Exploiting the cultural value of Hang Kenh communal house - Hai Phong to serve tourism development

of a gentleman but close to everyday life. The idol wears a dragon crown and a dragonfly-winged hat. On the dragon crown, the theme of “tiger floating on dragon cloud” is embossed, on the hat, the theme of “two dragons worshipping the moon” is embossed, dotted with “chrysanthemums blooming”.

In front of the throne is a model of a small warship. In addition, there are: a betel box, a bowl of water, a set of tea cups, on both sides are a set of small halberds, a set of wine including 3 trays and 3 cups placed on 6 wooden platforms, and on both sides are statues.

* Statue

According to history, during the Ly Dynasty (11th - 13th century), Dai Viet kings repeatedly sent troops to conquer Champa. When victorious, Dai Viet troops captured many Cham prisoners and brought them back to work as slaves in palaces, prefectures, villages, and hamlets. The image of the phoenix symbolizes Cham slaves. By the 17th and 18th centuries, Vietnamese feudal society entered a period of decline and chaos. All forces wanted to compete for power and show off their prestige. During this period, people began to put phoenixes in temples, communal houses, pagodas, and placed them in front of kings and gods who were worshiped, as if they wanted to worship the royal court (represented by the king). The phoenixes had both the effect of submission and deterrence.

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Hang Kenh Communal House still has two statues placed symmetrically in front of the altar in the back palace. The statue on the left is carved in the position of holding a cup, the statue on the right is holding a tray of wine with both hands. Both statues are carved in a kneeling position, with a big belly and bare chest, funny faces, smiling faces, high noses, deep, wide eyes, and high cheekbones. In general, the faces are completely different from those of Vietnamese people.

* Altar: At Hang Kenh communal house, there are still two altars: one in the back palace, one in the tube house. In each altar there is a statue of Ngo Quyen sitting on the throne.

The altar in the tube-shaped building is a square block, the four sides of the altar are empty, you can see the statue of Ngo Quyen inside. The dimensions are 108cm long, 96cm wide, 107cm high. The arched door on the altar body and the pillars are decorated with images of "two dragons worshipping the moon", clouds, climbing flowers... the entire altar is painted with red lacquer and gilded and placed on a wooden platform made in the style of "kneeling feet, fish belly". The decorative theme on the platform is stylized dragons, flowers and leaves. The platform is 2.12m long; 1.80m wide; 60cm high.

*Animal statue

When studying religious relics: communal houses, temples, pagodas, shrines dating from the 17th-19th centuries, researchers have encountered many statues of animals: elephants, horses, cranes... next to Buddha portraits. There are statues with religious legends "turtle carrying crane", but there are statues with realistic, everyday characteristics: elephants, horses... and they are all arranged in pairs, symmetrically across the altar axis. Hang Kenh Communal House is a relic with a significant system of worship statues next to a system of other worship objects.

- Elephant and horse statues

The construction material is made of wood, standing on the cart wheels, to create easy movement (especially in the processions at festivals). The two vertical axes of the cart are carved into stylized dragons. The horse statue is painted white, the elephant statue is painted black. The size of these two animals is as big as real ones and are placed in the middle of the main hall. The age of these two statues is about the 19th century. In each relic, the worship of elephants and horses has a different meaning. In some pagodas, elephants are the animals that carry the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra, the elephant is the embodiment of the absolute truth of Buddhism. In some communal houses and temples (where saints are worshiped), elephants and horses are often associated with the symbol of authority, associated with gods with martial arts. Hang Kenh communal house worships wooden elephants and horses with the meaning of remembering the glorious victory of the famous general Ngo Quyen. These are loyal animals, who have contributed to assisting the King Ngo, contributing significantly to the resounding victory of Bach Dang.

Wooden elephants and wooden horses are used in the procession to worship the tutelary god Ngo Quyen in every festival.

- Crane statue

At Hang Kenh communal house, there are three pairs of cranes (one pair of bronze, two pairs of wood), placed in the tube-shaped building and the back palace. These pairs of cranes are arranged symmetrically across the altar of Ngo Quyen. Like the phoenix, the crane is a sacred animal, symbolizing the upper floor, representing elegance.

For Hang Kenh communal house, the presence of animal statues not only brings solemnity but also, to a certain extent, creates harmony between the Buddhist world and the secular, natural, and everyday world. The art of sculpting statues at this time was quite sophisticated, taking high generality as the main theme, expressing the standards of plastic art.

2.2.4.2. Relics

* Eight-layer palanquin

Palanquins are a typical worship object in pagodas, temples, and shrines. In our country, palanquins first appeared in the mid-17th century (Ba Te Pagoda, Lien Hiep, Dan Phuong, Ha Tay). By the 19th century, palanquins became popular with many types such as: eight-sided palanquins, seven-sided palanquins, hammock palanquins...

The palanquin of Hang Kenh communal house consists of 4 small beams (carved into 4 dragons). On the back of those beams are the heads and tails of 2 horizontal beams (two other dragons). Those two horizontal beams carry the heads and tails of 2 other large beams (also carved into 2 dragons). All 8 dragons on the body of the palanquin are carved in a flying position. Creating a light and graceful feeling for the entire palanquin. On the back of the 2 largest dragons is a throne-shaped chair. On both sides of the throne are 2 dragons flying forward, around the dragons are soft clouds. The palanquin supporting the throne is a characteristic of worshiping male gods (in this case, Ngo Quyen). On the throne is the tablet of the tutelary god Ngo Quyen. The entire palanquin is splendidly painted with red and gilded, placed in the 2nd compartment on the right.

The main hall. Through the decorative images on the palanquin, it can be confirmed that the palanquin dates from the 19th century (Nguyen Dynasty).

* Drum

For a Vietnamese communal house, the drum is an indispensable object. In feudal times, the communal house was the workplace of the village chief and the mandarins, representing the king in terms of administrative power and the place to worship the village's tutelary god - representing the king in terms of spirit. When the village had an event, people beat the drum to summon everyone to the communal house to discuss. When the king issued an order, people also beat the drum to gather everyone to listen to the king's orders. Especially during each festival, the drum was used. The sound of the drum was like an alarm for all things about a festival season, a new production season. For agricultural residents, the sound of the drum was also associated with the sound of thunder, with the rain-praying ceremony.

Hang Kenh Communal House still preserves a fairly large drum, placed in the Huu Ban worshiping room. The drum face is covered with buffalo skin, the drum body is made of wood. The drum face diameter is 86cm, the drum body diameter at the largest point is 1.2m.

* Inscription

Hang Kenh Communal House still preserves 6 stone steles. The content talks about the examinations, the scholars in the village who passed the exams in previous dynasties, and the land system under feudalism.

- Stele “Giac Khanh Dien Vien Ky”, Canh Hung 25th year (1765). Stele is 92cm high, 87cm wide, and the stele forehead is 16cm high.

- Stele “Founding of the Martial Arts Sect” engraved in the year Chinh Hoa 21 (1700). The body of the stele measures 105cm x 78cm, the stele forehead is 23cm high.

- Stele “Ban xa chu khoa thi trung ky” (Records of the Central Examinations of the Commune), erected in the year Chinh Hoa Chinh Hoa 20 (1699). Both sides of the stele are engraved with the inscriptions about the examinations and the scholars who passed the examinations at the Imperial Academy (Hanoi).

- The stele “Trưng tu Từ Vũ bi ký” talks about the restoration of Từ Vũ. The date of the stele engraving is the fourth year of Cảnh Thịnh (1801). The body of the stele is 110cm high, 84cm wide, and the stele forehead is 19cm high.

- The stele "Ban xa tu van ke lap bi" is dated Vinh Khanh van van nien chi nhi long (1731), the body of the stele is 117cm high, 87cm wide, the stele forehead is 22cm high.

- At the back of Hang Kenh communal house, there is also a small, square stele, recording the merits of those who contributed to the restoration of the communal house.

All of the above steles are now quite well preserved at the right side of the communal house. Studying these steles can help us understand the customs, land regime, and examination system of the feudal period.

* Horizontal horizontal lacquered boards, parallel sentences

Hang Kenh Communal House still has many horizontal lacquered boards and parallel sentences praising Ngo Quyen's achievements and his glorious and resounding victories. These are precious heritages, passed down forever, showing the pride, respect and gratitude of Hang Kenh people to the national hero - Ngo Quyen.

- Horizontal plaque: hung right at the door of the worshiping room, with the content " Dang ba tay nhung" , dating from the same time the communal house was built. With the meaning "Bach Dang waves sweep away invaders".

- Couplet

"The real thing is the West Pavilion, the Elephant Mountain, the mighty Yellow Emperor, the East Flowing Water, the legend of the story"

Translation : "The splendid pavilion in the West looks towards the elephant mountain.

The heroic reputation of the East resounds in the battle of Bach Dang"

"The emperor's ears are far from the red lung of King An Duong Vuong Trieu Vu, before this three great unifications

"The danger is high, Van Tra Phu Xa Vinh Niem is the combination of the four sacred animals"

Translation : "Greatly since the time of Hong Bang An Duong Vuong, Trieu Vu has unified

Magnificently, together with Van Tra, Phu Xa, Vinh Niem, they form four sacred points.

2.2.5. Festivals

According to the stories of local people and through some previous research documents, we can learn about a part of the traditional festival here. Every year, Hang Kenh village has three big festivals: the royal procession (December 23), the death anniversary (Ngo Quyen's death anniversary - February 16 of the lunar calendar) and the blessing ceremony (choose 1 of 5 days from February 10 to 15 of the lunar calendar).

Before the resistance war against the French (1945), Hang Kenh was part of Dong Khe commune, including 5 villages: Dong Khe, Hang Kenh, Phung Phap, Du Hang and Nam Phap. All 5 villages worshiped Ngo Quyen and had the same royal decree. Every year, each village carried the decree to its communal house and it took 5 years to complete a round. At Hang Kenh communal house, the royal decree procession was held on the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month.

Every year, the Ky Phuoc festival takes place in spring - the season of growth and development of all things. With a wish for "people's health, things' prosperity", and a bountiful harvest. Different from the Ky Phuoc festival, the Ky Khoi festival commemorates a national hero who has contributed to the people and the country and is the main festival of Hang Kenh communal house. January 16 is the day of the Ky Khoi festival or the day of the deification of the tutelary god - Duc Ngo Vuong Quyen.

2.2.5.1.Festival preparation

Preparation for the festival is a very important step. Right from the beginning of the year, officials and dignitaries in the village held meetings and appointed people to lead the festival, perform the rituals, and lead the faction. In the past, Hang Kenh village was divided into hamlets, and each year, each hamlet in the village had to elect a representative to host the organization and service of the festival. The hamlet leader was given fields to plow by the villagers.

Crops from the back fields are used for ceremonies during festivals and celebrations.

The funeral director must meet the following conditions: be a villager, have ancestors who have lived here for at least three generations, be an elderly person, be respected by the villagers, have a happy family, have obedient children, and have no funerals. During the preparation for the festival, the funeral director must avoid being near his wife. The funeral director is responsible for taking care of all the worshiping of the gods, and must always be present at the place of worship during the festival.

In addition to the "funeral leader", the village also elects 5 "faction leaders" and 5 "festival priests". The "faction leaders" are responsible for serving food and drink to the officials who are on duty day and night, performing rituals at the communal house, organizing the distribution of portions for the people and officials, taking care of offerings to the gods, managing the tools for the procession of the gods such as: hammocks, flags, palanquins... Each "festival priest" is given 2-3 acres of rice fields, and every year must take care of offerings for the festival such as: square glutinous rice cakes, round glutinous rice cakes, gio rice cakes, five-fruit trays...

Before the festival, all offerings must be carefully prepared. The sacrificial objects must be cleaned and arranged neatly. The grounds are cleaned and arranged neatly and beautifully. Near the festival day, officials, civil servants and elders in the village meet to discuss the organization, assigning and assigning specific tasks to each person. Every household and every person is excited to welcome the festival, the whole village is bustling with preparations for the festival. "When will February come?"

Let the village go to the festival, let the men go to the communal house. The village drums beat loudly.

The whole village and neighborhood went to the communal house to have fun.

2.2.5.2. Festival developments

* Ceremony

- February 16: Opening ceremony of the communal house

On normal days, the main gate of the communal house is always closed. On the 1st and 15th of the lunar month, the two side gates on both sides are opened for villagers to burn incense and worship the saint. After that, they are closed again.

When the festival takes place, the communal house gate is opened wide, lights are hung, flowers are decorated, and festival flags are placed around the communal house. Then gongs and drums are beaten, signaling the opening day of the communal house - the opening day of the festival, so that villagers and tourists from all over can know and attend the festival and enjoy the festival.

Afternoon of February 16: Organizing the Water Procession and Naturalization Ceremony

The water procession was solemnly held. The procession included officials and the royal family. Two jars of water were carried from the village communal house to the temple well. After the water-requesting ceremony, people filled the two jars. One week before the water was taken for the bathing ceremony, no one in the village was allowed to go to the well to get water to keep the water source clean.

After the water has been brought to the communal house, the "naturalization ceremony" is performed. There are a total of 3 weeks of ceremonies from the beginning to the end of the festival (naturalization ceremony, offering, thanksgiving ceremony), the naturalization ceremony is the first week.

- February 17

In the bathing ceremony, each group elects 3-5 strong people to carry the idol (placed in a shrine in the back palace) to the front yard to perform the bathing ceremony. The idol is placed on two stone pedestals in front of the communal house yard, bathed in water from a jar, and wiped with "five-flavor" water (perilla, soapberry, vetiver root, agarwood, star anise). The red silk used to bathe the statue is torn into small pieces by the elders and distributed to the villagers for blessings. After the bathing ceremony, the idol is carried around the village once. The procession is solemnly organized, the order of the procession is as follows:

+ At the head of the group were five flags of the five elements, followed by a pair of ceremonial ceremonial ceremonial robes to maintain order. Following them were people carrying bowls, drums, gongs, parasols, halberds, and an eight-sound band, then the palanquin carrying the statue of Ngo Quyen.

+ After the palanquin are the dignitaries and then the villagers.

The porters and bearers of the procession usually wear brown shirts, while the villagers each have their own style, with their best and newest clothes.

Exploiting the cultural value of Hang Kenh communal house - Hai Phong to serve tourism development - 6

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