Tan Dong Communal House – Unique House in The Bodhi Tree

Tan Dong communal house, also known as Go Tao communal house, belonging to Tan Dong commune, Go Cong Dong district, Tien Giang province is considered a unique architectural work because, on the roof, there are 2 Bodhi trees whose roots embrace the whole communal house, creating a rare ancient beauty.

Tan Dong Communal House – Unique House in The Bodhi Tree

Tan Dong communal house before restoration

According to the elders, the communal house dates back to the reign of King Minh Mang. The temple worships Mr. Le Van Duyet, a high-ranking official who worked through 3 dynasties: Gia Long, Minh Mang, and Tu Duc. Architectural patterns and embossed motifs on the communal house are typical of the communal house architecture of the Nguyen Dynasty. The communal house has been the place to organize Thuong Dien, Ha Dien ceremonies yearly. These ceremonies aim to pray to the village god to bless the villagers get peace and a good harvest.

Check out Mekong Delta Tours provided by Scooter Saigon Tour. Team of Tracy Do will show you the South Vietnam to its fullest.

About half a century ago, the communal house appeared three Bodhi trees growing high on the top of the communal house, the roots reaching out to cling to the wall, some of which ran along the crevices of the communal house and became columns, rafters run vertically and horizontally to keep the house solid. In 1990 a Bodhi tree was removed by some greedy people as an ornamental, the people dreamed that they intervened in time to keep the remaining two trees.

Two bodhi trees let down their roots to embrace the whole house.

After many years, Tan Dong communal house was seriously degraded due to a lack of funds to repair it, recently, the communal house has been restored and repaired. The thing encouraged is that after the restoration, the communal house still retains its own and unique features. that is the main part of the hall that still retains the time-stained wall with two bodhi trees clinging to it like a work of art.

House after restoration

The main hall still retains the wall with two bodhi trees clinging to it.

Unique construction more than 200 years old.

The rare ancient beauty of the communal house.

Local people strongly believe in the sacredness of the communal house, always proud of this unique cultural relic. With ancient architecture, the facade is a wall with five arches surrounded by tangled bodhi roots, the ancient communal house gradually becomes a familiar check-in point. If you have the opportunity to travel to Tien Giang, you can come here along Highway 50, meet Lane 13, then go to Mac Van Thanh Street, and ask people about Tan Dong communal house.