• Interweaving of folk beliefs
  • Exciting Thien Hau Festival
  • Cultural exchange of three ethnic groups

The origin of the worship of Thien Hau

The worship of Thien Hau is associated with the legend of Lam Mac Nuong, born on March 23, 960, in Mi Chau Island, Fujian, China. She is honored as a goddess who specializes in helping people in distress, especially seafarers. The Chinese community, with its tradition of trading and seafaring, brought this belief with them wherever they migrated, including coastal areas of our country. In Ca Mau, the Chinese community has contributed significantly to the formation of the local cultural and economic landscape, including the presence of the worship of Thien Hau.

Photos of Thien Hau at places of worship.

The worshiping establishments of Lady Thien Hau are often formed according to traditional feng shui principles, located in prime locations: "First near the market, second near the river". In Ca Mau province, there are many localities with worshiping establishments of Lady Thien Hau, typically: Thien Hau Palace at 68 Le Loi, An Xuyen ward; Thien Hau Temple in Thoi Binh commune; Thien Hau Palace (Lady Cai Ran Pagoda) in Luong The Tran commune; Thien Hau Palace in Song Doc commune; Lady Thien Hau Pagoda in Cai Keo hamlet, Quach Van Pham commune; Lady Thien Hau Temple in Cai Doi hamlet, Phu Tan commune; Lady Thien Hau Temple in Nha May hamlet, Khanh Hung commune; Thien Hau Palace in Tan Tien commune; Thien Hau ancient temple on Hoang Dieu street, Bac Lieu ward; Thien Hau Temple (Lady Vinh An Pagoda) in Vinh Trach ward; Lady Thien Hau Temple in Ganh Hao commune; Thien Hau Palace in Gia Rai ward; Thien Hau Palace (Ba Ba Dinh Pagoda) and Thien Hau Temple in Vinh Loc Commune; Thien Hau Temple (Ba Cay Giang Pagoda) in Long Dien Commune; Thien Hau Thanh Mau Palace at 85 Hai Ba Trung, Bac Lieu Ward...

Thien Hau Festival

Every year, the Thien Hau Festival is solemnly held on the 23rd day of the third lunar month at places of worship. This is an important cultural and spiritual activity for the Chinese community.

People burn incense and pray to the Lady for peace and prosperity.

Through the festival, people express their gratitude to the goddess who protects fishermen and merchants at sea. Important rituals include bathing the statue of the Lady, offering incense and praying for peace, and carrying the Lady's palanquin on the street to bless the community. In addition, there are traditional sacrificial rituals with ceremonial music, lion and dragon dances, etc. The entire ceremony is conducted solemnly, attracting the participation of many local ethnic communities.

For fishermen, Thien Hau is a goddess of fortune, protecting and blessing peace, favorable fishing and a prosperous life. In some localities such as Song Doc, Ganh Hau, Phu Tan... the fishing community often goes to the temple to pray to Thien Hau for favorable fishing activities, smooth sailing on the boats, and to ask for her amulets (inscribed in Chinese: "Ngoc an Thien Hau Thanh Mau sac lenh linh phu tran chung sinh tha binh an") to hang on the boats to ward off disasters and bad luck.

Thien Hau Cung (Ba Cai Rang Pagoda) in Luong The Tran commune.

The Thien Hau Festival not only brings religious beliefs to the Chinese community but is also a channel to unite the community, helping the Chinese preserve and pass on traditional cultural values, carrying elements of shared fate and sympathy.

Unique cultural values

The most prominent feature of the Thien Hau worship in Ca Mau is its ability to reflect the cultural exchange between the three ethnic groups Kinh - Khmer - Hoa. The openness, generosity and hospitality of the Ca Mau people have helped the ethnic communities easily absorb and preserve folk beliefs, including the Thien Hau worship. This mark of integration is clearly shown in worship activities and in the management structure of worship facilities. The management board at some temples also has Kinh members participating, depending on the conditions and needs of the local community. This participation is a clear manifestation of the flexibility and cultural integration of the Hoa people into the cultural context of the South.

Ethnic communities join in worshiping Thien Hau.

The spirit of solidarity and awareness of preserving traditional cultural values ​​of the Chinese community is also an important feature of the Thien Hau worship belief. Thien Hau Palace in An Xuyen ward is one of the worship establishments that plays a central role in the Thien Hau Thanh Mau worship activities. Other Thien Hau temples in Ca Mau province (such as in Song Doc, Phu Tan, Khanh Hung, Tan Tien, Quach Van Pham) all directly learn the rituals at this temple.

Thien Hau Palace at 68 Le Loi, An Xuyen ward.

The “mixed” feature in worshiping at Thien Hau worshiping establishments is shown in the diverse worship of gods, including Thien Dia Phu Mau, Thanh Hoang Bon Canh, Phuoc Duc Chanh Than, Hoa Duc Nuong Nuong, Thien Soai Ho Gia, Quan Am... Besides, although offerings to Ba often include traditional Chinese dishes, Vietnamese people also participate in offering sticky rice, betel and areca nuts to Ba's altar on holidays and Tet, demonstrating cultural exchange in worship.

The Fire Goddess is worshiped in the Thien Hau Palace in An Xuyen ward.

The worship of Thien Hau in Ca Mau is a valuable intangible cultural asset, demonstrating the openness and generosity of the local ethnic communities. The preservation and exploitation of these unique values, especially the cultural exchange, community cohesion, and solidarity among the Kinh - Khmer - Hoa ethnic groups, will be an important driving force for sustainable tourism development, contributing to building a diverse and prosperous cultural image for the southernmost land of the Fatherland.

Dang Minh

Source: https://baocamau.vn/net-dac-sac-cua-tin-nguong-tho-ba-thien-hau-o-ca-mau-a123421.html