Promoting the value of Mother Goddess worship in Lang Son Geopark

Lang Son Geopark is an area where many ethnic groups live together with a rich system of intangible cultural heritage, including the belief in Mother Goddess. Aware of that value, along with the active construction of Lang Son Geopark, over the past time, the cultural sector in particular and all levels and sectors in the province in general have had many practical solutions to conserve and spread the value of this belief.

Practicing the Spirit Possession ritual at Bac Le temple, Tan Thanh commune, Huu Lung district

Mother Goddess worship is a type of Vietnamese folk belief integrated by three layers of worship: goddess worship; Mother Goddess worship; worship the patheon of three realms – four palaces. In the process of development, the belief in Mother Goddess has received and been influenced by a number of other types of beliefs and religions such as the belief in worshiping nature gods (gods with natural elements), Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. In each locality, this belief also has the acquisition and exchange with other indigenous folk beliefs, in which, Lang Son is an interesting stop on this journey and gradually becomes a major center of Mother worship in the northern mountainous region.

Heritage of Humanity in the geopark area

According to historical documents, Mother Goddess worship has existed in Lang Son since the late 19th century – early 20th century, since its introduction, there has been a strong exchange and reception with indigenous folk beliefs. So far, it has been deeply ingrained in the spiritual and cultural life of the vast majority of the people of Lang Son. This belief worships more than 50 different saints, who are both human gods (real historical figures) and natural gods with the characteristics of the ritual of spirit possession and singing of chau van. In December 2016, the Vietnamese people’s belief in worshiping Mother Goddesses of the Three Realms was registered by UNESCO as a representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity. Currently, according to incomplete statistics of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, in the whole province, there are more than 100 relics directly worshiping the Mother Goddess or combining worship the Mother Goddess (with Mother Goddess altars).

Mr. Hoang Van Pao, Chairman of Lang Son Cultural Heritage Association said: Worshiping the Mother Goddess is a traditional cultural beauty of an agricultural country like Vietnam, demonstrating cultural harmony, the ethics of drinking water, remembering the source, and upholding the role of women. In Lang Son, along with worshiping the Mother at temples and pagodas, the Tay and Nung also worship the Flower Goddess (Mê Bjooc), this is a distinctive feature of the Mother Goddess worship in Lang Son compared to other regions. This is a great potential to develop the type of spiritual tourism associated with the construction and promotion of Lang Son Geopark. Some typical temples and pagodas are Bac Le temple (Huu Lung district); Chua Nam temple, Chu Muoi temple (Chi Lang district); Tam Thanh pagoda (Lang Son city)…

As one of the communes included in the tourist route in the Lang Son Geopark area, Tan Thanh commune, Huu Lung district owns many famous Mother Goddess temples with unique cultural values. According to the inventory of relics of the Provincial People’s Committee, Tan Thanh currently has 3 relics of Mother worship, including: Khuon Dau temple (Kon Dau village), Bac Le temple (Bac Le village) and Deo Keng temple (Ven Che village). In which, the most famous is Bac Le Temple, which was ranked as a provincial relic in 1992.

Mr. Phung Van Quang, Chairman of Tan Thanh Commune People’s Committee said: According to stele No. 1 built in the 7th year of Khai Dinh (1922) is being kept at Bac Le temple and temple in Bac Le street, Chau Huu Lung, Bac Giang province (now is Bac Le village, Tan Thanh commune, Huu Lung district, Lang Son province) worshiped 3 goddesses, including Princess of the Forest. Previously, the temple was covered with grass leaves, but it was burned. After many restorations, Bac Le temple now retains its traditional appearance with a row of 3-room houses built with bricks, roof tiles, wooden columns, these 3 houses are also 3 palaces, with an area of 125 m². Every year, the traditional festival takes place on the 20th day of the 9th lunar month with many special activities such as chau van singing, spirit possession performance, and rituals… typically there is a palanquin procession from Bac Le temple to Deo Keng temple.

Through this, it can be seen that the Mother Goddess belief has existed for a long time, deeply rooted in the folk life of ethnic minorities in the Lang Son Geopark area, reflected in the system of relics and associated customs. This is a valuable cultural heritage resource, contribute to the uniqueness of Lang Son Geopark.

Preserving the heritage to promote its value

Geopark is a model of sustainable socio-economic development, encouraging environmentally friendly activities, contributing to the conservation and promotion of the overall value of heritage types, including: cultural heritage, history, archeology, landscape, environment, etc. Well aware of this, over the years, the Provincial People’s Committee has directed the cultural sector and related levels and sectors to promote the preservation and promotion of the value of Mother Goddess worship.

Specifically, in 2013, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism coordinated with the Center for Research and Preservation of Beliefs of Vietnam to hold a ceremony to receive the certificate of recognition of the National Monument of Cua Dong Temple and a seminar on the science of Mother Goddess worship. From 2017 to 2019, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism organized 3 expanded programs of chau van singing performances in Lang Son province, attracted 75 artists, local and foreign artists. In addition, the department has enhanced promotion of the value of the religious heritage of Mother Goddess worship to tourists inside and outside the province on the province’s tourist information page and integrated in events such as culture, sport and tourism week, Ky Cung – Ta Phu festival…In 2021, the department developed and advised the Provincial People’s Committee to issue Decision No.2386/QD-UBND approving the project “Establishment, construction and development of Lang Son Geopark in the period of 2021 – 2025”, in which, the task of investigating, surveying, preserving and promoting the value of cultural and religious heritages of Mother Goddess worship is set out.

Mrs. Pham Thi Huong, Standing Deputy Head of Lang Son Geopark Management Board, Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism said: On the basis of the approved project, the board has coordinated with foreign and Vietnamese consultants to survey and build 4 routes with 41 expected attractions. In particular, each sightseeing route has paleontological fossil sites, geological heritage and at least one relic site associated with the belief of Mother Goddess. In addition, the board has integrated the content of propaganda and education about the value of the religious heritage of Mother Goddess worship for the community in the geopark area in many forms such as organizing propaganda conferences, seminars , training, organizing contest to learn about geological heritage, Lang Son Geopark.

In addition, for districts and cities within the geopark that owns the religious heritage of Mother Goddess worship, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism also regularly guides the implementation of the management, protection and promotion of the values of these relic sites; establishment of a management board; increase calls for socialization, restoration and embellishment of relics directly or in conjunction with Mother Goddess worship. At the same time, the People’s Committees of districts and city also actively survey and guide artisans who practice the Mother-worshiping belief to compile dossiers and submit them to the President for consideration and award of the title “Excellent artisans, People’s artisans” types of social practices and beliefs. Thanks to the active participation of all levels and sectors, up to now, the whole province has had 1 People’s artisan and 3 excellent artisans of the religious heritage of Mother Goddesses conferred by the State.

Excellent  artisan Thin Thu Huong, Vinh Trai ward, Lang Son city, who has been diligently preserving and promoting beliefs for the past 35 years said: Being recognized by the State as a gift gives believers like us more motivation in preserving the religious heritage of Mother Goddess worship.

With the attention and active solutions of all levels and sectors, especially the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Mother Goddess worship in the geopark area has been preserved and promoted in the right direction. Believing that, in the future, after Lang Son Geopark is officially recognized by UNESCO, the worship of Mother Goddesses and its typical and outstanding values will contribute to the development of spiritual tourism, creating a premise for socio-economic promotion in the province in a sustainable way.