Open AccessSpecial features of TianHou worship in the Mekong Delta
Author(s) -
Tho Ngoc Nguyen
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
khoa học công nghệ
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 1859-0128
DOI - 10.32508/stdj.v17i4.1567
Subject(s) - mekong delta , cult , worship , vietnamese , buddhism , china , multiculturalism , ancient history , geography , history , gender studies , ethnology , sociology , archaeology , theology , philosophy , linguistics , pedagogy , environmental science , water resource management
The TianHou/ThienHau-worship cult originated from Fujian, China and was gradually brought into the South of Vietnam following the footsteps of South Chinese immigrants. There are around 50 TianHou temples built and owned by the Chinese and the Vietnamese at the Mekong Delta. In the Mekong residents’ mind, TianHou is seen as a sea goddess, a protector, a benevolent Mother goddess who has been accepted through the channels of Mahayana Buddhism and traditional goddess beliefs. The religious practices at TianHou temples in the Mekong Delta have shown both the specific cultural traits of Vietnamese Chinese identities and the popular trends of multicultural exchanges by the local communities. This paper is to investigate the current situation of the cult of TianHou in the Mekong Delta to highlight the basic characteristics of this cult in the region.