Situated near the banks of the To Lich River, the ancient village of Hoa Muc in Trung Hoa, Cau Giay District of Hanoi is known for many relics that are closely connected with its cultural and religious life dating back hundreds of years. Historically it was known as a defensive line against foreign invaders. The Village serves as a precious historical treasure which has been preserved in the mind of the villagers and the Hanoians as well.

Legend has it that Hoa Muc Village was formed during the Hung King Dynasty (from 2879 BC to 258 BC according to “Dai Viet Su Ky Toan Thu”). In 40 AD, the fighting led by the two Trung Sisters against the Ma Yuan invaders (Han Dynasty) took place in this village. During the battles, two female generals of the Trung Sisters’s troops died and the villagers erected the Hai Co Temple to worship them. Inside the Temple there is a stele of the Chinh Hoa Year (1680-1705) with inscriptions about the restoration of the Temple. In the 5^th century Hoa Muc Village was renamed Trang Nhan Muc in Dich Vong District.

In the 8^th century the Village witnessed the death of Queen Pham Thi Uyen who was a niece of Bo Cai Dai Vuong (Loyal Highest) Phung Hung during her unyielding fighting against the foreign aggressors. Following the Queen’s example, Pham Mien and Pham Huy, the younger brothers of the Queen joined Phung Hung’s army to fight the enemy. When peace returned to the country, Loyal Highest Phung Hung visited the old battlefield. Seeing that the area was safe he ordered the construction of a royal palace and a temple dedicated to his niece and nephews, and instructed the villagers to do business. Now the communal house of Hoa Muc Village worships Bo Cai Dai Vuong Phung Hung who is considered the saint of the village.

During the Le Dynasty (15^th century), Hoa Muc Village was a firm battlefield where important orientations were set out to defeat the Ming invaders. In the late 19^th century when advancing from the South to the North, King Quang Trung also used the Village for military purposes.

At present Hoa Muc Village still preserves a fairly complete system of the oldest cultural institutions, which under law can not be affected by the wave of urbanization. It has six relics of different categories, such as a communal house, temple, shrine, pagoda, ancient well and village gate, of which the inner communal house, the outer communal house (the royal palace worshipping the sister and brothers of the Pham family who were credited with fighting bravely against the foreign invaders) and Duc Anh Temple have been classified as national relics by the State. Apart from the relics that are connected to the villagers’ religious life, there are ancient houses of over 100 years old of great families, such as the Lai, Nguyen and Phung. 82-year-old Lai Khac Mo, a descendent of an old, large family in the village said: “The ancient houses are made of wood and have delicate designs. The beams and frames are connected by wooden joints and bolts which can be easily assembled and untied and are carved with beautiful decorative patterns similar to those in the royal palace of the Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945). A music researcher came here to do research and said that Hoa Muc ancient village can be turned into an open museum of ethnology.”

With its treasure, Hoa Muc Village is a typical traditional village in the northern delta of Vietnam.

Story: Huu Tuan

Photos: Tat Son

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