Built in the area of Tran Quang Khai former property, this communal house worships him and his first lady Princess Phung Duong.
The architecture of Cao Dai communal house was built in the shape of number One in Chinese (一) and the back in the shape of Dinh (丁) on a vast and clear land. The 5-compartment Front House was constructed by thick wood, tiled roof, sophisticated columns and beams supported the whole construction. The communal house was restored in 1908 (King Duy Tan the Second), therefore, the architecture and carving details were featured with the style of the Nguyen dynasty.
The Middle House and the Harem were built in the shape of Dinh (丁) with curved roof. Different from the Front House, the Middle House and the Harem carried the architecture and carving details of the Later Le dynasty (XVII -XVIII). The entrance columns and the door system in the Middle House can be considered to be a masterpiece of art with the theme: dragons, flowers, birds and fairies; which were meticulously carved. The beam right above the entrance to the Harem was carved a Chinese sentence in the frame of Lotus “Đại vương thượng đẳng thần từ”. (translated in Vietnamese)
Some artefacts and relics now remain in Cao Dai communal house, one particular among them is the stone tablet carved in 1293. The content of the tablet provides information about Princess Phung Duong, Tran Quang Khai property and the withdrawal in strategy of the Tran in the 2nd war against the Yuan – Mongols (1285).
200 metres from Cao Dai communal house is the tomb of Princess Phung Duong, on a high mound surrounded with trees and plants. Locals call it Phu Rung (The forest Mansion).
Location
Cao Dai village, My Thanh commune
My Loc town, Nam Dinh province
Photo
Trieu Chien
Editor
Ha Thu Pham
