'Shocked' ancient communal house with beautiful sculptures is becoming ruins

Huy Thu• February 28, 2023 10:10

(Baonghean.vn) - Without being repaired or renovated, Nhan Hau communal house in Hung Tien commune (Nam Dan) has seriously degraded, becoming a ruin in the middle of a new rural area.

According to local people, Nhan Hau communal house was formerly located in the central area of the village (Nhan Hau hamlet, Hung Tien commune). In the mid-1980s, the communal house was moved to Con But market (Trung Cuu hamlet, along National Highway 46C). When the new Con But market was built (about 150m from the old market) and opened on January 12, 2023, the old market area with Nhan Hau communal house was abandoned. Photo: Huy Thu

In the old Con But market area, amidst the scene of excavated rocks and concrete piles lying around, Nhan Hau communal house is seriously degraded. From the outside, no one would think that it is an ancient communal house that was once the most beautifully carved in the area. Photo: Huy Thu

The communal house has become a desolate ruin due to time, rain, sun, wind and storms, especially the carelessness, or more accurately, the indifference of people. After nearly half a century of being used as a market house and a trading place for local people, this communal house seems to have only been covered with tarpaulins and nylon sheets, which are now tattered. Photo: Huy Thu

The two gables and the back roof of the communal house, tiles and many wooden structures such as rafters, batten... have almost all fallen off and are continuing to fall to the ground. Mr. Ho Van Lam (87 years old), who lives next to Nhan Hau communal house, shared: Looking at the ancient communal house that is severely damaged and could collapse in the near future, I am very heartbroken. Although it is too late, I still hope that the communal house will be repaired. My family is always ready to contribute to repairing the communal house. Photo: Huy Thu

Nhan Hau Communal House is designed in the style of four pillars, gong racks, 3 compartments, 2 ends, the rafters are built on 24 ironwood columns. According to the local elders, the ancient communal house used to be the living place of the people of Nhan Hau village. During the resistance war against the French, the communal house used to be a school, many generations of teachers and students grew up in this school.... Photo: Huy Thu

What remains on Nhan Hau communal house shows that this is an ancient communal house that was elaborately and delicately carved by the ancients. The art of sculpture shown on the wooden frame of the communal house from rafters, beams, rafters... makes many visitors admire and admire. Unfortunately, this work of art is exposed to the sun and rain and is waiting to collapse completely. Photo: Huy Thu

Mr. Nguyen Dinh Chau (74 years old), residing in Nhan Hau hamlet, Hung Tien commune, said: In 2018, he and some people in the hamlet submitted a request to the commune to move the communal house back to its old location (Nhan Hau hamlet), but the commune did not allow it. At that time, the communal house was degraded, but the tiled roofs were still intact, the wooden part was not as dilapidated as it is now, so moving and repairing it would be less expensive. Photo: Huy Thu

The two roof trusses of the communal house, in addition to the four remaining ends carved with dragon heads facing the middle, on the wooden panels are carved two large Chinese characters: Phuc - Tho. Below, the communal house's inscription has two smaller lines, tentatively transcribed: "Huyen Da don tuong so Ha tac", "Chieu Duong hiep hop manh Xuan thanh". The meaning is roughly "created in early Summer, completed in Spring", but the date is unknown. Many people believe that Nhan Hau communal house was built during the Nguyen Dynasty. Photo: Huy Thu

During the process of using it as a communal house for Con But market, due to the people raising the communal house's foundation, the communal house's pillars were buried about 0.4 - 0.5m deep into the ground. In the communal house's foundation, people also built many concrete platforms under the communal house's pillars. Photo: Huy Thu

As a testament to a countryside with a long history, marking the memories of many generations of people in Nhan Hau village, but now the ancient communal house is gradually falling into ruin, causing many people inside and outside Hung Tien commune to feel sad and regretful. Currently, local people are wishing to renovate and restore the communal house to contribute to preserving and conserving the heritage of their ancestors, but do not know where to start, needing the attention of the government, departments, branches at all levels, and benefactors... Photo: Huy Thu

Video: Huy Thu.