Located in a spacious campus, Lieu Trang communal house (Tan Hung ward, Hai Duong city) is a valuable relic not only in terms of scale, architectural art, system of relics, antiques... but also in terms of the character worshiped in the relic - Third-ranking scholar Luong Nhu Hoc.
According to documents from the National Archives Center IV, the third-ranked scholar Luong Nhu Hoc was from Hong Luc village (now Thanh Lieu area, Tan Hung ward, Hai Duong city). During the reign of King Le Thai Tong, in the examination year of Nham Tuat (1442), he passed the First Class Doctorate exam together with Nguyen Truc, Nguyen Nhu Do and Ngo Si Lien.
After passing the exam, the third-ranking scholar Luong Nhu Hoc held many different positions such as An Phu Pho Su Lo Quoc Oai Ha, Trung Thu Lenh Bi Thu Giam Hoc Sinh, Ta Thi Lang and then Thi Lang Bo Lenh Bo Lenh... During his career as an official, he went to the Ming Dynasty twice by order of the royal court in 1443 and 1459.
It was thanks to those two diplomatic missions that the third-ranking scholar Luong Nhu Hoc learned the technique of woodblock printing and returned to teach it to his homeland's people.
Lieu Trang Communal House was originally built during the Le Dynasty, surrounded by walls, bronze pillars, many ancient trees, and a poetic landscape. In 1917, the communal house was restored according to Nguyen Dynasty architecture. After that, many parts of the building were destroyed during the resistance war against the French.
Presently, after many restorations, the remaining architecture, the communal house is structured in the shape of the letter Dinh, including the front hall and the back hall, with a total of 7 compartments. The front hall has 5 compartments in the shape of a boat with four pillars, lotus head, beams and beams carved with dragon and dragon horse motifs and water wave patterns.
In particular, in the central room, there is a gilded red-lacquered door, carved with four seasons, the Nguyen Dynasty art style is clearly expressed in the competing floral motifs, with dragon images creating a unique picture.
With its multi-layered values, Lieu Trang communal house was ranked as a national historical and cultural relic by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 1992.
The traditional festival of Lieu Trang communal house takes place from the 12th to the 15th of the first lunar month every year. The unique features of the festival are the sacrificial ceremony, the palanquin procession and many rich and attractive cultural and religious activities… attracting a large number of people and tourists from all over the world.
Mr. Pham Xuan Khoi - Member of the Management Board of Lieu Trang Communal House (Hai Duong City) said: "Lieu Trang Communal House is a familiar and close place, a place of shelter, and the life of us Lieu Trang people. On holidays, villagers come to the communal house to burn incense and pray for favorable weather, a peaceful life and many blessings.
The children of Lieu Trang who live far away from home, no matter where they are, every year, during the festival, everyone returns to their homeland. For us, no matter what generation, the memories of our homeland are always imprinted with the image of the banyan tree, the ferry, and the communal house roof.
