Located on the alluvial ground of the Bach Dang river mouth, Trung Ban communal house is a place for religious activities of Ha Nam island residents, and also preserves many historical traces. From architecture, carving art to the Han-Nom script system, the communal house directly evokes the Bach Dang victory in 1288 and the role of Hung Dao Dai Vuong Tran Quoc Tuan.
Unlike many village communal houses on the island that worship the pioneering pioneers, Trung Ban communal house worships Tran Hung Dao as Thanh Hoang. According to legend, during a terrain survey to prepare the pile battlefield on the Bach Dang River, he once stopped at a high mound in this area.
When the sea breeze loosened his hair and his removal of the throne was passed down, from which the name Trung Ban was formed, meaning "in the middle", "divided in half", associated with the traces of observing the old battle formation.
In terms of architecture, the communal house has a Dinh-shaped layout including the front hall and the rear palace, with a solid ironwood frame system, and a tiled roof creating an ancient appearance. The highlight is the art of carving on wooden details with raised, raised, and bong cannel carving techniques.
The themes "Four Sacred Animals", "Four Precious Animals" appear densely, in which the image of the dragon prevails, evoking memories of the water war power of the Tran Dynasty. The artistic style interwoven with the imprints of the Le Trung Hung and Nguyen dynasties creates a harmonious overall.
The special value of the communal house lies in the system of Han Nom documents that are still preserved intact. Hoanh phi, lacquered and gold-plated parallel sentences praising Hung Dao Dai Vuong's merits and the spirit of the Bach Dang battle.
Phrases such as "Vạn cổ anh linh", "Trần triều hiển thánh" or parallel sentences mentioning "sweeping away Ho's dust", "brightness protecting millions of people" are meaningful to honor, and at the same time express the view of the community's history through many generations.
The royal decrees of the Nguyen Dynasty also contributed to affirming Tran Hung Dao's position as Thanh Hoang in local religious life.
Every year, from the 18th to the 20th day of the 8th lunar month, the Trung Ban communal house festival is held with the ritual of carrying the palanquin, worshiping and the custom of "going to the clan feast". This is an occasion to commemorate and connect the community, where stories about Bach Dang continue to be passed down.
Over time, Trung Ban communal house still exists as a "living museum", where history, art and belief coexist, creating a unique mark of the Bach Dang river mouth land.
