Thai Khe Communal House

Thai Khe Communal House belongs to Thai Thuong Khe Hamlet, Kieu Phu Commune, Hanoi City. The communal house is located in an area with many religious and belief works such as Thai Khe Pagoda (Thien Quang Tu), Thuong Khe Communal House, Dinh Tu Communal House, and the Van Chi worshiping Nguyen Trung Truc (which was destroyed and has not yet had conditions for restoration)... The religious and belief relics located in the same Can Huu Commune are closely linked in terms of belief activities, most clearly shown during festivals.

Thai Khe Communal House faces west-southwest, in the area at the head of the village, located at a three-way junction of the village road axis, within the dike enclosure of the Tich River (about 200 m from the dike). Legend has it that the site for building the communal house was carefully chosen by the ancients; the communal house and pagoda are located on the head of a carp, facing the Tich River. In front of the communal house are Luon field, Soi field, Nam field, Anh field... Behind and to the left and right are densely populated residential areas. Previously, the grounds of the relic were large in scale with open landscape space; behind was the Van Chi, and to the left was Thai Khe Pagoda. Currently, the space of the communal house has been narrowed due to traffic development and many roads being widened.

The relic begins with a four-pillar Nghi Mon ceremonial gate and a screen wall newly rebuilt in recent years. The screen wall is meant to block the view and also shield against wind—air currents from outside entering the communal house. Behind is the main building of the communal house, separated by a large yard paved with Bat bricks. The main building has an overall Dinh-shaped plan and is a result of restoration. According to the village elders, the old building had a Nhi-shaped plan consisting of the Dai Bai main hall and Hau Cung rear sanctuary separated by a large yard. The Hau Cung was called the Inner Communal House and was used to worship the Tutelary God, while the old Dai Bai was large with seven bays and two wings and was a place for meetings of village dignitaries. Unfortunately, this building was destroyed during the resistance war against the French.

Thai Khe Communal House is a religious architectural relic, built to worship the Tutelary God Trung A Dai Vuong, a general under the 18th Hung King. Although the architectural works of Thai Khe Communal House were destroyed by scorched-earth tactics during the resistance war against the French, some carved panels in Nguyen dynasty artistic style are still preserved. In addition, the communal house preserves many intangible cultural values and valuable relics from the Le Trung Hung to Nguyen dynasties.

Thai Khe Communal House faces west-southwest, in the area at the head of the village, located at a three-way junction of the village road axis, within the dike enclosure of the Tich River (about 200 m from the dike). Legend has it that the site for building the communal house was carefully chosen by the ancients; the communal house and pagoda are located on the head of a carp, facing the Tich River. In front of the communal house are Luon field, Soi field, Nam field, Anh field... Behind and to the left and right are densely populated residential areas. Previously, the grounds of the relic were large in scale with open landscape space; behind was the Van Chi, and to the left was Thai Khe Pagoda. Currently, the space of the communal house has been narrowed due to traffic development and many roads being widened.

The relic begins with a four-pillar Nghi Mon ceremonial gate and a screen wall newly rebuilt in recent years. The screen wall is meant to block the view and also shield against wind—air currents from outside entering the communal house. Behind is the main building of the communal house, separated by a large yard paved with Bat bricks. The main building has an overall Dinh-shaped plan and is a result of restoration. According to the village elders, the old building had a Nhi-shaped plan consisting of the Dai Bai main hall and Hau Cung rear sanctuary separated by a large yard. The Hau Cung was called the Inner Communal House and was used to worship the Tutelary God, while the old Dai Bai was large with seven bays and two wings and was a place for meetings of village dignitaries. Unfortunately, this building was destroyed during the resistance war against the French.

Thai Khe Communal House is a religious architectural relic, built to worship the Tutelary God Trung A Dai Vuong, a general under the 18th Hung King. Although the architectural works of Thai Khe Communal House were destroyed by scorched-earth tactics during the resistance war against the French, some carved panels in Nguyen dynasty artistic style are still preserved. In addition, the communal house preserves many intangible cultural values and valuable relics from the Le Trung Hung to Nguyen dynasties. In the right bay of the Dai Bai of Thai Khe Communal House, there is an altar to worship the two-country Trang Nguyen Nguyen Trung Truc. According to local people, Thai Khe Village previously had a Van Chi to worship Nguyen Trung Truc, but it was destroyed during the resistance war against the French; only in 1998 was an altar placed in the communal house for worship.

At Thai Khe Communal House, the texts of deity legends and ordinations are still preserved, including 14 ordinations from the Le Trung Hung to Nguyen dynasties conferring titles on Trung A Dai Vuong, a brave and talented general who led soldiers in resistance against foreign invaders during the nation-building and defense periods of the nation. The deity's names are used as honorific titles corresponding to his merits. For generations, local people have worshiped the deities with reverence. This shows the power of the belief in worshiping Gods and Tutelary Gods—those who contributed to villages and communes in our country.

The remaining physical traces in Thai Khe Communal House show that the communal house was built quite early, but during its existence it was destroyed by scorched-earth tactics during the resistance. To date, the architectural works have undergone many repairs and restorations, but many historical and cultural values are still preserved.

The communal house was built to worship the Tutelary God who had merit in helping the country and helping the people of Thai Khe Village resist foreign invaders. Existing to this day, the communal house has become a center of cultural activities for local people. Every year, the communal house is where festivals are held with many rituals, ceremonies, and folk games. This has contributed to passing on the cultural values of ancestors to younger generations and at the same time increasing the cohesion of local people.

Thai Khe Communal House is also a 'living evidence' associated with the glorious and heroic years of nation-building and defense of generations of ancestors through many historical periods.

Based on written documents still kept at the Institute of Social Sciences Information Deity legends and ordinations of Huu Quang Village, Thach Than Canton, Quoc Oai District, Son Tay Province; along with the deity legend and 14 ordinations still preserved in Thai Khe Communal House indicate: The village Tutelary God is Trung A Dai Vuong. The legend of the worshiped deity can be summarized as follows:

In the time of King Hung Due Vuong of the ancient Van Lang Kingdom, in Yen Khanh page, Thuong Hien District, Nghia Hung Prefecture, Son Nam Ha Circuit, there was a family named Dao Thien; his wife was Nguyen Thi Thuan. They were poor and lived by cutting firewood, but the couple always tried to do good, accumulate virtue, and cultivate kindness. They were over 40 years old and still had no children. One day, hearing that in Vo Dien page, Que Duong District, Tu Son Prefecture, Bac Ninh Circuit, there was a sacred temple, they prepared offerings and went to pray. Receiving a dream response, they made offerings and worshiped at the temple, then returned home. From then on she became pregnant, and on the 4th day of the first month of the Canh Tuat year, she gave birth to a son with extraordinary nature and a handsome appearance. They named him Trung A.

At age 7, Trung A could read once and remember, and knew military books. When grown, he was skilled in martial strategy and could fight a hundred people. At age 19, within one night, both his parents died; he chose a burial place and maintained ancestral worship for three full years.

At that time, the chief of Ai Lao, Thuc Phan, heard that Due Vuong was old and had no successor, and the throne was about to be yielded to Son Thanh, so he mobilized reinforcements from neighboring countries, reorganized elite troops, and advanced to attack Van Lang. Border news reported five times a day, making Due Vuong extremely worried. The king invited Son Thanh to ask for a strategy to defeat the enemy. Son Thanh told the king to appoint Trung A Cong as vanguard general to lead troops ahead, while Son Thanh would lead the main army behind and would surely defeat the enemy. The king agreed and conferred on Trung A Cong the title Tien Dao Duong Lo Tuong Quan. He commanded five thousand naval and land troops to go ahead. That day he advanced to the border area of Thai Khe, Thuong Khe, and Dinh Tu belonging to Nghia Bang page, Ninh Son District, Quoc Oai Prefecture. Seeing that this place had favorable terrain and picturesque scenery, he established a military fort to respond behind the Thuc army. People in the camp area came to ask to become his subjects. He selected more than three thousand young men here as household servants and soldiers. In mid-September, an order sent him to fight the Thuc enemy in the northern circuit. He led troops straight to the enemy fort at Soc Son. There he was besieged by the Thuc army for 14-15 days, and the court did not know to send relief. The soldiers were hungry and exhausted, and the situation was critical. Thanks to clouds and rain coming to help, our army under his command broke the siege and captured many weapons and provisions... After winning, he led his troops back to the base fort at Nghia Bang camp, held a banquet to reward his household soldiers and the camp people. The camp people asked that the base fort later become a temple to worship him. The general agreed and granted 15 gold ingots for worship expenses.

On the 22nd day of the 5th month, he ascended to heaven in the clouds. The people submitted a petition to the court. The king ordered the establishment of a shrine for worship, granted the people of the Nghia Bang camp area the status of hereditary household servants, and bestowed the title Hung Liet Tac Vi Ho Quoc An Dan Dai Vuong.

In the reign of King Tran Thai Tong, when the Yuan invaders came to invade our country and the capital was besieged, Tran Quoc Tuan received the king's order to pray to all deities at temples. When he came to the deity's temple, he also saw a spiritual response, so after defeating the O Ma Nhi invaders, King Tran Thai Tong immediately conferred the honorific title Linh Ung Anh Triet Duong Lo Hien Huu Dai Vuong. In the reign of King Le Thai To, he was conferred the title Pho Te Cuong Nghi Anh Linh. An edict was also issued permitting the areas of Thai Khe, Thuong Khe, and Dinh Tu of Nghia Bang page to restore the temple to worship him. On the birthday and transformation days and in taboo characters, the two characters must be strictly avoided Trung A.

Later, Trung A also showed spiritual support to help the Dinh, Tran, and Le dynasties defeat foreign invaders, so through successive reigns he was conferred honorific titles, and the temple was restored for long-term worship.

In the right bay of the Dai Bai of Thai Khe Communal House, there is an altar to worship the two-country Trang Nguyen Nguyen Trung Truc. According to local people, Thai Khe Village previously had a Van Chi to worship Nguyen Trung Truc, but it was destroyed during the resistance war against the French; only in 1998 was an altar placed in the communal house for worship.

Regarding the origin of Nguyen Trung Truc, many historical records have noted it; at Thai Khe Communal House there is still preserved a document Phung ke khai Than tu su tich Thuong Khe drawn up on the 23rd day of the 3rd month of the 13th year of Bao Dai (1928) in Nom script, which states: The middle-rank deity title is Truc. Originally, in the previous Le dynasty, his family name was Nguyen; he was a person from Boi Khe village, now belonging to Ha Dong Province. He served as an official, retired, and was fond of surveying land. He came to Nghia Huong commune and camp, stayed there, took a wife, and built a house there. He went to pray for a child at Sai Son; on the 16th day of the 5th month, a son was born with the courtesy name Cong Dinh and the taboo name Truc. At age 7 he was already intelligent and went to school. In the Ren Xu year of the examination, he passed the First Rank Doctoral Examination. The king sent him as an envoy to the Ming dynasty; encountering the great examination of all countries, he again passed the First Rank Doctoral Examination, and the Ming emperor was very impressed. When he returned from the mission, he was called the Two-Country Trang Nguyen; scholars from all directions followed and studied with him. Then the Ming emperor painted his portrait and worshiped it in the Ming court. The Ming emperor also rewarded him... and asked after him, giving countless money and goods. When he died, the king ordered his body to be taken to Nghia Bang camp, had a shrine built, and his tomb at Bach Thach Commune is very efficacious. Through successive reigns, he was conferred the title Trung Dang Than (Middle-Rank Deity).

The remaining physical traces in Thai Khe Communal House show that the communal house was built quite early, but during its existence it was destroyed by scorched-earth tactics during the resistance. To date, the architectural works have undergone many repairs and restorations, but many historical and cultural values are still preserved.

The communal house was built to worship the Tutelary God who had merit in helping the country and helping the people of Thai Khe Village resist foreign invaders. Existing to this day, the communal house has become a center of cultural activities for local people. Every year, the communal house is where festivals are held with many rituals, ceremonies, and folk games. This has contributed to passing on the cultural values of ancestors to younger generations and at the same time increasing the cohesion of local people.

Thai Khe Communal House is also a 'living evidence' associated with the glorious and heroic years of nation-building and defense of generations of ancestors through many historical periods.

Thai Khe Communal House has a main ground plan in the shape of the Chinese character Dinh, consisting of two main structures: Dai Bai (the main hall) and Hau Cung (the rear sanctuary). The communal house has an open landscape space, surrounded by prosperous villages, creating for the relic a harmonious and solemn architectural environment. The structures are rationally distributed, standing out above the village civil architecture, adapted to the hot and humid climate.

Although the communal house was restored after being destroyed during the resistance war under the scorched-earth policy, it still retains some decorative carving panels in the artistic style of the Nguyen dynasty. The communal house also preserves many valuable relics such as royal edicts, a system of large characters, incense tables, thrones, memorial tablets, etc. These relics are all beautifully decorated and carved, with artistic value spanning from the Le Trung Hung period to the Nguyen period. This proves the long-standing existence of the communal house, creating a distinctive beauty for it.

Thai Khe Communal House has undergone many historical changes, and to this day the local people still well promote its intangible cultural values. People in the region and visitors from everywhere still regularly come here to offer incense and practice religious activities. In addition to the main festival in January, the Thanh Hoa ceremony in May, etc., there are many other traditional ceremonies during the year. The ritual ceremonies involve the connection of the “three villages” (Thai Khe, Thuong Khe, Dinh Tu), and folk games are held, attracting a large number of people to participate. This shows that the people's religious consciousness has been preserved and passed down through many generations, forming the common cultural spirit of the Vietnamese people, contributing to the cultural depth and religious life of this land. Through the form of rituals during festivals and cultural and religious activities at the relic, it is an occasion to connect the village community, preserve and inherit the traditional cultural identity of the village, contributing to preserving and passing on cultural values to younger generations.