The Significance of The Ornate Emblems on The Altar Thresholdframes in North Vietnamese Communal Houses

Abstract

The history of the formation and development of communal houses in Northern Vietnam dates from the 16th to the 18th century. These houses carry many political, social, and spiritual meanings in the lives of Vietnamese people. The thresholdframe (Cua Vong) of their altars is a cultural symbol, a sacred partition between the main space of the building and the sanctuary space. It is made of wood and painted yellow. The statue body is carved with folk and sacred themes such as dragons, unicorns, turtles, phoenixes, tiger faces, dragon-shaped bamboo, and Chinese characters, along with various types of natural patterns. Many Vietnamese communal houses today no longer retain their original structures due to harsh climates and wars. As a result, the study demonstrates the significance of maintaining and advancing the traditional practice of thresholdframe decoration in Vietnamese communal homes as a way to offer the Vietnamese people spiritual assistance.