During the pre-uprising period, the Hiep Hoa Safety Zone II was a strategic area in terms of geographical and military position. This place witnessed many historic events associated with the names of the leaders of the Party Central Committee and the Party Committee of the Northern Region, and with each family and resident in the site. Typically, there are three families and five religious and belief establishments, including the Cho Van Communal House.

The relic site of Cho Van Communal House.

The Cho Van Communal House in the past belonged to Hoang Van commune, Bac Ha district, Kinh Bac region (now Hoang Lien village, Hoang An commune, Hiep Hoa district). The communal house was built in the Le Trung Hung period (the 17th century) and was renovated in the Nguyen Dynasty (the 19th century). During the time before the August Revolution in 1945, at the Cho Van Communal House, there were many meetings organized by revolutionary officials. From the victories in Xuan Bieu (Xuan Cam commune) and Trung Dinh (Mai Trung commune), the people were extremely excited, the revolutionary spirit raised high, and the prestige of the Viet Minh Front was increasingly improved. At the communal house, on March 15, 1945, Le Thanh Nghi, then a member of the Northern Revolutionary Military Committee, and Nguyen Trong Tinh, Secretary of the provincial Party Committee, directed the Hoang Van party cell and the local Viet Minh Front committee organized an event on the market day to launch the anti-Japan movement to save the country.

People visit the traditional gallery in the Cho Van Communal House.

Next, to show off the force, on March 16, 1945, the provincial Party Committee held a great rally at the Cho Van Communal House. After the rally, the people flocked to occupy rice stocks held by Japanese fascists. This event had a strong impact on the revolutionary movement in the surrounding areas, contributing to the overall revolutionary cause of the nation.

Under the luxuriant old canopy, many seniors and local leaders shared that nearly 60 years ago, the communal house was the teaching and learning place of the village and commune. In 1965 and 1966, during the US war that aimed to sabotage the North, the communal house stored the machinery and equipment of the air defence force. 

On the 10th day of the first lunar month every year, the locality holds the Cho Van Communal House Festival. In addition, on the 10th day of the fourth lunar month, there is a ceremony to pray for good weather, good crops, and healthy villagers. These rituals were restored in 2012, after 66 years of interruption.

Duong Van Phuong, head of the ritual board of the Cho Van Communal House, said that since the rituals were restored, the local people have often donated worshiping items, as well as paid attention to embellishing the relic site and ensuring its landscape and environment. And Van market, over time, still retains traditional cultural values, becoming a place for locals to buy and sell goods. 

In addition to admiring the historical system, whenever coming to Van market, visitors indulge themselves with many local specialties such as Hoang Van black-ripe table olives and banh chung (square glutinous rice cake). The market fairs are held on the second, fourth and seventh days of every lunar month.

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