Phú Nhuận Communal House

Phú Nhuận Communal House (đình Phú Nhuận) is a village đình (communal house) located at 18 Mai Văn Ngọc Street, Phú Nhuận Ward, Ho Chi Minh City. Prior to the administrative reorganisation at the commune level in 2025, this location belonged to Ward 10, Phú Nhuận District; Ward 10 was subsequently merged into the new Phú Nhuận Ward. The đình was recognised as a heritage site under Decision No. 3744-QĐ/VHTT dated 29 January 1997; the list of heritage sites of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports records the direct managing unit as the Ban Quí tế (Ritual Committee). Since 2022, Phú Nhuận Communal House has been included in the tourism product "Phú Nhuận – A Place to Return To", a tour route based on several local heritage sites and cultural spaces.

The đình was originally built on the bank of the Thị Nghè canal. Afterwards, the village chief Lê Tự Tài donated a high plot of land in the village, called Kim Qui mound, to relocate the đình to its current location. Phú Nhuận hamlet is recorded in the Gia Định thành thông chí by Trịnh Hoài Đức, at that time belonging to Bình Trị tổng, Bình Dương district, Tân Bình prefecture, Phiên An province. Phú Nhuận Communal House was built before 1853.

The đình was erected around 1818 in the Kinh hamlet, next to the Nhiêu Lộc canal, and then rebuilt at its current site in 1852. After the đình was established at the new location, the elders of the đình association requested an imperial decree of investiture from Emperor Tự Đức in 1853. Initially, the structure consisted of the võ qui (martial hall) and the main sanctuary; the nhà túc (side house) was constructed in a later phase.

The đình has undergone many renovations. In 1930, most of the nhà túc, main sanctuary, and võ qui were repaired, and the võ ca (ceremonial stage) and hậu house (rear house) were added. The 1966 renovation replaced several elements such as wooden doors, traditional tiles, and the backstage area. Subsequent renovations included the võ ca and hậu house in 1989, and the main sanctuary in 1998.

The layout of Phú Nhuận Communal House is in an inverted L-shape, comprising two axes. The main axis includes the võ ca (ceremonial stage), võ qui (martial hall), and main sanctuary; the secondary axis contains the nhà thảo bạt (temporary pavilion), nhà túc (side house), open courtyard, kitchen, storage, and restrooms. This structure is a Southern Vietnamese đình built in the nhà xếp đọi (modular house) style. The đình has three gates, facing Nguyễn Văn Trỗi, Nguyễn Thị Minh Huỳnh, and Mai Văn Ngọc streets respectively; the building faces east, towards the Thị Nghè canal. The gate facing Nguyễn Văn Trỗi Street has brick pillars. The second gate is a tam quan (triple-arched) gate rebuilt in 1974, with concrete pillars and green-glazed tiled roof; the gate facing Mai Văn Ngọc Street is attached to the đình's fence and was built in 1964.

The area in front of the đình features the Nhị vị Công tử shrine, the Ngũ Hành shrine, the Ông Hổ stele, and the Thần Nông altar. The võ ca is at the head of the main axis; its stage faces the deity altar and is used for ritual offerings and artistic performances during the đình festival. The võ qui, also called the central hall, houses the external council altar. The main sanctuary contains the internal council altar and the Thành Hoàng (Village Tutelary Deity) altar. On either side of the Thành Hoàng altar are the Bà Chúa Xứ altar and the altar to Đông Nam sát hải lang lại nhị đại tướng quân.

The nhà túc area, on the secondary axis, is laid out in the shape of the character tam (三), and includes the nhà thảo bạt, nhà túc, and kitchen. This is where offerings are prepared during festivals; on ordinary days, it was used for village affairs and as the workplace of the village dignitaries. This area also venerates the Tiên Sư (Ancestral Master), former and later officials, and former and later soldiers.

The đình is roofed with yin-yang tiles, and its brick walls are painted pale yellow. The columns and trusses are made of wood in the kẻ chuyền style; the roof is decorated with a pair of dragons contending for a pearl, made of ceramics. Inside the đình are red-and-gold lacquered and carved ritual objects and decorations, including the internal council altar, tứ linh (four sacred animals) screen, and horizontal boards in the võ qui and main sanctuary. On the deity altar in the main sanctuary is an ancient blue-glazed ceramic incense burner in rectangular form, measuring 32 cm x 35 cm x 30 cm, and a bronze incense burner measuring 12 cm x 20 cm x 3 cm. The đình preserves 34 artefacts, including an imperial investiture decree from Emperor Tự Đức. The tutelary deity worshipped at the đình is Ma-La-Cẩn; other venerated figures include Chúa Xứ nương nương, Thần Nông, Ngũ Hành nương nương, Nhị vị Công tử, former and later soldiers, former and later officials, and Bạch mã thái giám (White Horse Eunuch).

Two đình in Ho Chi Minh City worship Ông Táo (the Kitchen God): An Phú Communal House and Phú Nhuận Communal House. At Phú Nhuận Communal House, the Ông Táo tablet is inscribed Đông Trù Tư Mệnh and placed on the left altar. These đình also worship Ngũ Hành nương nương (Five Element Goddesses) within the compound and incorporate Taoist elements.

The land of Phú Nhuận Communal House, according to the detailed urban planning adjustment project for the residential area covering Wards 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 of Phú Nhuận District, approved by the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee in 2013, is classified as existing religious land, code A9, with an area of 0.09 ha.

Phú Nhuận Communal House is among the group of religious and belief sites that continue to attract visitors and pilgrims; it is also listed among the urgent repair projects in Ho Chi Minh City.

In 2022, Phú Nhuận Communal House was included in the "Phú Nhuận – A Place to Return To" tourism programme, along with the Headquarters of the Liaison Delegation of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army to the International Commission for Supervision and Control of the Armistice in Saigon, and Võ Tánh Mausoleum. The programme combines heritage sites with a route along the Nhiêu Lộc – Thị Nghè canal, Rạch Miễu Sports Centre, Phan Xích Long food street, and various craft and art experience activities. A 2022 tour route began at Phú Nhuận Communal House, then proceeded to the Liaison Delegation Headquarters, a perfume-making experience, Võ Tánh Mausoleum, a lacquer painting experience, and ended at Phan Xích Long food street. In 2025, after the new Phú Nhuận Ward comes into operation, Phú Nhuận Communal House will continue to be featured in the "Phú Nhuận – Each Day Renewed" journey, together with Long Vân Hầu – Trương Tấn Bửu Temple and the ward's administrative offices.

The Kỳ Yên Festival at Phú Nhuận Communal House takes place from the 16th to the 18th day of the first lunar month. The honoured figures in the festival include the Buddha, deities, and the village's founding and later sages. The ceremony opens with Buddhist prayers for peace, followed by lion dances, traditional martial arts performances, deity offerings, offerings to the founding and later sages, xây chầu (opening drum ritual), đại bội (grand opera), and hát bội (classical theatre). On the second and third days, there are rituals for male and female officials; the conclusion includes the enthronement and return of the spirits, following the tradition of Southern Vietnamese đình. The annual Kỳ Yên Festival is the most important event of the year for the đình. The 2024 festival included rituals such as the opening of the gates, flag-raising, grand flag ceremony, lion dance, ceremonial music, and offerings to the tutelary deity.

The xây chầu đại bội (grand opera opening) usually begins at midnight. The drum is struck nine times in three rounds, followed by the đại bội performance; the hát bội scenes explain the origin of humanity and the formation of the universe according to folk legend.

In 2016, the ritual at Phú Nhuận Communal House was referenced in the master's thesis summary by Hoàng Thị Tuyên on New Year peace-praying ceremonies in Ho Chi Minh City; the main focus of the thesis was the peace-praying ceremony at Hoằng Pháp Pagoda. The Kỳ Yên Festival at Phú Nhuận Communal House shares the purpose of praying for peace, like the temple ceremony, but is associated with the culture of Southern Vietnamese village đình, the remembrance of the tutelary deity and generations who contributed to the village's foundation, as well as rituals praying for favourable weather for the villagers' peaceful life. The Kỳ Yên Festival at the đình is often linked to the commemoration of village benefactors or the village's activity cycle; a typical feature is the procession rituals.