VietNamNet Bridge – The temple of Do family in the ancient village of Dong Ngac, Hanoi was built three centuries ago. It is considered the second communal house of the village.
The house is located in a deep alley in Dong Ngac Village. It was built under King Le Canh Hung Dynasty in 1760. In photo: The ancient gate of the house.
In front of the house is a garden. According to Mr. Do Quoc Hien, the 15th descendant, the family ancestor is Mr. Do The Giai, a mandarin in the Le – Trinh Dynasty, who was regarded as God after his death.
The house was built by rare wood, with five compartments and roofed by Yin-Yang tiles.
This is one of a few family temples in Vietnam that were allowed to be built in the design of a communal house.
After over three centuries, the Do family has still well preserved horizontal lacquer boards, parallel sentences, censors, altar, palanquin and ritual objects in the church.
The value of the house is most visible through its twin cranes standing on two stone turtles and two steles. The cranes were made of rare wood and they are more than 2m in height.
Two stone steles were made in 1771, honoring the merits and virtues of the ancestor of the Do family – Mr. Do The Giai and noting regulations on worship rites.
A stone table where offerings are prepared before they are put on the altar.
The 50 cm wide space is for air flow, separating the main house and the sanctum.
An ancient space of the house with a jar of water, a stone mortar, a bronze gong and ancient pillars.
The sanctum where rituals are held.
The house has been partly ruined by time despite the family’s effort of preservation. Of nearly 100 old houses in Dong Ngac, the temple of Do family is the oldest and most valuable.
VNE/VNN