The My Khe Village Tutelary Temple, also known as My Khe Communal House, is located in Tam Thanh Commune and is believed to have been built around 1752, the same period during which Lang Co My Khe was established. This sacred site is one of the oldest community temples on Phu Quy Island, reflecting the long-standing spiritual traditions of the local residents.
The temple currently preserves five royal decrees (sắc phong) bestowed upon the village’s Tutelary Deity (Thành Hoàng Bổn Cảnh) under the reigns of Emperors Tự Đức, Đồng Khánh, and Khải Định. Each year, two major ceremonial rituals are held at My Khe Communal House:
- Spring Ceremony (Tế Xuân) in the first lunar month: praying for peace, favorable weather, and abundant harvests.
- Autumn Ceremony (Tế Thu) in the seventh lunar month: a thanksgiving rite dedicated to the Tutelary Deity.
On Phu Quy Island, the worship of the Tutelary Deity of the Local Domain (Thành Hoàng Bổn Cảnh) is a widespread folk belief. According to historical records, in 1839, Emperor Minh Mạng mandated that all localities establish and worship a Tutelary Deity in their communal houses. In this context, “Thành Hoàng” refers to the divine protector of the community, while “Bổn Cảnh” denotes the specific locality under the deity’s guardianship.
A distinctive aspect of this belief is that the Tutelary Deity is often not a historical figure or an identifiable person. Instead, the deity represents an abstract, symbolic official appointed by the emperor to oversee and safeguard the local population. Consequently, many communal houses — including My Khe — do not enshrine a statue. Instead, they worship a single character: “Thần” (神), meaning “Spirit”, as a sign of reverence.
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