Tinh Xuyen Communal House - a place to preserve historical relics

Tinh Xuyen Communal House, Hong Minh Commune (Hung Ha) was restored and embellished with 7 front rooms and 3 back rooms.

The communal house is nearly 400 years old

Located on the poetic Tra Ly River, Tinh Xuyen Communal House is a historical relic dating back to the post-Le Dynasty (15th century). According to the elders in the village, the communal house was built by the first generations of residents who came to reclaim the land and establish the village. During a military march through the Tinh Cua area, King Ly Nam De noticed the peaceful scenery, prosperous people, and beautiful customs, so he ordered the establishment of a military post and recruited soldiers to defend it to repel the invading Liang army. When the king passed away, the villagers of Tinh Xuyen were grateful to him and built a communal house on the very land where the king had come to establish a military post to worship him.

The communal house is not only a place of worship but also a symbol of the gratitude and loyalty of the people to their ancestors. Every year, the traditional festival of Tinh Xuyen communal house is held on the 7th and 8th of January with unique sacrificial rituals and folk games imbued with martial spirit to commemorate the great contributions of King Tien Ly Nam De, Queen Do Thi Khuong and the deities. Currently, the relic still preserves a jade genealogy book and 3 royal decrees of the Nguyen Dynasty.

Having gone through more than 400 years with many ups and downs of history, Tinh Xuyen communal house is not only a witness of time but also a symbol of solidarity and the heart towards the roots of the local people. During the resistance war against French colonialism, Tinh Xuyen communal house became a warehouse for food and provisions sent to the front line; at the same time, it was a place for reading books and newspapers of the Association for the Propagation of National Language, propagating the Party's revolutionary line, a place to hold meetings, build the agricultural cooperative movement, and build a cultural lifestyle in the countryside. Throughout the history of building and defending the country, the communal house was heavily damaged, but wherever the enemy destroyed it, the people contributed their efforts and money to restore and repair it. Notably, in 1953, during the resistance war against French colonialism, the communal house was almost completely destroyed. However, thanks to the determination of the people, Tinh Xuyen communal house was restored in 1954 based on the traditional architecture and cultural and spiritual values ​​of the original communal house with traditional architecture including 7 front rooms and 3 back rooms. The main materials used are ironwood and sophisticated carvings, bearing the mark of the Nguyen Dynasty. The delicate carvings on the pillars and the ancient motifs on the roof of the communal house all reflect the respect for the ancestors and the cultural and artistic spirit of the ancients. In addition, valuable ancient artifacts such as the altar, incense bowl, dragon pavilion, etc. also contribute to increasing the historical and cultural value of this relic.

Mr. Nguyen Trong Tuan, Deputy Manager of Tinh Xuyen Communal House Relic, said: From generation to generation, we, the people, have always preserved and conserved the cultural and spiritual values ​​of the communal house. This is not only a source of pride but also our responsibility to future generations.

Determined to preserve heritage

In order to protect and promote the cultural and historical values ​​of the relic, in June 2024, the People's Committee of Hong Minh commune coordinated with relevant units to organize the restoration and embellishment of many important items of the communal house. The upgraded items include raising the foundation, embellishing the front hall, renovating the back hall, and renovating the interior, with a total cost of over 12 billion VND. After a period of construction, Tinh Xuyen communal house was completed in the shape of the letter Dinh, including 7 front halls and 3 back halls. In addition, many valuable worship objects have been restored.

Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Quynh, Tinh Xuyen village said: Now, the communal house has been restored according to the traditional architecture, spacious and solemn, not only meeting the needs of belief but also proving the perseverance of the community in protecting the values ​​of the origin. Looking at the new communal house with a solid foundation, sophisticated carvings and solemn worship space, we feel very proud and will continue to preserve and protect the relic.

On October 9, 2023, Tinh Xuyen communal house was recognized as a provincial-level historical and cultural relic. Mr. Vu Huu Hy, Chairman of Hong Minh Commune People's Committee, said: This is a worthy recognition of the historical and cultural values ​​of Tinh Xuyen communal house, and at the same time a motivation for people to continue to preserve and protect the relic, so that Tinh Xuyen communal house becomes a solid spiritual support, a place to educate the tradition of patriotism for the younger generation.

Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan, Deputy Director in charge of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said: This is an important historical relic of the locality, showing the gratitude of future generations to the ancestors who made great contributions in the early history of the struggle to build and defend the country, from the time of establishing hamlets and villages. Therefore, we propose that Hong Minh commune continue to manage, preserve and promote the value of the heritage effectively so that this place becomes a spiritual and cultural address worthy of its historical value. At the same time, implementing a civilized lifestyle in religious activities and organizing festivals, effectively contributing to the construction of a model new rural commune in the coming time.

Tinh Xuyen communal house has been renovated and embellished to meet the spiritual needs of the people.

Tinh Xuyen communal house faces the South, in front is a large lotus pond, behind is the winding flow of Tra Ly river. With a beautiful feng shui position, sacred and ancient space, Tinh Xuyen communal house becomes a destination rich in cultural and spiritual values. The people here still pass on the poem with pride about the sacred land: "Tinh Xuyen is a sacred land/Talents appear to glorify the homeland/Tinh Xuyen on the wharf under the boat/ At the beginning of the village there is a market, in the middle of the village there are mandarins". That is the pride and passion of the people about the land that has marked the golden pages of the nation's history.

Tinh Xuyen village, Hong Minh commune is increasingly changing.

Thanh Thuy

Source: https://baothaibinh.com.vn/tin-tuc/19/220866/dinh-tinh-xuyen-noi-gin-giu-di-tich-lich-su