Restoration 'destroyed' Tho Tang communal house?

The worries of the village lover

Images of the restoration of Tho Tang communal house (Tho Tang town, Vinh Tuong district, Vinh Phuc ) immediately attracted heritage lovers in the Vietnamese Communal House group. From the initial information of photos of communal house pillars and carved panels after restoration, the group of heritage lovers continuously asked questions about this restoration process. "After the restoration of Tho Tang communal house is completed, let's compare some carved panels through photos taken in 2014 and newly taken in 2023 to see how the restoration quality of this special national relic is?", art researcher Nguyen Duc Binh, founder of the Vietnamese Communal House group, asked.

Mr. Binh analyzed the documentary images: "After the restoration of the famous carving of Two People Playing Shuttlecock, the right arm of the human figure was bent into a different position. Many carvings had very messy glue marks. The carvings had a very unique crowded layout that can only be found in Tho Tang communal house. After the restoration, for some reason, the surface became uneven and very unaesthetic."

Trùng tu 'phá hỏng' đình Thổ Tang? - Ảnh 1. — The vermilion pillars at Tho Tang communal house cause a stir

"I also don't understand why the pillar is so bright red while the color of the other pillar is not. The carvings also change in detail," asked freelance researcher Nguyen Hoai Nam. Mr. Nam also participated in the book Vietnamese Communal House Architecture through documents of the Institute for Monument Conservation, volume 1. The book provides documents about precious communal houses with typical beauty, including Tho Tang communal house.

According to the documents in this book, Tho Tang communal house is the earliest communal house in Vinh Phuc province to be ranked as a national relic according to Decision No. 29 - VH/QD dated January 13, 1964 of the Ministry of Culture. Tho Tang communal house is located on a large plot of land, facing the West, overlooking the Phan River (a branch of the Ca Lo River), which is now lost due to the diversion of the river. The newly built four-pillar gate leads into the communal house yard from the right side. The main building has a Dinh-shaped layout, including the Great Worship Hall and the Rear Palace.

Trùng tu 'phá hỏng' đình Thổ Tang? - Ảnh 2. — The kicker's touch panel has been "bent in the direction of the hand" (left cover 2023, right cover 2014)

The book Vietnamese Communal House Architecture through the documents of the Institute of Monuments Conservation, volume 1 also affirms the value of the carving art in Tho Tang communal house. Accordingly, Tho Tang communal house is carved with quite dense decorations. The decorative carving art here is imbued with folklore with techniques of relief carving, channel carving, and perforated carving. Human images are expressed in two forms: fairies and ordinary people. The theme of ordinary people with daily activities is vividly and richly expressed, from common people to the mandarin class, with themes: drinking, playing chess, fighting, rowing boats, plowing... Human images mainly use the relief carving technique with large blocks, plump, benevolent faces, paying little attention to body proportions.

Also in this book, the carving of a person playing shuttlecock is introduced with a photo taken in 2015. In this photo, the character's hand has lost its palm. However, the direction of the remaining hand is not the same as the direction of the hand after restoration at the communal house. This is also the carving mentioned by Mr. Nguyen Duc Binh.

Trùng tu 'phá hỏng' đình Thổ Tang? - Ảnh 3. — The carvings with crowded layouts are considered messy.

The Department is only responsible to the Ministry despite decentralization.

In 2018, Tho Tang communal house became a special national relic. In 2019, Vinh Phuc Provincial People's Council issued Resolution No. 71 stipulating the mechanism for supporting investment and restoration of the system of historical and cultural relics ranked in Vinh Phuc province, period 2019 - 2025. This Resolution decided to invest and support funding for restoration and embellishment according to the roadmap of 63 relics that are degraded by 60% or more, in which priority is given to investment and support for special national relics.

According to this resolution, special national relics are invested by the state budget, supporting 100% of the cost according to the approved project. Two special national relics that are seriously degraded, Binh Son tower and Tho Tang communal house, are being invested by the province with about 40 billion VND for restoration and embellishment. Also in this document, the degradation rate of Tho Tang communal house is determined to be 70%. In May 2022, Vinh Tuong District People's Committee coordinated with the investor and relevant agencies to start the restoration and embellishment of Tho Tang communal house.

Trùng tu 'phá hỏng' đình Thổ Tang? - Ảnh 4. — Photo document of a carving of a person playing shuttlecock (2015) in the book *Vietnamese Communal House Architecture through documents of the Institute for Monument Conservation, volume 1*

Regarding the current status of Tho Tang communal house as reflected by freelance researchers, who are also communal house lovers, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vinh Phuc said that this matter should be asked to the Department of Cultural Heritage (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism). Mr. Bui Hong Do, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vinh Phuc, said that the Tho Tang communal house project was approved by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. "This is from the Ministry, so we have to work with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. This is a special national relic, approved directly by the Department of Heritage. It is definitely the same as the Department approved, a special national relic. We would never dare to deviate," said Mr. Do.

According to Dr. Nguyen Viet Cuong, Head of the Department of Monument Management (Department of Cultural Heritage), the restoration of national monuments is regulated in Decree 166 on the authority, order, procedures for establishing, appraising, and approving plans and projects for preserving, restoring, and restoring historical-cultural monuments, landscapes, and scenic spots, as well as Circular 15 detailing a number of regulations on preserving, restoring, and restoring monuments. Accordingly, the Ministry issues an appraisal document as a basis for the province to consider before approving the project. That means the Department of Cultural Heritage only has a professional agreement, and the restoration is then carried out and the locality is responsible.

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