Dich Diep village in Truc Chinh commune, Truc Ninh district, was formed at around the beginning of the 11th century under the reign of King Ly Thai To (1010-1028) with the name Dich Diep Trang. Truc Ninh district is located in the southeast of Nam Dinh province with its natural land of 14,395.4 hectares and a population of 198,100. The district has 21 administrative units, including 18 communes and three towns. Truc Ninh district has a rich culture and local people are hard-working and creative. The district has hundreds of temples, churches and many architectural works, with 12 of them recognized as historical and cultural relic sites. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Dich Diep follows the common style of a traditional Vietnamese village in the northern delta that is characterised by temples, pagodas, wells, rivers and banyan trees. In Vietnam, ancient trees are associated with temples, pagodas and shrines. They usually grow at village gates and along the rivers. Fig and banyan trees are two of the most sacred types in Vietnam, with many proverbs in their honour. Cay da, ben nuoc, san dinh (The banyan, the river wharf, the yard of the communal house) refers to the essentials of Vietnamese village life. All over the North, ancient banyans can be found in the midst of villages, or even in their corners, as they offer shade and comfort to everyone, rich or poor, old or young. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
The southern gate of Dich Diep was built in 1864. Since ancient times, the village gate has served as more than just an entrance or exit. Many villages have more than one gates, each facing different directions. Originally, the gates could be made of spiked bamboo to prevent wild beasts from entering. Later, they became part of the general defence against any intruders. In the flourishing middle Le Dynasty, the gates were built stronger, longer lasting, and more beautifully with materials such as bricks, stones, laterite, and lime mixed with salt and honey or cane sugar. Above the gate there is usually a relief of the village name or slogan which shows the villagers’ aspirations. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
The nearly 1,000 year-old Bodhi tree in Dich Diep was recognised as a national heritage tree on April 17. It is believed that under a Bodhi tree, Siddhārtha Gautama achieved enlightenment (bodhi) after meditating under it for 49 days, hence the name, which literally means the ‘tree of awakening’. In Vietnam, this type of tree is also known as the Bo Tree. Given its close association with the attainment of Buddhahood, this kind of tree has great symbolic significance and according to legend is the centre of the world and the spot at which all Buddhas’ past and future gain enlightenment. This kind of tree can be found in many Vietnamese villages. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
A gate of a house in Dich Diep village. The village’s cultural space and architectures have taken shape and evolved for hundreds of years. They serve as a profound manifestation of the Vietnamese wet-rice civilization. Dich Diep village was formed around the beginning of the 11th century under the reign of King Ly Thai To (1010-1028) with the initial name Dich Diep Trang. It is one of the oldest villages in Nam Dinh province. Apart from the Bodhi tree, there are many ancient houses in Dich Diep. Local residents share the pride as the village has kept its name over the past 1,000 years. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
The village pagoda is named “Co lieu linh tu”. Nobody knows exactly when the pagoda was built. However, its bell has been proven to be made under the reign of King Gia Long in 1818. The Red River Delta is the cradle of the ancient Vietnamese wet rice civilisation and culture. In addition to a banyan tree, a bamboo hedge, and a communal house, almost every village has a pagoda, which, together with the communal house, is the most typical architectural feature in the village. A pagoda is the place for the worship of not only the Buddha but also various deities and the Mother Goddess. A pagoda celebration harmonises religion and folk beliefs and often coincides with the traditional village festival. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
One of the oldest houses in Dich Diep village. The 100-year house is owned by Vu Thi Cuc and her sister Vu Thi Quy. Vietnam has a time-honoured agriculture culture which embodies a self-supplying system of villages. Unlike nomads, villagers value their houses more than anything else. The farmers live under the house’s roofs, store the grain and their work equipment inside the houses, give birth to children and raise them also in their houses. The house is also where weddings, funerals and feasts take place as well as the most solemn place of the ancestor altar with all worshiping and rituals practiced monthly. House is not just a place: it’s the soul of Vietnamese people. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
A corner of the 100-year ancient house in Dich Diep village. To Kinh people, building a house is the most important work in the lifetime and it comes first before others. A Vietnamese village is a distinctive community in which each house at the same time is both private and open. The house to each Vietnamese is something more than a place to live. It’s where the childhood memories of one person belonged to, where to find peace and happiness with our loved ones and the foundation to build our future. This house is owned by Vu Thi Cuc and her sister Vu Thi Quy. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
A pathway leading to a house in Dich Diep village. Dich Diep village was formed around the beginning of the 11th century under the reign of King Ly Thai To (1010-1028) with the name Dich Diep Trang. According to the elderly in the village, the village takes the shape of a boat with its bow being the southern gate and its stern being the western gate. They said visitors to the village will easily get lost as local roads are like a bagua map. Entering the village entrance, an ancient and nostalgic world opens, attracting visitors into a quiet and peaceful land that is not like bustling towns. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
According to local elderly, villagers in Dich Diep Trang engaged in farming initially and then weaving for their living. In 1947, they made “ao tran thu” (a cotton- padded waistcoat) for soldiers and a silk shirt for President Ho Chi Minh and received applause from the President. Weaving has been passed down from generations to generations in the village. The Red River Delta is the cradle of the ancient Vietnamese wet rice civilization and culture. Apart from Dich Diep, the traditional craft of weaving has been practised in many other Vietnamese villages. Through centuries, it has been conserved and incorporated into the daily life of Vietnamese people. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
An aerial view of Dich Diep village. According to local old people, the village takes the shape of a boat with its bow being the southern gate and its stern being the western gate. Local residents share the pride as the village has maintained its name over the past 1,000 years. Despite historical ups and downs, the village still preserves its ancient and poetic beauty. The village’s traditional cultural values have been passed down generations by local artisans and seniors. The village cultural space and architectures that have taken shape and crystallized themselves after millennia come as a profound manifestation of the Vietnamese wet-rice civilisation. (Photo: VietnamPlus) VNA
