Thanh Am communal house (Viet Hung ward, Hanoi) has long become a familiar spiritual destination for those who want to return to the ancient space, associated with the tradition of honoring talents.
This is one of the rare places in Hanoi to worship Trinh Quoc Cong Nguyen Binh Khiem - a great cultural figure of the 16th century, famous for his talent for learning and prophecy.
According to the People's Committee of Viet Hung ward, the communal house may have been built in the 17th century and undergone many renovations, especially in the 19th century. Some ancient architectural components such as the eaves or dragon-carved heads still retain the imprint from the early construction period.
Although often mentioned for his hometown of Vinh Bao (Hai Phong), few people know that Thanh Am region (Nom name is Duong village) was once closely associated with Nguyen Binh Khiem during his time as a mandarin in the capital.
Realizing that the land along the Duong River was fertile, he brought his children and grandchildren to reclaim it, established a prosperous village and named it Hoa Am. Later, due to the taboo of King Thieu Tri's time, the village name was changed to Thanh Am. To commemorate his merits, people respected him as Thanh Hoang after his death.
Not only carrying historical value, Thanh Am communal house is also a typical traditional architectural work. Located on a large land area, the communal house faces south, with a "Cong" shaped surface. The large communal house consists of 5 compartments and 2 porches, a large ironwood column system placed on stone slabs, along with exquisite carved details showing the skills of ancient artisans.
In the main worship space, the pair of parallel sentences written in the Truyen style hanging in the middle compartment is a unique highlight, praising the wisdom and merits of the sages. Although it has been restored many times, the communal house still retains its solemnity, becoming a place of spiritual and cultural activity for local people.
In addition to worshiping Trang Trinh Nguyen Binh Khiem, the communal house also coordinates the worship of two generals of the Trung Sisters era, Dao Ky and Phuong Dung.
Every year, the village festival takes place from March 9th to 11th of the lunar calendar, highlighted by the water procession ritual on the Duong River and the flag dance to clear the road, a unique cultural feature of Thanh Am.
