Old-fashioned car trunk

( Quang Ngai Newspaper) - Nowadays, perhaps many people don't know about the bicycle trunk, because very few people use this item anymore. Therefore, when I saw a bicycle trunk in a thatched-roof house on Ly Son Island, I felt nostalgic for life in the old days when it was difficult.

In folklore, the thatched-roof house is often called an ancient wooden house, a dug-out house, or a clan ancestral house. This is a type of house built by the people of Ly Son hundreds of years ago. The house is managed and lived in by the clan leader and is also the common property of the clan. The thatched-roof house has three main rooms and two side wings, built of wood and with a double roof to regulate the temperature, keeping the house warm in winter and cool in summer.

An old-fashioned cart trunk.

The arrangement of altars and ceremonial objects inside the house must be balanced and harmonious with the overall design, especially the placement of the head of the clan's bed, which is very important. The bed is custom-designed, modeled after the chests used to store belongings in the past. The wooden chest is usually placed in front of the main altar in the center of the house to serve as a resting place for the head of the clan, as well as a place for holding meetings to discuss clan affairs.

Wooden chests come in two types: those with kneeling legs and those with wheels for easy movement, hence the name "wheeled chest." The size of the wheeled chest varies depending on the space available for worship inside the house. A wheeled chest typically measures 2 meters in length, 1.4 meters in width, and 1.2 meters in height; smaller ones are available, measuring 1.2 meters in length, 80 centimeters in width, and 60 centimeters in height. Most chests have a smooth, unadorned surface, but some are intricately carved with stylized images of the four mythical creatures ("dragon,麒麟, turtle, phoenix"), or plum blossoms, orchids, chrysanthemums, and bamboo representing the four seasons ("spring, summer, autumn, winter"). The elaborate carvings on wheeled chests also serve to highlight the important role of the clan head in the ancestral worship house.

Today, many people who visit the thatched-roof houses on the island initially think that the chest placed in front of the worship space is used to hold offerings during family rituals. But in reality, the chest is a resting place for the clan leader, where they sit to drink tea or receive guests who come to visit.

The wooden chest is made in a parallelogram shape, with a top that can be opened and closed. Inside, the chest is hollow and usually has three compartments: one for storing valuables such as gold and silver; one for storing ceremonial attire; and one for books and documents recording family affairs. Locks and a key are attached to the two corners of the chest, kept by the clan leader. The clan leader resting on the chest also serves to protect the family's assets from theft. Smaller chests are placed close to the main altar in the center, followed by a set of tables and chairs. The clan leader's chest is usually placed to the left of the main altar in the house.

The role of the clan leader is very important in the clan's ancestral temple, as well as in rituals and the development of the clan. Therefore, the chest or carriage for the clan leader is designed differently from a regular bed. In addition, the clan leader also bears responsibility for the village community, especially during festivals, New Year celebrations, and the Khao Le The Linh Hoang Sa ceremony... regardless of where he lives, he must still be responsible for the rituals at the village temple.

Furthermore, the selection of the village chief requires that the person be a member of the ancestral clan, thus the clan leader will represent the clan. For clans on Ly Son Island, the role of the clan leader is highly valued, and the image of the chest and cart also reflects the role of the clan leader.

Nowadays, chests and carts are no longer suitable for the times; the clan's assets have found safer places to store them. Even when the thatched-roof house is renovated, there is no longer space for chests and carts, but instead a set of tables and chairs used as a reception area for the clan. Nevertheless, some families and clans still preserve chests and carts as a memento of their past lives.

Text and photos: VO MINH TUAN

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