4 to 5 a.m., the bathing ceremony is held to pray for favorable rain and wind; from 8 to 10 a.m., the main three-round ceremony is performed. Offerings to the deity include fruit in the upper sanctuary and a black pig below.

Unique folk performances: Throughout the ritual process, there is a "flag-dancing with cheering" performance by four children (aged 8-10) holding red flags and dancing in a figure eight to simulate the jubilant scene of victory. In particular, the palanquin procession also includes a performance by dozens of young men reenacting the scene of driving stakes into the Bach Dang River in the past, combined with sword dances and bow dances, creating a heroic and grand atmosphere.

Phuong Mac Communal House has been ranked and recognized as a National-level historical and cultural relic complex. The ceremony to receive the historical relic certificate for the communal house was held in 1990.