Đạo Mẫu

A thanh đồng holding a lên đồng aka *hầu bóng* (lit. 'serving the reflections') ritual in a shrine.

Đạo Mẫu (Vietnamese: [ɗâːwˀ mə̌wˀ], 道母) is the worship of mother goddesses which was established in Vietnam in the 16th century.^[1] This worship is a branch of Vietnamese folk religion but is more shamanic in nature. Đạo is a Sino-Vietnamese word for "religion," similar to the Chinese term dao meaning "path," while Mẫu means "mother" and is loaned from Middle Chinese /məuX/.

While scholars like Ngô Đức Thịnh propose that it represents a systematic worship of mother goddesses, Đạo Mẫu draws together fairly disparate beliefs and practices.^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6] These include the worship of goddesses such as Thiên Y A Na, Bà Chúa Xứ "Lady of the Realm", Bà Chúa Kho "Lady of the Storehouse", and Princess Liễu Hạnh,^[7] legendary figures like Âu Cơ, the Trưng Sisters (Hai Bà Trưng), and Lady Triệu (Bà Triệu), as well as the branch Four Palaces.

Practices

A bà đồng in Tonkin (circa 19th century)

Serving the reflections (hầu bóng)

The most prominent ritual of Đạo Mẫu is the ceremony of hầu bóng (lit. 'serving the reflections'), in which a priest or priestess mimics the deities by dressing and acting like them. Many people mistake that hầu bóng is a form of mediumship ritual — known in Vietnam as lên đồng — much as practiced in other parts of Asia, such as South China, among the Mon people of Myanmar, and some communities in India; however, that is not correct. Although some of the priests and priestesses of Đạo Mẫu are believed to have the ability of spirit mediumship, this is a different practice entirely. The priest is in full control of their body during hầu bóng. A successful ceremony is one in which the priest feels the deities' essences but it does not mean the deities' spirits enter the priest's mortal body. As a religious leader authorised to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities, the thanh đồng in Đạo Mẫu is more of the equivalent of a priest rather than a medium or a shaman.

The worshiping of the Mother Goddesses contributes to the appreciation of women in society. Recognized by UNESCO, this Vietnamese ritual was inscribed on the Representative List in December 2016.^[8]

The thanh đồng is performing a certain ritual before performing the lên đồng ritual

Although the Vietnamese government had initially proscribed the practice of such rituals, deeming them to be superstitions, they relented in 1987, once again permitting their practice.

Denominations

Vân Hương Đệ Nhất Thánh Mẫu 雲鄉第一聖母 depicted in Mechanics and Crafts of the People of Annam. Also known as Princess Liễu Hạnh (*Liễu Hạnh Công chúa*, 柳杏公主)

Four Palaces (Tứ Phủ)

The most prominent form of Đạo Mẫu is Four Palaces (Tứ Phủ), which worships a hierarchical pantheon of Vietnamese indigenous deities with a strong influence from historical figures, Taoism and Buddhism. Four Palaces is the most common in the North. Other forms in different areas have also developed an interference with other local beliefs. The name means "Four Palaces", which includes the four realms Heaven, Mountains, Water and Earth.

Mother Goddesses (Thánh Mẫu)

According to the official scripture of the Four Palaces, the Mother Goddesses of the Four Palaces denomination include:

First Mother Goddess of Heaven, Mother Goddess of Infinite Heavens, Princess Cửu Trùng Thanh Vân [九重青雲公主]. Vietnamese: Mẫu Đệ Nhất Thiên Tiên, Mẫu Cửu Trùng Thiên, Cửu Trùng Thanh Vân Công Chúa

Second Mother Goddess of Earth, Primary Mother Goddess, Princess Quỳnh Hoa Liễu Hạnh [瓊花柳杏公主]. Vietnamese: Mẫu Đệ Nhị Địa Tiên, Thánh Mẫu Thần Chủ, Quỳnh Hoa Liễu Hạnh Công Chúa

Third Mother Goddess of Water, Mother Goddess of Water, Princess Bạch Ngọc Xích Lân [白玉赤鱗公主]. Vietnamese: Mẫu Đệ Tam Thuỷ Tiên, Mẫu Thoải, Bạch Ngọc Xích Lân Công Chúa

Fourth Mother Goddess of Mountain, Mother Goddess of Mountain, Princess Lê Mại Bạch Anh [黎邁白英公主]. Vietnamese: Mẫu Đệ Tứ Nhạc Tiên, Mẫu Thượng Ngàn, Lê Mại Bạch Anh Công Chúa

First Mother Goddess of Heaven in the Lê dynasty's costumes.
Second Mother Goddess of Earth in the Lê dynasty's costumes.
Third Mother Goddess of Water in the Lê dynasty's costumes.
Fourth Mother Goddess of Mountain in the Lê dynasty's costumes.

Divine Courtiers (Thánh Chầu)

There are 12 positions in the rank of the Divine Courtiers. While the first four Divine Courtiers attend to the specific Mother Goddesses and represent their own Palace, the other Courtiers govern an area.

1. First Courtier, Imperial Commissioner of Heaven Palace. Vietnamese: Chầu Đệ Nhất Thượng Thiên Khâm Sai

2. Second Courtier, Imperial Commissioner of Mountain Palace. Vietnamese: Chầu Đệ Nhị Thượng Ngàn Khâm Sai

3. Third Courtier, Imperial Commissioner of Water Palace. Vietnamese: Chầu Đệ Tam Thuỷ Cung Khâm Sai

4. Fourth Courtier, Imperial Commissioner of Earth Palace. Vietnamese: Chầu Đệ Tứ Địa Cung Khâm Sai

5. Fifth Courtier of the Lân Stream. Vietnamese: Chầu Năm Suối Lân

6. Sixth Courtier of Femininity. Vietnamese: Chầu Sáu Lục Cung

7. Seventh Courtier of Kim Giao. Vietnamese: Chầu Bảy Kim Giao

8. Eighth Courtier of Bát Nàn. Vietnamese: Chầu Tám Bát Nàn

9. Ninth Courtier of Nine Wells. Vietnamese: Chầu Chín Cửu Tỉnh

10. Tenth Courtier of Đồng Mỏ. Vietnamese: Chầu Mười Đồng Mỏ

11. Little Courtier of Bắc Lệ. Vietnamese: Chầu Bé Bắc Lệ

12. Local Courtiers. Vietnamese: Chư vị Chầu Bản Cảnh

First Courtier, Imperial Commissioner of Heaven
Second Courtier, Imperial Commissioner of Mountain
Third Courtier, Imperial Commissioner of Water
Fourth Courtier, Imperial Commissioner of Earth

Divine Mistresses (Thánh Cô)

Similar to the 12 Divine Courtiers, there are 12 positions in the rank of the Divine Mistresses. While most Divine Mistresses attend to the specific Mother Goddesses or Divine Courtier, some other Mistresses protect an area.

1. First Mistress of Heaven. Vietnamese: Cô Cả Thượng Thiên

2. Second Mistress of Mountain. Vietnamese: Cô Đôi Thượng Ngàn

3. Third Mistress of Water. Vietnamese: Cô Bơ Thoải Cung

4. Fourth Mistress of Earth. Vietnamese: Cô Tư Địa Cung

5. Fifth Mistress of the Lân Stream. Vietnamese: Cô Năm Suối Lân

6. Sixth Mistress of Mountain. Vietnamese: Cô Sáu Sơn Trang

7. Seventh Mistress of Kim Giao. Vietnamese: Cô Bảy Kim Giao

8. Eighth Mistress of Tea Hills. Vietnamese: Cô Tám Đồi Chè

9. Ninth Mistress of Nine Wells. Vietnamese: Cô Chín Cửu Tỉnh

10. Tenth Mistress of Đồng Mỏ. Vietnamese: Cô Mười Đồng Mỏ

11. Little Mistresses of Mountain. Vietnamese: Chư vị Cô Bé Thượng Ngàn

12. Little Mistresses of Water. Vietnamese: Chư vị Cô Bé Thuỷ Cung

First Mistress of Heaven
Second Mistress of Mountain
Third Mistress of Water
Fourth Mistress of Earth

References

^ Asian Ethnology, Volumes 67-68 2008 p.305 "mother goddess religion (Đạo Mẫu)"
^ Ngô Đức Thịnh,"The Cult of the Female Spirits and the Mother Goddesses 'Mẫu'," Vietnamese Studies 121, no.3 (1996):83-96
^ "Đạo Mẫu ở Việt Nam" [The Mother Goddess Religion in Vietnam] (Hà Nội: Nhà Xuất Bản Văn Hóa Thông Tin, 1996)
^ "The Pantheon for the Cult of Holy Mothers," Vietnamese Studies 131, no.1 (1999): 20-35
^ "The Mother Goddess Religion: Its History, Pantheon, and Practices," by Ngô Đức Thịnh, in Fjelstad, Karen; Nguyễn, Thị Hiền (2006). Possessed by the Spirits: Mediumship in Contemporary Vietnamese Communities. SEAP Publications. pp. 19–30. ISBN 978-0-87727-141-3.
^ Fjelstad, Karen; Nguyễn, Thị Hiền (2006). Possessed by the Spirits: Mediumship in Contemporary Vietnamese Communities. SEAP Publications. p. 38. ISBN 978-0-87727-141-3.
^ Nguyen Quoc Tan, Mother Goddess Liễu Hạnh under the View of Religious Studies, Religious Studies Review Vol. 1, No. 2 – May 2007.
^ "UNESCO - Practices related to the Viet beliefs in the Mother Goddesses of Three Realms". ich.unesco.org.

External links

[1] Asian Ethnology, Volumes 67-68 2008 p.305 "mother goddess religion (Đạo Mẫu)"

[2] Ngô Đức Thịnh,"The Cult of the Female Spirits and the Mother Goddesses 'Mẫu'," Vietnamese Studies 121, no.3 (1996):83-96

[3] "Đạo Mẫu ở Việt Nam" [The Mother Goddess Religion in Vietnam] (Hà Nội: Nhà Xuất Bản Văn Hóa Thông Tin, 1996)

[4] "The Pantheon for the Cult of Holy Mothers," Vietnamese Studies 131, no.1 (1999): 20-35

[5] "The Mother Goddess Religion: Its History, Pantheon, and Practices," by Ngô Đức Thịnh, in Fjelstad, Karen; Nguyễn, Thị Hiền (2006). Possessed by the Spirits: Mediumship in Contemporary Vietnamese Communities. SEAP Publications. pp. 19–30. ISBN 978-0-87727-141-3.

[FjelstadNguyễn2006-6] Fjelstad, Karen; Nguyễn, Thị Hiền (2006). Possessed by the Spirits: Mediumship in Contemporary Vietnamese Communities. SEAP Publications. p. 38. ISBN 978-0-87727-141-3.

[7] Nguyen Quoc Tan, Mother Goddess Liễu Hạnh under the View of Religious Studies, Religious Studies Review Vol. 1, No. 2 – May 2007.

[8] "UNESCO - Practices related to the Viet beliefs in the Mother Goddesses of Three Realms". ich.unesco.org.

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