THƯỢNG HAMLET ĐIẾM (CỔ LOA COMMUNE – ĐÔNG ANH DISTRICT)
Ngày 25 tháng 12 Năm 2023

Thượng (Upper) Hamlet is in the northeast of Internal Rampart, also known as Ngõ Thượng (Upper Lane). “Điếm” is located in the north of the hamlet, about 300m from Middle rampart.

Previously, Thượng hamlet had an old “Điếm”, consisting of 7 compartments, built westward, which was destroyed during the war. According to the elders, Điếm's position in history may have changed up to four times. Now in the new one, only a rafter remains, on which is engraved the date of the restoration of the old one in the 10th year of Thành Thái (1898). After many moves, the current Điếm was rebuilt in 2001.

Thượng Hamlet Điếm

The temple has a Chinese word "二"  shaped layout, including two parallel houses front and back: the forecourt and the sanctuary, on a platform about one meter high, paved with new Bat Trang-style tiles.

The forecourt consists of 7 compartments with sapele trusses made in a "kẻ chuyền" style with 4 rows of pillars; The roof is covered with “mũi hài” (shoe-toe-shaped) tiles and has four corners. The roof is decorated with dragon heads rolling inwardsThe front has steps that span all 5 compartments in a "five-step" style. The back side leaves 3 compartments empty for the entrance to the sanctuary. The two gables leave an empty middle space. The dividing wall is only at the four corners. Therefore, the forecourt has no doors and is very airy. Outside the wall is a surrounding corridor, limited by four pillars supporting the roof corners at the foundation corners.

The sanctuary is a small structure, the size of the three middle compartments of the, built with walls on three sides. In front is partition door. The roof is covered with “mũi hài” tiles, adjacent to the roof with the forecourt, underneath there is a rainwater catchment made of corrugated iron.

The name of “điếm” is written on the screen at the entrance: “Đại Điếm Thượng Thôn” (“Điếm” of Upper Hamlet). The entire area is more than 1000m2, of which the forecourt and the sanctuary accounts for one-fifth, the remaining is the garden and auxiliary buildings. The entire new store was restored in 2003, about 10 meters from the old store. Although this is a newly restored architecture, with a traditional layout and method of creation, the Thượng hamlet “Điếm” is quite beautiful and spacious.

In the “Điếm”, there are a number of artifacts and worship objects: the wooden decorative border, horizontal lacquered board, parallel sentences, bronze bells, incense burners, and other worship items. All make the interior more solemn and dignified. The Thượng hamlet Điếm has an altar to worship mandarins and earth gods. In addition, here there is also an altar to worship martyrs during the revolutionary resistance period of the Thượng - Cưu - Bãi residential cluster.

Thuong hamlet Điếm is a local meeting place, where cultural, artistic and sports exchange activities are regularly organized. Therefore, it has contributed to preserving and enhancing the fine traditional cultural values of the locality.

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