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The Kẻ Mọc region and the story of 5 ancient villages.
The area of Nhan Chinh - Thanh Xuan today was once home to five ancient villages: Giap Nhat, Chinh Kinh, Cu Loc, Quan Nhan, and Phung Khoang. Later, Cu Loc and Chinh Kinh merged to form Cu Chinh, leaving four villages: Giap Nhat, Cu Chinh, Quan Nhan, and Phung Khoang. The ancients called this area "Ke Moc" (meaning "The Growing Village") because of its fertile land, lush greenery, and rapidly growing population. Over hundreds of years, traces of that rural life, despite rapid urbanization, still linger in every communal house and small alleyway, like underground streams nourishing memories.
The ancients called this area "The Growing Place" because of its fertile land, lush greenery, and the rapid growth of a large population.
Legend has it that in the early years of settling the Kẻ Mọc area, the people of Giáp Nhất, Chính Kinh, Cự Lộc, Quan Nhân, and Phùng Khoang villages faced common difficulties. A story passed down tells of five boys from different villages who became sworn brothers, working together to clear land, establish livelihoods, and help their fellow villagers overcome famine. From this, the custom of "kết chạ" (village alliance) was born: every five years, all five villages take turns organizing a joint festival, procession, folk performances, and connecting the community across generations.
That spirit of solidarity has helped the villages of Moc survive, adapt, and preserve their traditional cultural values to this day. Of the five villages, Quan Nhan is the one that still retains the most recognizable structures of an ancient village, with its communal house, pagoda, temple, and surrounding ponds… And all the “breath” of the old village is hidden behind its small alleyways.
Quan Nhan Temple - The center of village life
Quan Nhan communal house still plays an important role in the spiritual life of the people. The communal house is dedicated to Trung Nghia Dai Vuong Hung Lang Cong, the 9th-generation descendant of Hung Vuong, who made great contributions in fighting invaders and later married Truong My Nuong, a daughter of Quan Nhan village.
Built on elevated land in a "cong" (工) shaped architectural style, the communal house consists of a triple gate, a main hall, an incense burning area, and a rear sanctuary. The main hall has 7 bays, built in the "gable-end, closed-gable" style. The incense burning area and the rear sanctuary each have 3 bays, with a wooden frame, traditional tiled roof, and a brick courtyard opening towards the pond. The current architecture bears the mark of several renovations but still retains the spirit of a Northern Vietnamese communal house, serving both as a space for community activities and maintaining the "core" of village culture.
Quan Nhan Temple still plays an important role in the spiritual life of the people.
The location of the communal house reveals how the ancients organized space; they often placed important structures near water to take advantage of the terrain and their connection to water resources. This shows that the villages of Moc were not formed randomly, but were systematically planned, from the main road to the institutions located on either side.
Quan Nhan Pagoda, the village pond, and the Confucian temple – Cultural relics of the old village.
Located right next to the communal house, Quan Nhan Pagoda stands as a complex of historical relics that still retains its traditional form: the triple-arched gate leading in, the courtyard, the area for worshipping the Three Jewels, along with auxiliary structures, the Mother Goddess house, the Ancestor house, the guesthouse, and the surrounding wall. After many renovations, it remains a place where people come to find peace, worship, and remembrance. If the communal house is the center of community life, then Quan Nhan Pagoda is the space that preserves tranquility and maintains the spiritual rhythm of the village – a vivid testament to how the ancient Moc village integrated urban life and folk beliefs.
Quan Nhan Pagoda
According to Mr. Hai, also known as "Ông Từ," the caretaker of the communal house, temple, and shrine, Quan Nhân village used to have four ponds surrounding it, creating a distinctive water-enclosed landscape. During festivals, people would drain the ponds to organize human chess games or other traditional folk games.
The space dedicated to Confucius, the ancient sages, and famous scholars has also been preserved and now serves as a venue for a folk song club, contributing to the maintenance of the community's cultural and spiritual life.
A "culinary map" in Quan Nhan.
What makes Quan Nhan village remarkable is not its pristine state, but the intertwining of communal houses, temples, residential houses, old alleys, eateries, and general stores all appearing in one space. Along the alley leading to the village gate, the pho restaurant of Ms. Nguyen Thi Lien (73 years old), over 30 years old, still regularly opens from 6:30 am. The simple bowl of "rare and well-done" pho is a familiar stop for the locals.
Within the village, noodle shops selling crab noodle soup, pork noodle soup, and shrimp paste noodle soup, interspersed with iced tea stalls, create a vibrant and intimate culinary scene. Along the same small streets, you'll find spring rolls, nem rolls, and black bean sweet soup, perfect for a light afternoon snack. Enjoying these simple dishes, one easily feels a sense of tranquility, harmonizing with the atmosphere of the old village that still lingers in daily life.
Along the alley leading to the village gate, the pho restaurant, over 30 years old, owned by Ms. Nguyen Thi Lien (73 years old), still regularly opens from 6:30 AM.
Staying at a slow pace amidst the urban hustle and bustle.
Taking a stroll through the village in the morning, familiar scenes unfold: the sound of bamboo brooms sweeping the village square, small shops opening their doors as usual, a few elderly people sitting under the trees near the temple... This space isn't entirely ancient; it's a rustic blend of the past and the present, giving one a feeling that is both familiar and strange.
Senior citizens' chess club
Although the five villages of Mọc are no longer intact, the imprint of those villages remains a precious living heritage.
Quan Nhan is a worthwhile destination for those who want to slow down and experience the old village life that still coexists with the city. Every small alley, temple, village pond, or ancient stone table carries its own story, creating rare moments of peace amidst Hanoi.
Although the five villages of Mọc are no longer intact, their legacy remains a precious living heritage. Each village has its own story, but all share a spirit of adaptability, flexibility, and preservation of the core of traditional village culture.
