Don't let "sacred blessings" become expensive commodities.

This morning, September 12th, at the Vietnam Women's Museum (36 Ly Thuong Kiet, Hanoi ), the Institute for Research on Religious and Belief Issues (under the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations) organized the First Annual Forum on the Tam Phu Mother Goddess Worship of the Vietnamese People.

The event featured participation and discussions from numerous experts, scientists, practicing artisans, and representatives of religious communities nationwide, offering insightful perspectives, practical solutions, and consensus on protecting and promoting the value of this unique heritage.

The forum aims to affirm the unique cultural value of the Vietnamese Mother Goddess worship belief – a representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity – while creating a space for academic study and multi-faceted dialogue among researchers, cultural managers, practitioners, the religious community, and young people.

The forum focused on discussing three main themes: The cultural value of the Tam Phu Mother Goddess worship belief - identifying its identity, and the synthesis of spiritual, artistic, and humanistic values in Vietnamese cultural life.

Challenges and distortions in the Vietnamese Mother Goddess worship tradition today: Commercialization, disguised superstition, deviations from ethical standards, and negative impacts on the image of this heritage.

Solutions for preserving and disseminating the values of the Tam Phu Mother Goddess worship belief of the Vietnamese people in contemporary society: Proposing solutions linked to education , media, and digital technology; building community norms; recommending policies for managing and supporting the practice of these norms correctly and sustainably.

At the forum, Associate Professor Dr. Tran Ngoc Linh, Director of the Institute for Research on Religious and Belief Issues, affirmed: "The forum is not only the opening event for a series of annual activities on the Tam Phu Mother Goddess worship, but also a milestone in starting a journey of accompanying the community in preserving and promoting this heritage."

This is an opportunity to affirm Vietnamese cultural identity amidst the flow of integration, to spread the profound humanistic values of the Mother Goddess religion into contemporary life, and to awaken the sense of responsibility of the entire society in preserving this heritage - not only as a source of pride, but also as a lasting commitment for future generations."

In the flow of Vietnamese culture, the worship of the Three Mother Goddesses is not only a spiritual practice rich in identity, but also a symbol of the nation's cultural vitality, reflecting the aspiration to return to one's roots and upholding the humanistic and moral values of "drinking water, remembering the source."

UNESCO's recognition of "The Practice of the Mother Goddess Worship of the Three Realms of the Vietnamese People" as a Representative Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity affirms the immense significance of this type of belief system, not only at the national level but also internationally.

However, in the context of globalization, urbanization, and the explosion of digital media, the Mother Goddess worship tradition is facing numerous challenges: the risk of commercialization, distortions in practice, a lack of uniformity in management, and misconceptions from a segment of the community.

These are issues that need to be researched, discussed, and addressed in order to both promote the value of heritage and ensure sustainability and well-being in life and society.

The Tam Phu Mother Goddess worship belief is one of Vietnam's most distinctive intangible cultural heritages, officially inscribed by UNESCO on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on December 1, 2016, at the 11th session of the Intergovernmental Committee of the 2003 Convention.

UNESCO's recognition affirms the immense significance of this type of belief, not only nationally but also internationally. This is a great honor and source of pride for both the practicing community and the people of the entire country.

Besides its spiritual value, the Tam Phu Mother Goddess worship is also a symbol of the nation's cultural vitality, reflecting the aspiration to return to one's roots and upholding the principle of "drinking water, remembering the source."

This belief reflects the veneration of goddesses in Vietnamese culture, with profound humanistic values.

These practices also have educational and traditional significance, helping to unite the community and foster solidarity among different faiths and religions.

The festival and ritual of spirit mediumship are also a comprehensive art form, combining music, costumes, dance, and folk performance.

However, this honor comes with a great responsibility to protect and promote the valuable heritage, and to seriously fulfill the nation's commitment to UNESCO.

At the forum, experts and scientists argued that, in order to achieve this, it is necessary to correctly and fully identify the core values, avoiding misunderstandings and biased interpretations of "The Practice of the Tam Phu Mother Goddess Worship of the Vietnamese People".

In the context of globalization, urbanization, and the explosion of digital media, the Mother Goddess worship tradition is facing numerous challenges.

Distortions, abuses, and substandard practices are widespread, skewing the original values and affecting the sacredness of the belief system.

One of the prominent issues is the commercialization and disguised superstition. Offerings are no longer simply incense, flowers, tea, and fruit, but also include expensive items such as electric fans, rice cookers, and blankets as symbols of good fortune.

According to researcher Ha Huy Thang, Deputy Director of the Institute for Research on Religious and Belief Issues, in some cases, "sacred blessings" have been transformed into expensive commodities.

Some mediums have exploited the "luck" element to attract donations, leading to the mentality that "more luck means more wealth" and spreading images of "praying for luck" on social media instead of focusing on spiritual values.

These deviations stem from a misunderstanding of the nature of religious beliefs, the transformation of rituals into services, a lack of management, profiteering, and potential exploitation by malicious individuals to undermine security, politics, and religion.

"Sacred blessings," in their truest sense, are sacred tokens, wishes for good fortune, peace, and health, and encouragement for people to live virtuous lives.

It is a blessing, a means, not an end, and its value lies in the transformation of consciousness, not in material possessions.

The act of giving blessings serves as a connecting link between deities, sacred figures, and their followers, emphasizing spiritual values and community spirit.

Those who practice this faith need to behave responsibly and positively, so that the giving and receiving of "sacred blessings" has a good educational meaning, reflects the unique cultural identity of Vietnam, and thereby enhances the prestige of the faith both domestically and internationally.

Meanwhile, Professor Dr. Truong Quoc Binh (former Deputy Director of the Department of Cultural Heritage - Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) stated that the practice of religious beliefs also takes place arbitrarily, not only in temples and shrines dedicated to the Mother Goddess but also in communal houses dedicated to the tutelary deity, pagodas, or even in public spaces such as weddings and markets.

Many people's costumes for spirit medium rituals have also undergone "bizarre and bizarre" changes, no longer retaining traditional features. Some even arbitrarily create rituals that did not exist in the past, such as those for the Holy Mother or the Jade Emperor.

This has negative effects, tarnishing the cultural and spiritual beauty of the Mother Goddess worship.

According to experts, the line between genuine faith and superstition is extremely thin. Superstition occurs when people prioritize self-interest, losing sight of the sacredness of the heritage. Those attending ceremonies mistakenly believe that the amount of offerings they receive determines their fate and fortune, leading to dependence on deities, a loss of self-reliance, and vulnerability to exploitation.

The reasons for these shortcomings and limitations are both objective and subjective. Objectively, the worship of the Mother Goddess is a folk belief passed down orally, lacking a unified organization, regulations, or fixed models, resulting in a lack of uniformity in the rituals.

Subjectively, differing perceptions among practitioners, a lack of strict management from state agencies, and a lack of awareness among a segment of the community are also major contributing factors.

To resolve these issues, state management agencies need to work alongside localities and communities, and resolutely deal with acts of exploiting heritage for personal gain.

At the same time, it is necessary to strengthen education so that people understand and appreciate heritage, and to enhance the effectiveness of regulations on cultural management, festivals, and the management of temples and shrines. However, this responsibility does not only belong to cultural management agencies, but also to the community, each citizen, and the media.

To address modern challenges, the first Annual Forum on the Vietnamese Mother Goddess Worship in 2025 focused on discussing practical solutions.

The proposed solutions involve education, communication, and digital technology, aiming to build community norms, recommend management policies, and support the adoption of appropriate and sustainable practices.

According to Associate Professor Dr. Tran Ngoc Linh, Director of the Institute for Research on Religious and Belief Issues, this forum is not only the opening event for a series of annual activities but also marks the beginning of a journey to accompany the community in preserving and promoting heritage.

"This is an opportunity to affirm Vietnamese cultural identity, spread the profound humanistic values of the Mother Goddess religion, and at the same time awaken the sense of responsibility of the whole society in preserving the heritage," said Associate Professor Dr. Tran Ngoc Linh.

At the forum, scientists and experts all agreed that, with UNESCO's inscription, Vietnam has a responsibility to correct any deviations in order to protect and preserve its heritage in a healthy manner.

If standards are not maintained and negativity is allowed to persist, there is a risk of being "removed from the list".

Therefore, the community of Mother Goddess worshipers should unite and work together to preserve and promote the true values of the Mother Goddess religion.

Preserving the Tam Phu Mother Goddess worship is a long and complex process, requiring the joint efforts of management agencies, the community, and every individual. A clear distinction must be made between genuine belief and superstition.

Preserving and promoting the Mother Goddess worship belief not only safeguards a cultural heritage but also contributes to building a healthy and united society.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/van-hoa/dung-de-loc-thanh-thanh-hang-hoa-dat-gia-167686.html