Phu Long communal house - ancient beauty.

Phu Long Communal House (Hoa Long Quarter, Lai Thieu Ward, Thuan An Town) was ordained in the 5th year of Tu Duc and was recognized as a National Historical - Cultural Monument in 2011. Over 197 years, although it has been restored many times, the architecture and other valuable artifacts remain in the family. This is the address attracting many tourists to visit and learn.

Phu Long communal house with unique architecture. Photo: Minh Duy

Unique architecture on the Saigon River

Phu Long communal house was built around 1822. It was ordained on November 29, 1853. The process of forming a family is always associated with the history of opening land and defending the country and with the scale and value of architectural art, the abundance and diversity of the institution of worship as well as the peculiarities in cultural and religious activities of a communal house in the Southeast, Phu Long communal house was recognized by the Ministry of Culture and Information (formerly) as a National Historical - Cultural Monument. This is the first temple to be recognized as a National Monument of Binh Duong Province.

In 2014, Phu Long communal house was recognized by the Vietnam Record Book Center as a local record that recognized "The temple with the most unique architecture in Binh Duong province". To protect the works' security, as well as valuable objects inside, Lai Thieu People's Committee has installed a security camera system to promptly detect and handle incidents.

According to the seniors in Lai Thieu ward, Phu Long communal house was restored many times, but twice was recorded for large-scale restoration in 1865, 1935. In July 2018, after about a year of restoration Phu Long communal house has been overcome with many damaged places due to time and weather. However, most of the architectural and artifacts of historical and cultural values ​​are preserved quite well, such as the ordination of King Tu Duc; projects made of wood, carved or extravagant; embossed tablets; gold paint all the way; The dragon fruit has a large crown.

The architecture and design of Phu Long communal house was built in the style of a tam (三), a yin-yang tile roof, a flower-lined background, a construction area of ​​more than 1,000m2, and the front of the communal house facing the Saigon River. The communal house has a main hall including: electricity, electricity and post-electricity. The highlight of Phu Long communal house is the porcelain mosaic art dating back to the 17th century, originally originally folk art, undergoing the ups and downs of history, porcelain mosaic art became popular and became known. into royal art, then spread widely.

From the beginning, the artisans created using crockery pieces or broken ceramic pieces to create decorative products. Later, porcelain mosaic art was applied to the temples and communal houses of Nguyen Lords and prevailed in the early nineteenth century, when Phu Long communal house was built.

The art of porcelain mosaic at Phu Long communal house is considered to be the second most beautiful in Binh Duong after Ba Lua communal house (Thu Dau Mot City) - used to be the most beautiful communal house in the South at that time. Currently, the front and inside the main hall of Phu Long communal house still preserve the status quo of ceramic mosaic paintings, embossed reliefs depicting nature, happy and peaceful life.

Just like the houses with the common architecture in the South, Phu Long communal house with 3 spaces, on the middle roof, in the middle is the moon shape, the gable is the shape Long - Lan - Quy - Phung. The roof of the electricity room also has the individualized dragon fish and pearl dragon fish patterns. The Main Hall is a court of worship of the god Thanh Hoang Bon Canh, granted by King Tu Duc on January 8, 1853. The communal house also worships the people who have contributed to the village. On the left wall of the main hall is a list of people who have contributed to building and renovating the communal house. Inside the communal house are open design with skylight, both taking natural light and creating cool air.

According to some documents, Phu Long communal house is decorated in an ancient way, all the diaphragm, tureen and couplets are painted in brilliant gold and colorful colors and have compliments about the social and sustainable long-term social. , recite the merit of the ancestors, the gods protect the lives of the villagers in peace.

Many historical values

With its age and unique architecture typical of the communal culture of the Southern people, Phu Long communal house is a destination chosen by tour operators when taking tourists to Binh Duong. In addition to the value of architectural art, spiritual culture, undergoing two wars against France and the US, Phu Long communal house is also a refuge and hiding weapons of many generations of revolutionary cadres and soldiers in the area.

It can be said that nearly 200 years of establishment, Phu Long communal house is not only a place of cultural and religious activities for the local people, but also a place associated with patriotic fighting activities of Lai Thieu's people in particular. and of the province as a whole. At present, Phu Long communal house still retains a number of community activities always associated with the national traditional consciousness through annual and periodic festivals. Every year, people in the area concentrate on the communal house at the peak of the Ky Yen worshiping ceremony, pray for peace and prosperity, on the 17th and 18th of the 8th lunar month.

Phu Long communal house is considered to be a work that is not only a recognized cultural and historical value but also a "connecting string" of generations of Lai Thieu's people and surrounding areas.

Located close to the gateway of Ho Chi Minh City, near the arterial axis of National Highway 1A, Phu Long communal house is located next to the Saigon River, visitors are very convenient if they want to explore this temple. Many domestic and foreign tourists who take tours on the Saigon River love and admire the beauty of the architecture of the house - an ancient building looking on the banks of the romantic Saigon River.

Mr. Pham Huu Nam, Chairman of Lai Thieu People's Committee, said that the demand for tourists traveling by Saigon River wants to choose Phu Long communal house as a sightseeing and stopping place on the itinerary. The local point of view is to expect this place to become a tourist destination, a tourist destination for river travel.

“Currently, due to the fact that Phu Long communal house area does not have a place to dock, there are not enough steps for tourists from the cruise on the Saigon River to be able to welcome many tourists. The locality has proposed that the province consider allowing the area to build an inland waterway; at the same time investing in some necessary items to be able to receive tourists on river routes to visit the relics, ” Mr. Nam said.

Reported by Minh Duy – Translated by Vi Bao