Gia Loc Communal House - Ancient traces on Trang Bang land

If you have the opportunity to visit Trang Bang, follow the road leading to Loc Thanh quarter, in the open space, you will come across an ancient building located on a high mound, shaded by the trees of oil, myrtle, go, ven ven... that is over a hundred years old. That is Gia Loc communal house, one of the ancient communal houses considered as a "witness" to the formation of Trang land.

Gia Loc communal house has an area of ​​over 7,200m², and is believed to have been first built around 1820. At that time, Trang Bang land was still wild. During the Southern expansion, Mr. Dang Van Truoc, a son of the ancient Binh Dinh land, Gia Lai today, along with the dignitaries and scholars in Duong Hoa commune, Binh Duong district, entered this land to establish a village and build Phuoc Loc village, later changed to Gia Loc village.

Gia Loc Communal House is influenced by French architecture.

Like many other village organizations, Gia Loc village has a communal house and Gia Loc communal house becomes the center of beliefs and cultural activities of the whole region. According to the book Trang Bang Phuong Chi by Vuong Cong Duc, in 1926, the communal house was relocated and rebuilt in a semi-traditional, semi-modern architecture and had the largest scale in Tay Ninh province at that time. The communal house has a combined East-West architecture, typical of the period of French cultural influence but still retains Vietnamese culture through the system of wooden beams and columns. It is also possible that this is the reason why Gia Loc communal house belongs to Trang Bang ward today.

Gia Loc Communal House is a place to worship Mr. Dang Van Truoc, the ancestor who reclaimed land, established hamlets, built markets, opened roads, and contributed to the development of the fertile Trang Bang land. The Communal House is also a place to worship ancestors and descendants who have contributed to building villages and defending the country.

According to the elders, the communal house used to have an ancient royal decree but it was stolen during the chaos. It was not until 1933 that King Bao Dai re-granted the title to the communal house, conferring on Mr. Dang Van Truoc the title “Duc Bao Trung Hung Linh Phu Chi Than”. From then on, Mr. Dang Van Truoc became the god who protected the country and the people, protecting the villagers.

The altar at Gia Loc communal house

Over the past two centuries, Gia Loc communal house has been restored many times, but still retains its rare ancient features. The system of beams and columns made of precious wood, the yin-yang tiled roof, the delicately carved motifs, combined with the Western-style layout create a majestic yet familiar look.

Not only is it a unique architectural work, Gia Loc communal house is also the cultural "heart" of the local community. Every year, on the 14th, 15th and 16th of the third lunar month, people enthusiastically celebrate the Ky Yen Festival, one of the largest and oldest traditional festivals in Trang Bang and recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage. Traditional rituals such as the Thinh Sac ceremony, the Tuc Yet ceremony, the Dan Ca ceremony... are solemnly held, creating a vivid picture of local cultural life.

Nguyen Khac Man, Deputy Head of Gia Loc Communal House's Celebration Committee, said that Gia Loc Communal House has become an indispensable part of the spiritual life of the people in the area. Since he was a child, he followed his father to help organize the Ky Yen ceremony at Gia Loc Communal House and now he continues that work. "Since we were children, we have seen our elders perform the worship and sacrifice rituals and have followed them, preserving them properly. The Ky Yen ceremony at Gia Loc Communal House is an indispensable part of the people's lives here. We both commemorate the person who founded the village and pray for a favorable new year and a bountiful harvest," said Man.

Gia Loc Communal House is closely associated with the spiritual life of the people of Trang Bang area.

People in the surrounding area consider the communal house worship day not only an occasion to commemorate the merits of their ancestors but also a festival of village and neighborhood love. Those who have gone far away return, those who stay behind clean, decorate, cook... All turn to the communal house as a spiritual meeting place, a place to place their faith, pray for good crops, national peace and prosperity. Although society has changed and modern life has penetrated everywhere, those traditional values ​​are still preserved and passed down through many generations by the people of Gia Loc.

Amidst the hustle and bustle of modern life, Gia Loc communal house stands quietly as a historical relic, a symbol of the people's hearts and the soul of Trang Bang land./.

“The ancient communal house with five roofs is spacious and splendid. The pillars are made of precious wood. On both sides of the wall, the foundation is high. In the middle room, there is an altar carved with red lacquer and gilded with gold. That is the altar to the gods. On both sides of the wall, there are altars for the left and right altars, which look very majestic and ancient.”

Excerpt from the book Tay Ninh in the past, author Huynh Minh

Guilin

Source: https://baolongan.vn/dinh-gia-loc-dau-xua-tren-dat-trang-bang-a206144.html