Co Tich Communal House — Cultural Imprint of Ancestral Roots Traditions

Located in Hy Cuong commune, Co Tich Communal House is one of the cultural and religious structures deeply attached to the spiritual life of local residents. Over time, the communal house has contributed to preserving traditional values, expressing the moral principle of “when drinking water, remember its source,” and nurturing love for the homeland and country across today’s generations.

Religious activities at Co Tich Communal House contribute to preserving heritage and connecting the community.

Hy Cuong is a land rich in history, closely associated with the Hung Kings era and the Worship of Hung Kings. Alongside the Hung Temple Special National Historical Relic Site, the locality preserves many traditional religious structures, including Co Tich Communal House in Co Tich hamlet. Co Tich Communal House, also known as Ca Communal House or Trinh Communal House, is a historical and artistic architectural relic within the Hung Temple Historical Relic Site complex.

In 1993, the relic was awarded the National Historical-Cultural Relic Certificate by the Ministry of Culture and Information (now the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism). According to local elders, the communal house possesses a long history, serving as a place to worship the Hung Kings and the two My Nuong princesses—Tien Dung and Ngoc Hoa. Across generations, stories about the communal house have been passed down by local people, contributing to preserving historical memories and traditional cultural values of the community.

Not only holding historical significance, Co Tich Communal House also occupies an important position in the spiritual life of local residents. Annually, during holidays, Tet, and major occasions, large numbers of local citizens and tourists gather to offer incense, expressing deep reverence toward the Hung Kings and the personages worshipped by the people. This activity contributes to maintaining traditional customs and reinforcing the awareness of turning toward ancestral roots within the community.

Mr. Dao Van Phuong — keeper of Co Tich Communal House — shared: Annually, numerous local residents and tourists come to the communal house to conduct rituals and offer incense in memory of the Hung Kings and the village tutelary deity. Taking care of incense offerings and preserving the worship site is the responsibility of relic caretakers, while also demonstrating the affection and reverence of local people toward ancestors and predecessors. Religious activities contribute to maintaining the bond between residents and the relic site, while creating conditions for traditional values to continue being preserved in modern life.

One of the distinct highlights associated with Co Tich Communal House is its role in the main palanquin procession to the Upper Temple (Den Thuong) on the occasion of the Hung Kings Commemoration Day. The ritual demonstrates deep reverence and gratitude toward the merits of the Hung Kings, while maintaining the connection between community religious practices and commemorative activities at the Hung Temple Historical Relic Site.

According to Mr. Trieu Manh Hung — Head of the Co Tich Communal House Management Team, protecting and promoting relic values requires joint community efforts. The management team focuses on preserving the worship space, ensuring the solemnity of the relic while creating favorable conditions for residents and tourists to offer incense. We hope the younger generation gains a deeper understanding of the communal house’s history and the significance of the Hung Kings Worship, thereby enhancing their sense of responsibility in preserving the homeland’s heritage.

In recent years, alongside preserving historical and cultural relics in the area, propaganda work and mobilizing residents to promote the tradition of “when drinking water, remember its source” carry practical significance in building grassroots cultural life. Maintaining religious activities at Co Tich Communal House contributes to community cohesion, nurturing pride in the homeland, and elevating awareness of protecting traditional cultural values.

Throughout the development process, the appearance of Hy Cuong commune has grown increasingly renewed, and citizens' living standards have step-by-step improved. Co Tich Communal House continues to maintain its role as a familiar cultural and religious address for the community. Preserving and promoting the values of the communal house is not merely preserving a national-level historical-cultural relic, but also contributing to passing down the noble values of the Hung Kings Worship—ensuring that the tradition of ancestor gratitude continues to be preserved in present and future life.

Duong Chung