Preserving the unique heritage of Thang Long culture

(NLDO)- Many prestigious professors, doctors, and researchers participated in the scientific discussion "Dong Thanh Communal House - Chan Thien Temple with the worship of Huyen Thien Chan Vu"

Towards the 20th anniversary of Vietnam Cultural Heritage Day (November 23, 2005 - November 23, 2025), on October 26 at Dong Thanh Communal House - Chan Thien Temple (Hoan Kiem, Hanoi), the Management Board of Hoan Kiem Lake and Hanoi Old Quarter in coordination with the Dong Thanh Communal House Relic Management Subcommittee organized a scientific discussion "Dong Thanh Communal House - Chan Thien Temple with the worship of Huyen Thien Chan Vu".

Many prestigious professors, doctors, and researchers participated in the scientific discussion "Dong Thanh Communal House - Chan Thien Temple with the worship of Huyen Thien Chan Vu"

At the discussion, many scholars agreed that the belief in worshiping Huyen Thien Chan Vu originated from the concept of worshiping stars in ancient Chinese culture, symbolized as a god guarding the North, symbolizing the power of water - the element of Water - and the purification and exorcism. When introduced to Vietnam, this belief was accepted and Vietnamized, especially since the Ly Dynasty, associated with the legend of the god Chan Vu guarding the capital Thang Long, protecting the country's peace and prosperity.

The attention of feudal dynasties through the construction of shrines, the issuance of royal decrees, the creation of literature, and the organization of ceremonies helped this belief to deeply integrate into the spiritual life of Vietnamese people. Professor Dinh Khac Thuan, Tran Nhan Tong Institute, said that this is one of the beliefs that clearly demonstrates the idea of ​​harmony between Taoism and folk beliefs, creating the sustainable vitality of Vietnamese culture through the ages.

Dong Thanh Communal House is an attractive tourist destination on the tour of typical historical and cultural relics of the Capital and Hanoi Old Quarter.

Meanwhile, Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Ta Nhi, Institute of Han Nom Studies, analyzed a series of ancient documents showing the spread and flexible transformation of Huyen Thien Chan Vu beliefs, from the royal court to the folk, reflecting the cultural exchange between Vietnam and China but still carrying the distinct nuances of the Vietnamese people in honoring the national guardian gods.

Regarding Dong Thanh Communal House - Chan Thien Quan, researchers assess this as a particularly rare relic that still preserves a system of Han Nom documents, royal decrees and ancient administrative documents of high value. The relic worships Huyen Thien Chan Vu Thuong De and Dang Canh Thanh Hoang in parallel, demonstrating the harmony between Taoist beliefs and Thanh Hoang beliefs - a characteristic of Thang Long culture.

Mr. Nguyen Duc Tien, Head of the relic management subcommittee - concurrently the keeper of Dong Thanh Communal House, No. 7 Hang Vai, Hanoi , spoke at the seminar.

Through the exploitation of sources such as the "Ha Thanh Than Sac" (1909) and the local relic inventory, scholars have clarified the history of worship, the conferment of royal titles, and the sacrificial rituals maintained over the centuries. Researcher Nguyen Duc Dung, Department of Cultural Heritage, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, emphasized that "the adjustment and unification of the worship system at relics not only has religious significance but also scientific value - contributing to building a solid foundation for the work of preserving, restoring and promoting heritage values ​​in the current urban context."

Speaking at the seminar, Mr. Nguyen Duc Tien, Head of the Relic Management Subcommittee and Custodian of Dong Thanh Communal House, shared that Dong Thanh Communal House is not only a sacred place of worship, but also a living cultural space for the ancient town community. At the same time, he expressed his hope that the spiritual, ethical and humanistic values ​​here will continue to spread in life.

Representatives of the Management Board of Hoan Kiem Lake and Hanoi Old Quarter affirmed that today's research results will be an important basis for the work of adjusting, restoring and exploiting the value of the relic in the future, contributing to affirming Dong Thanh Communal House - Chan Thien Quan as a "cultural nucleus" in the heritage space of Hanoi Old Quarter.

In a special location in the middle of Hanoi's Old Quarter, Dong Thanh Communal House relic is an attractive tourist destination on the tour of typical historical and cultural relics of the Capital and Hanoi's Old Quarter.

The communal house is a place that preserves many precious relics such as: a bronze statue of Saint Huyen Thien Tran Vu; 8 stone steles from the Nguyen Dynasty recording the construction and restoration process and the benefactors; 9 royal decrees, the earliest of which is the first year of Thieu Tri (1924), along with many horizontal lacquered boards and parallel sentences.

In the winter of 1946, the Hanoi army and people used the communal house as a first aid station of Inter-zone I, contributing to the 60-day and night victory, opening the nationwide resistance war in the capital Hanoi.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/gin-giu-mach-nguon-di-san-dac-trung-cua-van-hoa-thang-long-196251026192129727.htm