When the pilgrims return to their mother.

According to Hue folklore, during the reign of Emperor Thieu Tri, while inspecting the construction of his mausoleum on the Perfume River, one of his concubines accidentally dropped a golden spittoon into a deep ravine in front of the Ngoc Tran Temple. Fearing punishment, the concubines implored the Emperor to pray to the goddess Thien YA Na. With a rather sarcastic attitude, the Emperor stood on the bow of his boat and prayed, and strangely, the spittoon slowly rose to the surface of the water, as if a testament to its divine intervention. Witnessing this, the Emperor promised to have the temple renovated, but he passed away before his promise could be fulfilled…

Located atop Ngoc Tran mountain – a mountain with a rounded, bowl-like shape beside the Perfume River – Hon Chen/Hue Nam temple was originally a small shrine dedicated to Ngoc Tran mountain goddess, the female deity who governed and protected the inhabitants of the entire Ngoc Tran area and its surroundings.

During the reign of the early Nguyen emperors, similar to many other shrines dedicated to goddesses located on the treacherous bends of the Perfume River, Ngoc Tran Son Temple was modest in scale and had not yet been included in the rituals of the monarchical court.

The current magnificent appearance of Hue Nam Temple was achieved during the reign of King Dong Khanh, who dedicated his entire life to the Mother Goddess and considered himself the seventh of the seven saints in the Mother Goddess worship tradition. His royal inscription reads: "...the sacred mountain of the fairy maiden shines brightly for eternity, its shape resembling a lion drinking from a river; truly a place of divine beauty. This temple, blessed with the most auspicious spiritual energy, saves people and protects the world; bestows countless blessings and helps the people protect the nation; therefore, the temple should be renamed Hue Nam Temple, to express a small part of the nation's gratitude."

After the reign of Emperor Đồng Khánh, Hòn Chén/Huệ Nam Temple has retained its original form to this day, with its typical Huế architectural style of overlapping eaves and layered roofs, glazed tile roof, ridge and gable edges inlaid with ceramic tiles, and sculpted phoenix motifs soaring high, identifying this place as a temple dedicated to a goddess.

"July is the anniversary of the Father's death, March is the anniversary of the Mother's death," as the saying goes, the annual celebration of the Holy Mother's Day in the seventh lunar month, which is also the day of the Hue Nam Temple procession. Tens of thousands of devotees from all over the country gather at Huong Uyen, on boats made from two Hue-style canoes. They hang lanterns, arrange flowers, set up altars, prepare offerings, and costumes for the spirit medium rituals... to fully experience the three days as spirit mediums serving the Holy Mother.

Following the main ceremony at Hue Nam Temple, the devotees proceeded with the ritual of escorting the Holy Mother on a tour of Hai Cat village, located next to Hue Nam Temple, where many generations of villagers have recognized Thien YA Holy Mother as the village's guardian deity.

Amidst the melodious sounds of traditional Vietnamese folk music , the Mother Goddess was carried on a pre-prepared palanquin, accompanied by a procession of deities from the Four Realms, the Supervisor, the Supervisor of the Upper Mountains, the Imperial Envoy, and countless other deities from various sects. Upon arriving at Hai Cat village, the sacred palanquin of the Mother Goddess was carried into the village temple. Here, the Mother Goddess spent an entire night with the villagers, receiving offerings presented to her during the village's autumn festival, offering reassurance, blessings, and resolving their grievances through rituals and pronouncements. The following morning, she returned to the Hue Nam temple.

On the night the Holy Mother celebrated with the people of Hai Cat village, the attendants welcomed the Mother through the mediums of the deities Ton Ong, Duc Ba, the young ladies, the young gentlemen… on the platforms anchored in front of the village temple. In an invisible spatial axis defined by the two heavens, Upper Heaven and Lower Heaven, and below, the Upper Forest and Water Realm, everywhere there were representative saints descending to offer their blessings to the Mother.

A vibrant, colorful scene unfolds, with people holding lamps, fans, rowing boats, performing sword dances, offering incense… all gathered around the Mother, adding to the solemnity of the day she returns to her people. At the same time, the group of mediums diligently cares for the possessed spirits, offering scarves, pouring wine, lighting cigarettes, preparing betel leaves… as a way of expressing their agreement, sharing, and receiving blessings from above, along with the disciples and pilgrims.

Heritage Magazine