Located in An Duong ward (Hai Phong city), Tri Yeu communal house is one of the historical relics with a strong imprint from the Hung Kings era, associated with the transition period from the Van Lang State to Au Lac.
Not only is it a place for religious activities, the building also preserves many layers of unique folk cultural sediments.
The communal house worships 3 tutelary gods including Chang Rong Dai Vuong, Cao Son Dai Vuong and Quy Minh Dai Vuong - characters associated with legends of the Hung Due Vuong era.
According to legend, the two Cao Son and Quy Minh were children of a Nguyen family in Lang Xuong Cave. Right from birth, they showed unusual signs, grew up healthy, proficient in martial arts and soon showed extraordinary temperament.
After their parents passed away, the two were brought to Tan Vien Son Thanh to raise. Here, they practiced and became close like siblings.
When war broke out, King Hung appointed Tan Vien as Grand Marshal, while Cao Son and Quy Minh held important positions in the army, contributing to defeating invaders and keeping the borders peaceful.
During the journey, the two men met Chang Rong - an outstanding figure of the Tri Yeu region. He is famous for being intelligent, brave, gathering heroes and often helping the poor.
Recognizing their talent, Cao Son and Quy Minh recruited Chang Rong as deputy general. After that, he returned to his hometown to recruit soldiers, build front lines and make great contributions in battles.
With his glorious achievements, Chang Rong was granted the title of Binh Nhung Hau, and Tri Yeu region was granted many special privileges.
Through dynasties, especially under the Nguyen Dynasty, the gods continued to be ordained and worshiped. In 1924, King Khai Dinh phong Chang Rong as Thuong Dang Than, affirming an important position in the spiritual life of local residents.
According to the elders, the ancient Tri Yeu communal house was built from the Later Le Dynasty, around the 17th century. The communal house is located on a high mound, in front is the Lach Tray River, and in the distance are mountain ranges creating a harmonious feng shui landscape. Through many restorations under the Nguyen Dynasty, the dating marks are still recorded on the communal house roof in 1894.
Initially, the communal house was built with traditional materials, with a layout including the front hall, middle hall and rear palace in the style of the word "Dinh". However, in 1968, due to historical circumstances, the structure was dismantled, leaving only the rear palace part.
In 1983, people restored more tiền tế, and in 2021, the communal house was rebuilt with a more spacious scale thanks to socialized funding.
Despite many upheavals, the communal house still preserves many precious artifacts such as bat cong palanquins, long dinh, incense tables, shrines, long ngai, bai vi..., dating from the 18th - 19th centuries. In addition, the Nguyen Dynasty imperial decree system and the stele erected in 1916 are still quite intact.
Every year, the Tri Yeu communal house festival takes place on February 8th of the lunar calendar with many traditional rituals. Prominent are the procession of saints, along with ceremonial activities and weaving contests to commemorate the merits of the Dragon in teaching people to produce. In particular, there are also many other important festivals associated with the gods worshiped.
With historical and cultural values, Tri Yeu ancient communal house has been recognized as a National Historical Relic since 1991. This is one of the few works that still preserves the imprint of the Hung Kings era, contributing to clarifying the formation and development process of the Vietnamese nation's history.
