Van Quan Communal House, located in Van Quan Ward, Ha Dong District, was built during the reign of Minh Mang (1931) and is dedicated to the tutelary god Le Thi Ngoc Boi, the second daughter of King Le Thai Tong (1434 – 1442). She was granted permission by her father to gather people, establish a settlement, and founded Van Quan Hamlet.
Leaders of Ha Dong District offered incense at the Inauguration Ceremony of Van Quan Communal House. Photo: Anh Tuan
Back then, the area was swampy and overgrown with reeds. After she encouraged people to settle there, the area gradually became prosperous. The communal house was constructed along with the establishment of the settlement. She brought the two clans, Vu and Nguyen, from her hometown in Thanh Hoa to Van Quan. She also brought the spirit tablet of the god Doc Cuoc from Sam Son to establish a temple in Van Quan. After her death, to express their gratitude and respect, the people of Van Quan built a communal house to worship her.
The Van Quan Communal House is designed in the shape of the Chinese character “丁” (ding), with three main halls, two side chambers, four roof trusses, and five rows of columns. Since the communal house honors a princess, the artistic elements include many phoenix motifs concentrated in the carvings on the altars, horizontal panels, and other ceremonial objects, which are gilded with gold. Recognized for its unique architectural, sculptural, and constructional values, Van Quan Communal House was listed as an Architectural and Artistic Heritage Site by the Ministry of Culture and Information in 1995.
Following Decision No. 5505 dated November 27, 2022, by the People’s Committee of Ha Dong District, the project to restore and preserve Van Quan Communal House included restoring the gate, main entrance, side chambers, shrine for carrying the palanquin, the Mother Goddess shrine; relocating the screen wall; renovating the well; reconstructing auxiliary gates 1 and 2, preparation house, guest house, kitchen, garden, fence, and fire prevention system. The project commenced on October 20, 2023, with a budget of VND 27 billion, funded by the district and contributions from the public and visitors. After more than a year of construction, all the restoration and preservation work has been completed and handed over to the Van Quan residential area’s monument management board for use, welcoming locals and visitors for worship.
On November 26, 2024, the People’s Committee of Van Quan Ward and the monument management board held the inauguration ceremony for the restoration and preservation project of Van Quan Communal House. The completion and opening of the communal house cater to the cultural and spiritual needs of the community while educating the local people and younger generations about the significant contributions of their ancestors in building the homeland and the nation./.
Mai Chi