Spreading the value of Mother Goddess Worship from Linh Tu Spring Temple

The inauguration and consecration ceremony for the shrine dedicated to the Mother Goddess of Nine Heavens. (Photo: CTV)

The inauguration and consecration ceremony for the shrine dedicated to the Mother Goddess of Nine Heavens. (Photo: Contributor)

The event, organized by the People's Committee of Bim Son Ward in coordination with the National Center for Historical Research and Cultural Heritage Preservation, took place from October 28 to 31, 2025, aiming to contribute to the preservation and promotion of the values of the Tam Phu Mother Goddess Worship Belief - a representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity inscribed by UNESCO in 2016.

Distinguished Artisan Hoang Luong Nguyen - Deputy Director of the National Center for Historical Research and Cultural Heritage Preservation, who has been involved in teaching and researching the rituals of the Mother Goddess religion for over 35 years - shared: Currently, within the Mother Goddess religion, there exists a very fine line between promoting the heritage and falling into superstition. Many young mediums and artisans lack knowledge and perform rituals incorrectly, leading to misunderstandings of the true nature of the belief.

Ms. Nguyen believes that the cause stems from changing times and a lack of proper teaching: Many people perform rituals without fully understanding the meaning of each Mother Goddess ritual and each melody. Therefore, there is a need for teaching programs, performances, and seminars to help practitioners understand and perform correctly. Only then can the Mother Goddess religion retain its inherent humanistic spirit.

Artist and shaman Vu Minh Nguyet performs shamanic rituals at the program. (Photo: Contributor)

Artist and shaman Vu Minh Nguyet performs shamanic rituals at the program. (Photo by contributor)

Phu Suoi Linh Tu - an ancient temple from the 17th century located at the foot of the Tam Diep mountain range, built beside a crystal-clear underground stream flowing from the heart of the rocky mountain. This is the place of worship for the First Holy Mother of Heaven, Lieu Hanh, a representative saint in the pantheon of the Mother Goddess worship in the Three Realms.

After being restored and renovated at the end of 2024, the temple is a typical spiritual destination of Thanh Hoa province, associated with the Hau Dong ritual - a form of folk performance combining singing, music , sacred dance, and costumes, expressing the belief in the spirit possession of deities in the temple.

Gong and drum dance performance as part of the program. (Photo: Contributor)

Gong and drum dance performance as part of the program. (Photo by contributor)

The "Exchange Program on the Practice of Mother Goddess Worship 2025" is not only an opportunity to honor the Hầu đồng ritual, but also a message about the enduring vitality of Vietnamese folk culture - where traditional spiritual values are still preserved and spread in today's integrated world.

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