'I was born seeing the village gate...'

Mo Trach village gate (Duong An commune) with three-door architecture. Photo: THANH CHUNG

Ancient shape in the new rhythm of life

In Phuong Xa village (Yet Kieu commune), the ancient village gate, hundreds of years old, still stands silently next to the old well. Mr. Doan Van Tho (88 years old) recalled: "I have seen this village gate since I was born. My parents do not know when the gate was built. When I was young, I climbed up to the roof of the gate and jumped into the well to cool off."

Mr. Tho recalled the elders saying that in the past, the gate was built with molasses, without cement, and had been repaired many times by the villagers contributing their labor and money. Inside the gate, there are still traces of a plaque recording the contributions of those who contributed and a reminder that "Everyone is responsible for protecting the village gate".

Passing through Phuong Xa village gate is the place where Gia Loc district Party Committee was established (formerly Hai Duong province). Many tourists who come to visit and offer incense at the relic where Gia Loc district Party Committee was established are impressed with Phuong Xa village gate. Therefore, for the people here, the village gate is not only an architecture, but also a symbol of pride and memories of the homeland.

Dau Tri village gate (Ninh Giang commune) is also one of the few ancient structures that are still intact. The gate is over 100 years old, with Nguyen Dynasty architecture, made of bricks, stones, lime mortar, molasses, sand, and shells. On the ridge, there are two Chinese characters "Tat Thuc" clearly written, reminding villagers to keep order when entering and exiting.

Mr. Pham Dinh Tai, an elder in the village shared: “When I was young, the elders told me that this gate had two shops and a watchtower to protect cadres during the resistance war. Although the village road has been widened, we always encourage each other to preserve the village gate as a precious heritage of our homeland.”

Ancient village gates such as Phuong Xa and Dau Tri are not elaborate or ostentatious, but exude a solemn and dignified look, reflecting the discipline of ancient villages, and at the same time being a connecting point between families, clans, and communities.

Hundreds of years old ancient village gate in Phuong Xa village (Yet Kieu commune).

Cultural symbols that connect the community

Not just a geographical boundary, the village gate is also a special cultural space where people greet each other, chat, and meet every day. For people far from home, the image of the old village gate is often the first memory that comes to mind when thinking of their homeland.

Architect Nguyen Van Thuong, Chairman of the Hai Duong Architects Association, analyzed: “In the past, not every village had the conditions to build a gate. Only some villages with potential could build elaborate three-door gates with separate roofs. Now, when traffic demand increases, village gates must be built larger and more modern, but still need to maintain the traditional layout so as not to lose the village spirit.”

A typical example is the gate of Mo Trach village (Duong An commune), a village famous for its tradition of mandarin examinations. The gate was rebuilt in 2007 but still retains its traditional appearance with a three-entrance architecture including a main gate, two side gates, and a curved tiled roof at four corners. On the gate is engraved the words "Mo Trach village gate" and three pairs of parallel sentences given by Professor, Hero of Labor Vu Khieu. Among them, the most prominent is the sentence: "Entering filial piety and leaving loyalty, a glorious career begins from that gate / Going to welcome and returning to welcome brilliant scholars in this village".

The reproduction of traditional architecture in new works such as Mo Trach village gate shows that, despite modern development, people are still deeply aware of the cultural value of the village gate, considering it the "face" that reflects the character and character of the community. The village gate is therefore not only an architecture, but also a bond connecting generations, reminding each person of their roots.

In today’s modern life, many villages are replacing old village gates with modern, imposing welcome gates to meet traffic needs. However, the massive construction of new ones without research has caused many village gates to lose their original Vietnamese appearance.

Cultural researchers believe that ancient village gates are the heritage that most clearly reflects the identity and lifestyle of Vietnamese village communities, especially in the Northern Delta. Therefore, preserving ancient village gates is not only preserving a structure, but also preserving the soul of the village.

“The village gate is a symbol of community connection. The house door can be simple, the people can be poor, but the village gate must be decent and mature, because it is the face of the village,” said Mr. Pham Dinh Tai.

The village gate, along with the banyan tree, the well, the communal house yard… is the birthplace, the space that holds many layers of memories of the Vietnamese people. Preserving the ancient village gate is not only to preserve the shape of a structure, but more importantly to preserve memories, to preserve community ties, which have created the lasting vitality of Vietnamese villages for many generations.

From the ancient village gates of Phuong Xa and Dau Tri covered with moss, to the newly built majestic village gates of Mo Trach, all are sacred landmarks reminding each person of their roots. In modern life today, the village gate not only marks a geographical space, but is also a place to preserve cultural memories, a symbol of community cohesion and gratitude to ancestors who worked hard to build the village and protect the country.

LINH LINH

Source: https://baohaiphong.vn/sinh-ra-toi-da-thay-cong-lang-521125.html