Phuong Liet Communal House is also known as Giap Cuu Communal House, or in the local vernacular, Vong Communal House.
The communal house is built facing the East–South direction, adjacent to the residential area of Phuong Liet Street and opposite the People’s Committee of Phuong Liet Ward.
Phuong Liet Village (formerly Vong Village) once belonged to Hoang Mai General, Thanh Tri District, Thuong Tin Prefecture, Son Nam Thuong Region. In the 3rd year of King Dong Khanh (1888), Phuong Liet belonged to Hoang Mai General, Hoan Long District, Hanoi Province, and later became part of Phuong Liet Ward, Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi City.
Phuong Liet Communal House worships the village’s tutelary gods: Cao Son Dai Vuong and Tich Lich Hoa Quang (Hoa Quang Ton Than). Cao Son God, named Nguyen Hien (Hien Cong), together with his younger brother Nguyen Sung (Sung Cong), is the second deity among the Tam Vi Tan Vien Son Thanh, who rendered great service to the people in preventing natural disasters and resisting foreign invaders. Tich Lich Hoa Quang God, possessing the power to summon rain and wind, was conferred the title Tich Lich Than Vuong by the Hung King and entrusted with the mission of suppressing evil spirits that harassed the people.
Phuong Liet Communal House consists of several structures: the Nghi Mon gate with pillar columns, the Ta Mac, the Dai Dinh arranged in the shape of the character “nhat” (一), along with some auxiliary architectural works at the back, as well as courtyards and gardens surrounding the relic site.
The Dai Dinh is built in the style of a five-bay hall with fully enclosed walls and end gables, and two sloping roofs tiled with ri tiles. Inside, the wooden structure is uniformly constructed in the style of thuong gia chieng chong ruong, ha ke bay on a layout of four rows of pillars. Decorative motifs are simple. In the central bay of the Dai Dinh, a ceremonial altar table is arranged, on which worship objects and the tablets of the tutelary gods are placed. Many ancient artifacts are still preserved, including bronze censers, candle stands, incense burners… The communal house was built long ago and has undergone multiple restorations.
To the left of the communal house is the Ta Mac, a three-bay longitudinal building with two sloping roofs tiled with ri tiles, serving as the preparation area for offerings to the tutelary gods.
Phuong Liet Communal House is also a typical revolutionary and resistance relic of Hanoi City. Before the August Revolution, it served as a revolutionary base, a secret activity site where a Viet Minh unit was formed and developed. The communal house also functioned as a communication station, receiving documents for propaganda activities of the Viet Minh Front. On August 19, 1945, the Viet Minh unit gathered in the communal house courtyard, held a rally, and declared the seizure of power. The Ta Mac and Huu Mac at that time were used as offices of the Provisional Revolutionary Committee, later becoming the headquarters of the Provisional Resistance Committee.
During the nine-year resistance against French colonialists, Phuong Liet Communal House served as a venue for movement, storage of weapons and revolutionary documents; a place for training, meetings, and transit of cadres operating in the inner city.
In 1993, Phuong Liet Communal House was recognized by the Ministry of Culture and Information as a Historical and Architectural-Art Relic.
In 2010, the People’s Committee of Hanoi City installed a plaque designating it as a Revolutionary – Resistance Relic.
Every year, on the 14th and 15th days of the Second Lunar Month, the people of Phuong Liet Village from all over return to joyfully organize the Spring Worship Festival.
The 2025 of Snake Spring Worship Festival at Phuong Liet Communal House was held over two days, March 13–14, 2025, with the participation of 11 original village lineages and visitors from many places. The festival featured activities such as: opening ceremony, flag-drum performances, worship rituals, cultural and sports activities, and folk games… Especially the Spring Worship Ceremony on the main festival day, the full moon of the Second Lunar Month, with the participation of men’s and women’s ceremonial teams…
Quynh Anh