Visitors flock to Mother Goddess worshipping festival in Yen Bai
A festival centring on the Vietnamese Mother Goddess worshipping opened in the northern mountainous province of Yen Bai on October 26, drawing large crowds of practitioners and visitors.
Dong Cuong temple in Yen Bai province (Photo: VNA)
Yen Bai (VNA) –💖 A festivalcentring on the Vietnamese Mother Goddess worshipping opened in the northernmountainous province of Yen Bai on October 26, drawing large crowds of practitionersand visitors.
Honouring the Mother Goddess of Forest worshippingpractice, the event took place at the local Dong Cuong temple, known as thebirthplace of Mother Goddess Worship Practice. It entailed several activities, includingthe practice of “len dong” (going into a trance), a carnival recreating theMother Goddess, and an exhibition of photos and paintings depicting thepractice, together with folk games and sport competitions. The Mother Goddess of Forest is among theMother Goddesses of the Three Realms in the Viet beliefs who look after heaven,water and mountains and forests. The Vietnamese Mother Goddess worshippingwas officially recognised by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage ofhumanity in late 2016. The Beliefs in the Mother Goddesses ofThree Realms has been practiced in numerous northern mountainous provincesacross the nation since the 16th century. The practitioners are comprised of templeguardians, ritual priests, spirit mediums, mediums’ assistants, musicians whoperform the songs for the spirits, disciples and lay adherents who share thesame beliefs in the spiritual power, supernatural strength and protection ofthe Mother Goddess spirit pantheon. All of these practitioners form groups whoworship together, take part in traditional festivals and perform spiritpossession rituals at temples and palaces dedicated to Mother Goddesses./.
A ceremony was held in the southern province of Tay Ninh to announce the recognition of Linh Son Thanh Mau (or Mother Goddess of the Mountain) festival as national intangible cultural heritage.
The worship of Tay Thien National Mother in Tam Dao district, northern Vinh Phuc province, has been recognised as a national intangible cultural heritage.
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Dong Cuong temple in Yen Bai province (Photo: VNA) 
