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Vu Dai Village, also known as Dai Hoang Village, is a peaceful countryside, which is deeply tied to Vietnam’s modern literature. This small village became the real-life inspiration for Nam Cao’s famous works, like Chi Pheo and Lao Hac. Let’s explore the cultural heritage and literary landmarks in this place with Asia King Travel!
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Vu Dai Village, or Dai Hoang Village
VVu Dai Village, more commonly known as Dai Hoang Village, is located in Hoa Hau Commune, Ly Nhan District, Ha Nam Province (present-day Nam Ly Commune, Ninh Binh Province). The village was the real site of the celebrated novels of Nam Cao, a Vietnamese legend in literature.
The distance from Hanoi to Vu Dai Village is 1.5-2 hours. The shortest route is to travel on National Highway 1A to Phu Ly City (Ha Nam), and then continue to Ly Nhan District and head to Hoa Hau Commune (now Nam Ly Commune).
You can use your own private transport for convenience and accessibility. Or you can take a bus from Hanoi to Phu Ly, then a taxi or motorbike taxi to the village.
The village is open year-round but is most memorable during Tet (Lunar New Year, usually January-February). During this time, Vu Dai is also especially lively with the famous braised fish in clay pots prepared for Tet celebrations. Spring weather is pleasant enough to make it a delight to travel to the countryside.
Dai Hoang Village is the prototype of the fictional Vu Dai Village in Nam Cao’s masterpiece “Chi Pheo”. The story reflects the struggles of poor peasants, social injustice, and the harsh reality of rural Vietnam in the early 20th century. Through Chi Pheo, a man pushed to the edge by society, Nam Cao turned Vu Dai into a powerful symbol of both human suffering and the longing for dignity and love.
Due to the popularity of Chi Pheo and the great contribution of Nam Cao to Vietnam’s literature, Dai Hoang Village is affectionately known as Vu Dai Village to locals and tourists.
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Dai Hoang Village is the real-life setting for Vu Dai Village in Chi Pheo
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Besides its literary value, Vu Dai Village got its popularity thanks to its braised fish in clay pots. The recipe uses black carp simmered together with pork belly and a rich mix of spices such as galangal, ginger, lemongrass, and chili. The portion of ingredients is carefully estimated to ensure the best taste.
What sets it apart is the cooking process: the fish is braised extremely slowly for 12–14 hours over longan wood fire, in top-quality clay pots. This slow cooking allows the fish to absorb all the flavors, developing a beautiful dark brown color and tender texture.
Throughout the cooking, the chef must carefully watch the fire and adjust the seasoning. It’s a craft that requires patience, skill, and years of experience, resulting in a dish that’s aromatic, flavorful, and deeply tied to Vu Dai’s culinary heritage.
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Braised fish in clay pots
Ba Kien House has become another symbol associated to Nam Cao’s Chi Pheo. Ba Kien, the exploitative and manipulative landlord from the novel, is a symbol of the vices of feudal society. The real house of his is still preserved today in Hamlet 11, Nhan Hau Village, Hoa Hau Commune, Ly Nhan District (currently Nam Ly District, Ninh Binh Province).
Spreading over a spacious area of 900 square meters, the house features three compartments in the Vietnamese traditional architectural style. It is constructed mainly from ironwood, a durable material, which helps the house remain solid despite its age.
It once had valuable antiques such as carved panels, parallel sentences, and old paintings, though the majority were sold or lost through time. Having understood its literary and cultural value, in 2007 the Ha Nam provincial government purchased the house for VND 700 million, preserving it as a legacy for travelers who wish to enter the real setting of Nam Cao's work.
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Ba Kien House
Nam Cao is considered one of Vietnam’s greatest modern writers. Though his life was brief, he left behind a tremendous amount of literary works, among which are Lao Hac and Chi Pheo. His works well represented the chaos and disintegration of Vietnamese society during the early 20th century.
Today, you can visit his Nam Cao Memorial Site in his Dai Hoang Village, where documents and artifacts of his life, career, and origins are well preserved. Within the memorial, there is the tomb of the writer, represented by his portrait and two stone-carved pages with his artistic statement from "Doi thua" and "Nhat ky o rung". Visitors usually come to pay respect to him, burn incense to this great writer.
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Nam Cao Memorial Site
While wandering at Vu Dai Village, you can experience a living connection between past and present, between literary figures and their real-life setting. If you’d love to explore Vu Dai and other hidden gems of northern Vietnam, contact Asia King Travel and let us be your companion in creating an authentic and memorable journey!
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