Worship of Tay Thien Mother Goddess recognized as national heritage

Thứ Tư, 11/03/2020, 16:25
PSNews - The worship of Tay Thien Mother Goddess in Tam Dao district, Vinh Phuc province, has been recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage, following a decision of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

The Tam Dao district of the Northern province of Vinh Phuc on March 8 held a ceremony to announce the decision by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on recognizing the worship of Tay Thien Mother Goddess as a national intangible cultural heritage.

Part of the Tay Thien spiritual tourism complex.

Based on research and the agreement of the National Heritage Council, the ministry released a list of national intangible cultural heritages, including the three oldest religious practices of Tay Thien Mother Goddess, Hung King and Tan Vien Son Thanh worships. 

The belief in Tay Thien Mother Goddess worship is not only a local, regional and national religion, but also a cultural symbol of Vinh Phuc province. It reflects the historical value and patriotic tradition of ethnic groups united in fighting foreign invaders, according to reports from the provincial authorities.

Legend has it that under the reign of the seventh Hung King in Dong Lo there was a rich man called Lang Vi. His wife was Dao Thi Lieu – a beautiful, gentle, resourceful and benevolent woman. They were very rich but didn’t have a child, so they often visited holy sites to pray for a child. One day they visited Thach Ban peak in the Tam Dao mountains and prayed for a child at a pagoda. 

After the third time, Lieu had a dream in which she saw a five-coloured mass of clouds covering the pagoda and releasing a scent. In the middle of the clouds appeared an eagle and then a group of beautiful fairies playing lutes, singing and dancing. 

Lieu suddenly woke up from the dream which she believed was good luck, and indeed she became pregnant. She gave birth on the 10th day of the fifth lunar month of the year of Giap Than, and named her child Lang Thi Tieu.

When Tieu was small, she was a precocious talent. By the time she reached 20, she was known as a talented and admirable heroine. Following an invasion, the Hung King ordered Lang Thi Tieu to recruit 3,000 soldiers. The king gave her more troops and horses and she defeated the enemy. 

Returning home in triumph, she was asked to enter the court. But she refused the king’s request and asked for permission to return to her hometown to take care of her parents. The king agreed, conferring the title “Tam Dao Son Tru Quoc Mau” (Tam Dao National Mother) and allowed her to rule Dong Lo.

The Tay Thien fesstival is held annually from the 15th to the 17th day of the second lunar month to commemorate Mother Goddess Lang Thi Tieu. The site is located in Tam Dao district and was recognised as a special national historical relic site in December 2015.

By Minh Thien