Formed in 1730 under Le Trung Hung, Xuan Vu village (Xuan Phuc residential group, Nam Hoa Lu ward, Ninh Binh province) is one of the lands with a long history.
Through the changes of time and war, the ancient communal house made of ironwood gradually deteriorated and could no longer be preserved intact. Faced with this situation, the villagers worked together to restore the communal house in a new form, using monolithic stone as the main material, but still maintaining the spirit and shape of ancient traditional architecture.
The current project includes the front hall, rear palace and two left-right rows. The special point is that the entire system of columns, walls and main structures are made of stone, by artisans in the village themselves.
In the roof structure, the beams are joined using traditional mortise and tension techniques, creating high firmness. These connections are also covered with elaborate carved motifs such as dragons, phoenixes, and four sacred animals, showing aesthetic thinking and skillful craftsmanship.
The front hall consists of 3 compartments with a system of large and small stone columns finely carved. The main columns stand out with the shape of winding dragons, while the military columns depict flowers, leaves, and birds vividly. In particular, the images of 4 species of pine, chrysanthemum, bamboo, and apricot are clearly shown, symbolizing the 4 seasons of the year.
In the harem area, 4 ancient stone pillars dating back hundreds of years are still preserved. These are considered precious artifacts, reflecting the sophisticated handicraft techniques of our ancestors, and at the same time are the pride of Ninh Van fine art stone village.
Not only is it an architectural work, the village communal house is also an important cultural space. Traditional festivals often take place here in the second lunar month, along with the death anniversary of the ancestor of the Hoang Sung stone craft in August. These activities contribute to preserving identity and connecting the community through many generations.
