NOI CHAU COMMUNAL HOUSE

The Noi Chau Communal House is currently located in Residential Area No. 5, Tu Lien Ward, Tay Ho District, Hanoi. Historically, this area was Xuyen Bao Hamlet, which was divided into four regions during the Tran Dynasty: Noi Chau, Ngoai Chau, Xuyen Chau, and Van Chau, later collectively known as "Tu Xa". During the Le Dynasty, it was referred to as Tam Bao Hamlet, with Noi Chau belonging to Nội Commune, Vinh Thuan District. Under the Nguyen Dynasty, following several name changes, it was officially designated as Noi Chau Commune in 1910. Before 1945, it was part of Phuc Lam Commune, Hoan Long District, Ha Dong Province. In 1961, it became part of Tu Lien Commune, Tu Liem District, Hanoi's suburban area. Since 1996, it has belonged to Tu Lien Ward, Tay Ho District, Hanoi.

According to the legend, Noi Chau Communal House worships the village's tutelary gods, three siblings: Bao Trung (Holy Elder, birth name Nguyen Huy Bao), Minh Khiet (Holy Younger, birth name Nguyen Huy My), and Y Hanh Lady (birth name Nguyen Thi Phuong). They were all born at the hour of Mouse on June 28, Mau Dan year, whose parents specialised in traditional medicine to cure and save people.

When they were just four months old, their mother passed away from illness. Their father found two wet nurses, Pham Thi Thanh and Pham Thi Tinh, to care for them. At 12, the two brothers were sent to school while the wet nurses returned to their hometown. When they were 18, they had mastered literature and martial arts. At that time, he named his children the eldest as Bao, the second as My, and the youngest daughter as Phuong.

On the 20th day of the 11th lunar month, their father fell ill and passed away. After burying their father, the three brothers went to find land to make a living. Upon arriving in Tu Liem District, they tried to find their former wet nurses but were unsuccessful.

At that time, a wealthy landowner named Le Chi Cong noticed their striking intelligence and handsome, took them in as helpers. After a year, Phương went to the riverbank and was entangled by a snake, and died. A jade cup was on her forehead when her body floated to the water's surface. Later, the place where she was buried was turned into a mausoleum, and from then on, the villagers often called Bà Mả Chén. Whenever the villagers had difficulties, they prayed to her and her prayers were answered, so they built a temple to worship her.

In the year Thien Phuc (980-988) of King Le Dai Hanh, the Song Dynasty invaded our country. She secretly helped King Le Hoan defeat the Song army. In victory, the king issued an imperial edict and gave her 300 silver coins to maintain her temple. The villagers were commanded to enshrine her as Lady Y Hanh.

Nine years later, the Champa invaders came to harass our country. Following the king's edict, Bao Trung and Minh Khiet immediately volunteered for military service and were appointed “Trung phẩm tướng” (Third-Rank Generals). They were given 30,000 elephants, horses, and elite soldiers. Returning to their hometown, they gathered additional troops and divided their forces into two battalions for battle. After securing victory, the brothers returned through Son Tay, Tam Doi prefecture, Bach Hac district, where they both passed away. The king sent an edict to Xuyen Bao village. He ordered the villagers to build a temple to worship them, honouring the elder brother as "Đương Cảnh Thành hoàng Bảo Trung thượng đẳng phúc thần Đại vương" and the younger brother as "Đương Cảnh Thành hoàng Minh Khiết thượng đẳng phúc thần Đại vương."