Hoàng Mai Communal House

Hoàng Mai Communal House (formal name: Biểu Trung Từ) is located on Hoàng Mai Street, Tương Mai Ward, Hà Nội, situated in alley 160, Hoàng Mai Street, Tương Mai Ward, Hà Nội. Hoàng Mai Communal House was built in 1799 and is popularly called Đình Cả (the Main Communal House). The đình (communal house, a traditional Vietnamese village assembly hall) worships General Trần Khát Chân and his younger brother Trần Hãng (also known as Trần Hương).

The communal house was built on Hoàng Mai land, which was originally the centre of the Kẻ Mơ estate established by General Trần Khát Chân, who lived there for 10 years (1389–1399).

The đình worships General Trần Khát Chân and his younger brother Trần Hãng (also called Trần Hương). Therefore, in Hoàng Mai village there is a taboo on using their names: in the past, people would not say "chân" (foot/leg) but would say "cẳng" (or "CHƠN" instead of "cẳng"), and would not say "hương" (incense) but would say "nhang" instead.

The only son of the General, Trần Thông, later became a young general during the Lê dynasty, who rendered meritorious service to the country and people, and is worshipped as the village tutelary deity (thành hoàng) in Khúc Thủy (Hà Tây). Tương Mai Communal House (Hà Nội) and 29 communal houses of 29 other villages, together with the Tam Tổng communal houses of Bình Bút – Nam Cai – Đốn Sơn (Thanh Hóa), also worship General Trần Khát Chân as their thành hoàng.

In the communal house courtyard, there remains a pair of stone horses and stone elephants lying in attendance on either side. The đình also worships Trần Hãng, younger brother of Trần Khát Chân, and Trần Khát Chân's trusted generals Phạm Tổ Thu and Phạm Ngưu Tất, who were all killed after their failed attempt to assassinate Hồ Qúy Ly at Đốn Sơn (in 1399).

At the end of 1943, when the nationwide resistance broke out, the communal house was burned and destroyed by French troops. Afterwards, the villagers of Hoàng Mai contributed money and resources to restore the đình. Hoàng Mai Communal House was built along a longitudinal axis with successive rows of transverse houses.

The most recent restoration was in 2006, with some other items completed in 2008. After restoration, the communal house has retained its original wooden structure.

Hoàng Mai Communal House was recognised as a national heritage site by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism under Decision No. 226-VH/QĐ dated 05/02/1994.

The communal house festival is held annually on the 24th day of the 4th lunar month.