Located in the culturally rich Kinh Bac region, Dinh Bang Communal House in Tu Son Ward, Bac Ninh Province, has long been an attractive destination for visitors exploring the homeland quan ho folk singing.

Located in the culturally rich Kinh Bac region, Dinh Bang Communal House in Tu Son Ward, Bac Ninh Province, has long been an attractive destination for visitors exploring the homeland quan ho folk singing.

Dinh Bang Communal House in Tu Son Ward, Bac Ninh Province, has long been an attractive destination for visitors exploring the land of Quan ho folk singing. Photo: Khanh Long/VNP

Nearly 300 years after its construction, Dinh Bang Communal House remains largely intact thanks to preservation and restoration efforts. Photo: Khanh Long/VNP

Historical records show that the communal house was built between 1700 and 1736 at the initiative of local mandarin Nguyen Thac Luong, with contributions from his wife, Nguyen Thi Nguyen, and local residents.

At first sight, visitors are struck by its sweeping roof and dramatically upturned corners. The roof corners are considered among the longest of their kind found in surviving traditional wooden architecture in Vietnam, giving the building a graceful yet imposing appearance.

Dinh Bang Communal House is one of Vietnam’s renowned examples of traditional wooden architecture. Photo: Khanh Long/VNP

The central section of Dinh Bang Communal House features an elaborately and intricately carved decorative screen. Photo: Khanh Long/VNP

 

 

Dinh Bang Communal House features a Cong-shaped layout with three main sections: the Great Ceremonial Hall, the connecting passage, and the Sanctuary. The Great Ceremonial Hall contains some of the site’s most distinctive architectural and artistic features. Particularly valuable is the wooden flooring, which remains relatively intact from the Great Ceremonial Hall to the Sanctuary. Such preservation is rare among Vietnam’s ancient communal houses and helps retain the building’s original character.

Entering the central section, visitors will see a large, richly gilded decorative screen stretching from the roof to the floor and spanning the entire space, measuring about 3.7m wide. The screen features intricate carvings of seal-script characters, stylized patterns, leaves, lotus petals, the four sacred animals, the four seasons, horses, lions and other motifs. Each detail reflects the skill and refinement of artisans from centuries ago.

Dinh Bang Communal House is also regarded as a “museum” of dragon carving. Its dragons bear the distinctive characteristics of 18th-century art while inheriting artistic traditions from the 17th century. The craftsmen created dragons that were both sacred and familiar, reflecting the aesthetic values and spiritual life of Vietnamese people at the time.

Dragon carvings at Dinh Bang Communal House reflect the distinctive characteristics of 18th-century art while inheriting styles from the 17th century. Photo: Khanh Long/VNP

 

Beyond its impressive scale and distinctive architecture, the nearly 300-year-old communal house also preserves important historical memories. It has long served as a center of community life and witnessed important events during Vietnam’s revolutionary period.

According to the book “History of the Dinh Bang Party Committee”, President Ho Chi Minh visited the communal house four times: in September 1945 for a ceremony commemorating the Ly Kings; in February 1946; in October 1946, when he visited scholar Nguyen Phu Doan; and in December 1955 during a land reform conference.

Notably, on August 18, 1945, a ceremony establishing the provisional revolutionary administration of Dinh Bang took place at the communal house, marking an important milestone in the local revolutionary movement.

 

With its outstanding architectural, artistic and historical values, Dinh Bang Communal House was recognized as a special national relic in 2024. The designation not only confirms its important place in Vietnam’s cultural heritage but also creates greater opportunities to preserve and promote the value of this historic wooden structure.

Dinh Bang Communal House remains one of the most distinctive symbols of old Kinh Bac, where the past and present come together and offer visitors a glimpse into Vietnam’s rich history and cultural heritage.

Story: Ngan Ha  Photos: Khanh Long/VNP