The 'keeper of the soul' of the village communal house.

Village communal houses are places of worship and religious belief for the people, preserving unique architectural structures. And within them, there are always those who silently shoulder the responsibility of "preserving the soul" of the communal house, connecting the past with the present, and passing on precious cultural values ​​to future generations. Mr. Luong Thanh Long - Head of the Communal House Management Board of Tan Chanh village, Can Duoc district, Long An province, is one such person!

Continuing the family tradition

During the days of the Ky Yen festival at Tan Chanh communal house, visitors often see Mr. Nam (Mr. Luong Thanh Long) busily going back and forth, handling both internal and external affairs for the festival. He is the third generation in his family to contribute to preserving the local traditional culture.

Mr. Nam recounted: “During the war, the temple burned down. My grandfather took the royal decree and entrusted it to an acquaintance, then mobilized the people to rebuild the temple. My father, Mr. Luong Thanh Ba, took on the responsibility of maintaining and organizing the temple's ceremonies, while I went to Ninh Thuan to start a business raising shrimp. Later, when my father's health deteriorated, he wanted me to return home to continue his work. Following the family tradition, I arranged my work so that I could serve the temple for the first six months of the year and return to Ninh Thuan for the last six months to take care of my business.”

The rituals of the Ky Yen festival at Tan Chanh communal house (Can Duoc district) have been meticulously and solemnly performed for many generations.

Born and raised in a family with a tradition of "preserving the soul" of the village temple, Mr. Nam is intimately familiar with the temple worship rituals. Thanks to this, he was elected by the elders as the Head of the Tan Chanh Temple Management Board. Although it is a minor position related to spiritual activities, he is always concerned and strives to perform his duties well.

Faced with the deterioration of the communal house and tomb of Xuan Quang Hau - Nguyen Khac Tuan, he petitioned the authorities at all levels and sectors; at the same time, he mobilized relatives and the people to contribute labor and resources to restore and rebuild the communal house. With his enthusiasm and dedication, the communal house has now been rebuilt in a spacious and clean manner, and in 2012 it was recognized as a provincial-level historical relic.

Transmitting cultural values

Tan Chanh communal house is one of the earliest village cultural institutions in Can Duoc district, established at the end of the 19th century. The communal house is dedicated to the tutelary deity of the locality, symbolizing the sacred spirit of the land.

Later, the people revered Xuan Quang Hau - Nguyen Khac Tuan and placed him in the communal temple as the second tutelary deity of the village. Over time, in the people's minds, the temple's name became associated with his name: Nguyen Khac Tuan Temple - Tan Chanh. Currently, the temple still preserves 176 royal decrees and 3 edicts issued by Emperors Gia Long and Minh Mang.

Mr. Luong Thanh Long is the third generation in his family to be dedicated to preserving the cultural heritage of Tan Chanh communal house.

The Ky Yen communal house festival takes place from the 4th to the 6th of February (Lunar Calendar) every year. Also on the 5th and 6th, the people hold a memorial ceremony (commemorating the death anniversary) for Xuan Quang Hau - Nguyen Khac Tuan. Compared to other communal houses, Tan Chanh communal house still retains all the traditional Southern Vietnamese communal house rituals.

Dr. Do Thi Ha Tho, a lecturer at Can Tho University, said: “This is the second year I have been fortunate enough to attend the Ky Yen Festival at Tan Chanh communal house. Almost all the ceremonies were meticulously and solemnly conducted by the communal house management board, preserving the traditional culture of the Southern Vietnamese countryside. To achieve this, Mr. Nam in particular, and the members of the communal house management board in general, played a very important role. Without people knowledgeable about the rituals, the ceremonies would not have been fully preserved, preventing young people from absorbing and passing on the cultural traditions of their village.”

Currently, Tan Chanh communal house still preserves 176 royal decrees and 3 edicts from Emperors Gia Long and Minh Mang.

For the people of Tan Chanh in particular, and the people of Can Duoc in general, participating in the Ky Yen festival has become an indispensable part of their folk religious and cultural life. Visiting the communal house also means returning to our roots, helping us understand the history and culture of the land where we were born and raised.

Mr. Le Trung Toan (Tan Chanh commune, Can Duoc district) shared: “I work and live in Ho Chi Minh City. Every year, my family and I return to worship at the communal temple. This is a tradition and a cultural feature of my hometown, and I am very proud of it.”

Through the vicissitudes of history, Mr. Nam's family has steadfastly and quietly dedicated their hearts and souls to preserving the cultural heritage of the village communal house. Hopefully, in the future, this passionate spirit will continue to spread to many more people, contributing to the enduring preservation of folk culture.

Minh Thu

Source: https://baolongan.vn/nguoi-giu-hon-dinh-lang-a193846.html