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Buoi village

Being situated to North - East of Ha Noi capital, closing by West Lake there is a large land surrounding Buoi market. It is Buoi village. This is an ancient land where has been preserving a rich and monumental treasure of traditional culture which expresses deep imprint of many generations in the cause of building and protecting Thang Long capital.

Formerly, Buoi village had many small hamlets such as Ho Khau, Dong Xa, Yen Thai, Trich Sai, An Tho, Vong Thi and some neighbouring villages located in Nghia Do land such as Tan Nghe, Bai An... Nowadays, belonging to Buoi commune, Tay Ho district, just including six first villages. Three rest villages belong to Nghia Do, Cau Giay district, Ha Noi city.

The village name is originated from positions of hamlets. All are situated around Buoi market and take the market to be place for gathering, exchanging and living. For Buoi market, due to in former time, it held on a green and fresh and luxuriant grapefruit flat expanse right at the confluence of two rivers. Thien Phu and To Lich, so people called the market "Buoi market". It was said that, formerly, at this market, there was Hong Tan quay - place for merchant boats from the highland with full of fruits and forest products through Red river to make a land fall to serve people of Thang Long capital. From these merchant boats, Doan Hung grapefruit (Phu Tho) had opportunity to overrun accumulatedly and scatteredly into the capital and grow into fresh fields. The name "Ke Buoi" (Buoi townsfolk) of the whole land was determined since then. Buoi village is also the place whose hamlets have common famous traditional handicrafs such as weaving, producing poonah -paper... creating the necessary closing relationaship among hamlets. Not to stop in trading or career relations, but in routine, customs, religion due to worshipping common gods, so they also relate to each others. They together organize festivals, celebrations and carry alternately the sedan chair.

The development history of this land seems to be ralated to exploratory history of West lake and formative history of the North delta.

This terrain is of several hills stretching from the eastside of To Lich river connecting with Nghia Do hillock area, into a block with many well known hills such as Long Tang (Dragon's forehead).

There are several place names representing deeply imprints of passed historical stages such as Bat thap hill - place reminding of two princesses' merit - the King Ly Nam De's daughters in killing the monster in order to break West Lake land. De -Cung fields in Trich Sai village - where Ly dynasty's Kings and mandarins usually looked over and practiced to short bows and arrows. Phuong Dao hill was guerilla base against Tong invaders in the first time of the general Tran Cong Tich under the rule of Le Hoan. To Lich river where Ly Nam De King used to build a stronghold for protecting Van Xuan country independence... In the south of this area is West Lake. In the North and East is Red river surrounding bendily. Moreover, Buoi village is a celebrated "sacred land". In the view of geomancers, each hamlet here is liken the shape to a special animal. Trich Sai is of horse shape Hillocks' names also carry animals' shapes such as Du Ngu hill (travelling fish) in Vong Thi, Long Tang hill (dragon forehead), Long Khe hill (dragon stream) in Ho Khau, Qui Doi hill (two tortoises).

Ly Kings in the early time of founding country in Thang Long chose this land with charming scenery to construct many temples, communal houses pagodas, shrines, palaces...

Among over 60 relics around West Lake, 24 ones belong to hamlets by lakeside of Buoi village. This is place concentrating many cultural vestiges of Ly dynasty more than any other places. Temples, shrines here were almost founded from the period of Ly Thai Tong King to Ly Nhan Tong King in order to worship patron deities or gods of merit to Ly Kings in building - protecting country and strengthening royal dynasty in former Thang Long. It is Dong Co temple (in Dong Xa) worshipping the god of mountain Dong Co who helped the crown prince Ly Phat Ma to defeat Chiem enemy and assisted the King to i epress Tarn Vuong. Mau Thang Long temple (Ho Khau) worships Thuy Tinh princess who was of labour with her husband in defeating enemy for protecting the country... This area also has many beautiful and sacred pagodas. The oldest one is Thien Nien pagoda (in Trich Sai village). It was constructed under the epoch of Ly Nam De (451 - 455). Other ones all are nice and sacred such as Thanh Lau (in Ho Khau hamlet), Thanh Tho (in Yen Thai village), Vinh Khanh (in Vong Thi hamlet), Mat Dung (in Dong Xa), Chuc Thanh (in Ho Khau hamlet). The whole of this vestiges are located in large and airy old tree gardens with lotus ponds, tens of hecta wide fields creating an extreme ideal cultural setting environment.

In terms of communal house, all hamlets of Buoi village have their own communal houses for worshipping their tutelary spirit.  

Buoi villages are still interested in festivals and celebrations. Formerly, all villages organized great festival in April, in which, the greatest is two villages Dong Xa and Ho Khau festivals. The doctrine "when drinking water remember its source" is also respected. Each family has its own ancestral altar. Each village has its own communal house where worships tutelary god, where festivals take place, where for villages show their gratitude and admiration to gods who assist and bring security to everyone. Upon present, Buoi villages have lived following that cultural habits.