The 400-year-old Duong Lam Ancient Village is considered a living museum of the countryside in the plains and midlands of Northern Vietnam. This is the hometown of two kings who made great contributions in the struggle for national independence: Phung Hung and Ngo Quyen.
About 50 km from the center of Hanoi, Duong Lam Ancient Village (Son Tay Town, Hanoi) is a place rich in traditional cultural heritage. The architecture of the ancient village still retains the space and institutions of an ancient Vietnamese village: Ancient Vietnamese: Village gate, alley gate, communal house, pagoda, inn, restaurant, ancient well, family temples. Duong Lam commune has 9 different villages, of which the villages: Mong Phu, Dong Sang, Cam Thinh, Doai Giap, Cam Lam are places where many relics and ancient houses are concentrated. Of which, the most complete and beautiful is Mong Phu village.
Most of the ancient houses are built with traditional materials of Duong Lam, which are laterite. The system of columns and rafters is usually made of jackfruit wood or xoan wood. Only a few families can afford to use lim wood. The roof is usually covered with Vietnamese tiles (ri tiles). The most common architecture is five rooms. The three main rooms are for worship and receiving guests. The two rooms on the sides are for personal activities.
In addition to the communal house and ancient houses, Duong Lam has a large pagoda called Mia Pagoda. There are 287 statues of worship, including 174 terracotta statues painted with gold, 107 wooden statues and six bronze statues. Mia Pagoda is known to people in and outside the area for its solemnity and antiquity. If Duong Lam commune, especially Mong Phu village, is a museum of ancient Vietnamese villages, Mia Pagoda is a museum of ancient Buddhist statues.


Two kings in Duong Lam Village
Born during the time when the country was invaded by foreign invaders, Phung Hung (8th century) soon formed the will to repel the invaders, to be independent and self-governing. He recruited heroic soldiers, raised an army, and rebelled against the domination of the Tang Dynasty, China. The soldiers drove the Tang Dynasty's occupying army out of Tong Binh citadel (present-day Hanoi). Phung Hung built an independent and autonomous Vietnam for 7 years before passing away. In his hometown of Cam Lam village, the people built a temple to commemorate him. The current temple has the architectural style of the 19th century, including the following items: Nghi Mon Gate, Ta Huu Mac, Dai Bai and Hau Cung. Phung Hung Temple Festival is held on the 8th day of the first lunar month (the death anniversary of Bo Cai Dai Vuong Phung Hung).
Just a short distance from the Phung Hung King Temple is the tomb of Ngo Quyen (Ngo Vuong, 898-944). Ngo Quyen is known as the founder of the Vietnamese nation, as he was the first person to build Vietnam's independence after a thousand years of Chinese domination. After defeating the Southern Han army on the Bach Dang River, Ngo Quyen proclaimed himself king and established his capital in Co Loa (present-day Dong Anh) with the desire to inherit the ancient Au Lac state. Ngo Quyen's tomb was built in the early 20th century, following the architecture of a four-roofed stele house. The temple was built about 100m from the tomb. In front of the tomb is a large field located between two hillsides, next to which is Ho Gam hill, which is said to be the place where King Ngo Quyen often herded buffaloes, cut grass and practiced martial arts with his friends as a child. Notably, there is also a row of 18 ancient duoi trees, which is said to be the place where King Ngo Quyen had his soldiers tie war elephants.