Thanh Am communal house (Viet Hung ward, Hanoi) is a spiritual destination for those who want to return to the ancient cultural space, associated with talented people. To get here, from the center of Hanoi, visitors go through Chuong Duong bridge or Long Bien bridge, towards Ngo Gia Tu street, then turn into Thanh Am street.
Thanh Am communal house is a rare place in the Capital to worship Trinh Quoc Cong Nguyen Binh Khiem - an outstanding cultural figure of the 16th century famous for his prophecy.
According to information from the People's Committee of Viet Hung Ward, Thanh Am communal house may have been started in the 17th century and heavily repaired from the 19th century. Because some architectural components dating from the 17th century are used such as: the top eaves, and at the same time the surplus end has dragon carvings supporting the head of the hook in the front compartment on the right side.
Mentioning Trang Trinh Nguyen Binh Khiem (1491-1585), people often remember Vinh Bao land (Hai Phong). However, few people know that Thanh Am land (Nom name is Duong village) on the south bank of the Duong River was a place closely associated with him throughout his time as a mandarin in the capital.
With the vision of a great intellectual, Nguyen Binh Khiem soon recognized the rich and fertile beauty of this land. He brought a branch of his children and grandchildren here to settle and build a career, reclaiming the pristine land into a bustling village. He was the one who named the village Hoa Am. Later, the hamlet was renamed Thanh Am under King Thieu Tri to avoid taboo. To show gratitude for that great merit, after his death, the villagers revered him as the village tutelary god.
Thanh Am communal house is not only a historical relic but also an admirable traditional architectural work. Built early and expanded to a majestic scale in the 17th century, the communal house is located on a large land area, facing the gentle South.
Stepping through the communal house gate, visitors will feel the silence and solemnity of the "Cong" shaped relic area. The 5-compartment and 2-roof communal house stands majestically with large iron pillars placed on solid stone blocks. The beams and rafters are exquisitely carved, showing the talented hands of ancient artisans.
The special highlight in the temple is the pair of bamboo parallel sentences hanging on the two lim columns in the middle, written in ancient Trien script, praising the merits and wisdom of the sages. After many renovations, the communal house still retains its solemn beauty, becoming a spiritual support for the people.
At Thanh Am communal house, Trang Trinh is worshiped with two talented generals of the Trung Sisters era, Dao Ky and Phuong Dung.
Ms. Nguyen Phuong, a resident of Thanh Am village, shared: "In the forbidden palace of the communal house, the two main statues worshiped are Mr. Dao Ky and Phuong Dung, and Mr. Trang is worshiped through photos taken from the original temple in Hai Phong. In particular, the place of worship of Trang Trinh has a small compartment containing a stone slab that predecessors called the intersection between earth and sky. Legend has it that if anyone has a wish and sincerely places their hand on this stone slab to pray, everything will be fulfilled.
Every year, the Thanh Am village festival takes place from March 9th to 11th of the lunar calendar. The biggest difference of the Thanh Am village festival is the water procession on the Duong River. In the procession, the flag dance to clear the road is a unique cultural specialty only found here.
“From the end of 2025 to now, after stories about Trang Trinh's sacredness spread strongly on social networks, the number of tourists flocking to the communal house to worship has increased dramatically,” Ms. Phuong said.
