Thượng Lâm Communal House

Thượng Lâm Communal House belongs to Thượng Lâm Commune, former Mỹ Đức District (now Phúc Sơn Commune). It is a sacred historical-cultural relic, a place preserving the long-standing traditional beliefs of the local community. Located on the ancient land of Thượng Lâm Trang – where the natural terrain is “mountains and waters winding back, dragon and tiger embracing” – the communal house worships the village tutelary deities and the Superior Deities who had the merit of “protecting the country and sheltering the people” through many historical periods.

According to the Deity Genealogy compiled by Grand Scholar Nguyễn Bảo by order in the 3rd year of Hồng Đức (1472) and copied in the 5th year of Vĩnh Hựu (1739), Thượng Lâm Communal House primarily worships two Superior Deities:

1. Uy Đức Đại Vương (Dương thần): A man from the Kinh Bắc region, a person of both literary and martial talent under the Lý dynasty. He had great merit when wielding his sword to defeat invaders, routing 50,000 Song–Xiêm invading troops, establishing a large fort to protect Thượng Lâm Trang, and became a saint on the 12th day of the twelfth lunar month.

2. Princess Lê Thị Vĩnh Hoa (Âm thần): A female deity who appeared miraculously in the divine dream of General Uy Đức, vowing to accompany and unite her virtue to secretly assist the country and help the army and people defeat foreign invaders.

In addition, the communal house of Thượng Lâm Commune also worships other powerful deities such as Cao Sơn Đại Vương, Quý Minh Đại Vương, and Đức Bản Thổ.

Through the feudal dynasties from the Trần, Later Lê to the Nguyễn, the Thượng Lâm Communal House relic was always respected by the royal courts, which bestowed many precious edicts and additional honorable titles such as “Tế thế hộ Quốc, bảo cảnh linh Thông Đại vương” or “Phả tế cương nghị anh linh hùng kiệt Đại Vương”. The royal courts of various periods also continuously issued decrees permitting the people of Thượng Lâm Trang to repair temples and restore the communal house on a grand scale for national worship.

Every year, on lunar calendar festival days – such as the 28th day of the 11th lunar month (commemorating Princess Vĩnh Hoa, Lord Cao Sơn, and Quý Minh), the 9th day of the 12th lunar month (commemorating Đức Bản Thổ), and the 12th day of the 12th lunar month (the birthday and transformation day of Đức Uy Đức Đại Vương) – the people of Thượng Lâm Commune solemnly organize the traditional festival. Thượng Lâm Communal House is not only a place preserving precious cultural and historical values through each page of the Deity Genealogy and edicts but also a spiritual symbol firmly connecting the solidarity of the village community through all generations.