Leaning against a namesake rocky mountain in Hoa Hiep Nam Ward, Lien Chieu District, Da Nang, nestling in the time-honoured Nam O village whose fishing sauce making craft has been recognised as national intangible cultural heritage, the Xuan Duong village communal house shows off cultural and historical values, and great tourism development potential.

A new look of the Xuan Duong village communal house after the several months-long upgrade

The communal house was built during the reign of Emperor Tu Duc (1848 - 1883). Initially, this place was made up of rustic and close-to-nature materials like species of bamboo. To date, it has been upgraded on 3 occasions.

The temple features some of the unique architectural characteristics of the Vietnamese ancient traditional style, especially impressive sophisticated carving patterns. 

Not only is the communal house is a historical relic site, but it also serves as a spiritual, cultural and symbolic venue for Xuan Duong villagers.

In history, the house was selected as a polling station for the first general election of the National Assembly (NA) of the Democratic Republic of Viet Nam, now the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, on 6 January, 1946.

At that time, people from all walks of life aged 18 and over in large local parts, now known as the communes Hoa Lien, Hoa Bac in Hoa Vang District, and the wards of Hoa Hiep Nam and Hoa Hiep Bac in Lien Chieu District, went the polls to elect the first NA.

On 24 December, 2007, the communal house was recognised as a city-level historical and cultural relic site by the municipal People’s Committee.

On 6 October, the house boasted a new look after the several months-long upgrade funded by the city budget.

The house is highly expected to be very inviting to domestic and foreign tourists in the near future.

According to the latest figures released by the Lien Chieu District Office of Culture and Information, Xuan Duong is one of the 35 historical sites in the district. These sites, along with more than a dozen traditional folk festivals, have together created the local cultural and spiritual foundation.

Given the recognition of the traditional fish sauce making craft in the Nam O Village as national intangible cultural heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Xuan Duong and such other places in the time-honoured village as the mysterious Ba Temple, the Whale Worship Temple and a worship place dedicated to the souls of Vietnamese soldiers who laid down their lives in their struggle against the French forces in the years of 1858,1859 and 1862, would have the opportunity to promote their long-standing cultural and historical values in service of tourism.

A corner of the entrance to the communal house

The Lien Chieu District Office of Culture and Information has already suggested that relevant municipal agencies focus on building new tourist sites right in the Nam O traditional village, in association with the development of highly inviting tourism products featuring its special characteristics.

Included can be tours to the village to learn how to make fish sauce and enjoying ‘ba trao’ (dancing and singing local traditional folk songs) performances dedicated to honouring the merits and virtues of the whale, and showing the local fishermen's strong desire for peaceful offshore fishing trips, with bumper catches.