Image: Unknown author, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
TL;DR: The Tây Thiên Festival takes place from the 15th to the 17th of the second lunar month each year at the Tây Thiên Relic and Landscape Complex, Đại Đình Commune, Phú Thọ Province (before July 2025 it belonged to Tam Đảo District, Vĩnh Phúc Province), honoring National Mother Lăng Thị Tiêu, said in legend to be the principal royal consort of Hùng Chiêu Vuong. The ritual part includes the proclamation rite, a palanquin procession from the foot of the mountain to the Upper Temple on Thạch Bàn Mountain, incense offering and the thanksgiving rite; the festive part features Mother Goddess worship practice, Soong Co folk singing and folk games. Note the distinction: the National Intangible Cultural Heritage title belongs to the "Tây Thiên Mother Goddess Worship" (Decision 176/QD-BVHTTDL dated 14 January 2020), while the relic site has been a Special National Relic since December 2015.
What is the Tây Thiên Festival and when does it take place?
The Tây Thiên Festival is a traditional festival held from the 15th to the 17th of the second lunar month each year to honor National Mother Lăng Thị Tiêu[1][2]. The venue is the Tây Thiên Relic and Landscape Complex, Đại Đình Commune, Phú Thọ Province; before July 2025 this area belonged to Tam Đảo District, Vĩnh Phúc Province[1][3]. The ritual center is the Upper Temple on Thạch Bàn Mountain in the Tam Đảo range[3].
The festival dates are reckoned by the lunar calendar, falling around March to April on the solar calendar each year. In 2026, the opening ceremony took place on 2 April on the solar calendar, that is the 15th day of the second lunar month, within the Tây Thiên Spring Binh Ngo Festival[3].
How is National Mother Tây Thiên Lăng Thị Tiêu recounted?
According to legend, Lady Lăng Thị Tiêu was the principal royal consort of Hùng Chiêu Vuong, credited with helping the Hung king expand the realm, teaching people wet-rice cultivation, recruiting soldiers and strengthening the dynasty[1][2]. This is legendary material, not a verified historical event; modern scholarship does not regard this identity as proven.
In 1763, a document of the Board of Rites under the Le restoration recorded the relics worshipping National Mother Tây Thiên[1]. This is the earliest administrative document cited by the news source, showing that the worship held a place in the state ritual system of that period, unlike the biographical story which belongs to legend.
In the understanding of Mother Goddess worship, National Mother Tây Thiên is one of the Holy Mothers governing the forest and mountain region; the Vietnamese Mother Goddess worship of the Three Palaces was inscribed by UNESCO in 2016[1]. Tây Thiên Mother Goddess worship is assessed as one of the three oldest beliefs in the Northern Delta region, alongside Hung King worship and Tản Viên Sơn Thánh worship[1][2].
What does the Tây Thiên Relic and Landscape Complex contain?
The Tây Thiên relic and landscape complex covers about 250 ha, stretching from the foot to the summit of Thạch Bàn Mountain in the Tam Đảo range[3]. The main structures include the Tây Thiên Festival Cultural Center, the Bao Stupa, Thiên Ân Pagoda and the Upper Temple worshipping National Mother Lăng Thị Tiêu[3].
In Đại Đình Commune there is a system of relics worshipping deities and Buddhas comprising 8 temples and communal houses, 7 pagodas and 2 Zen monasteries, Trúc Lâm Tây Thiên and Trúc Lâm An Tâm[3]. This figure is taken from a 2026 news report, not a fixed number across periods.
What is the sequence of rituals in the festival?
According to the account of the Tây Thiên Spring Binh Ngo Festival in 2026, the ritual part was held solemnly with traditional rites such as the proclamation rite, the palanquin procession, the opening ceremony, incense offering and the thanksgiving rite[3]. The procession started from the foot of the mountain and advanced to the Upper Temple in a solemn atmosphere with music and flags and flowers[3].
| Order | Rite | Description according to the 2026 source |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Proclamation rite | Opening rite, reporting to the deities the opening of the festival |
| 2 | Palanquin procession | The procession starts from the foot of the mountain and advances to the Upper Temple on Thạch Bàn Mountain |
| 3 | Opening ceremony | Held solemnly with an art program themed "Sacred Tây Thiên" |
| 4 | Incense offering | Delegates and locals offer incense at the Upper Temple |
| 5 | Thanksgiving rite | Closing rite of the ritual part |
The table above is compiled from the 2026 news report; other years may adjust scale and participants, for instance in 2020 due to COVID-19 the festival omitted the festive part and held only the ritual part and the announcement of the heritage recognition decision[2].
What activities are in the festive part?
The organizers coordinated with units to hold many cultural, sports and tourism activities such as the traditional Tây Thiên leather volleyball tournament; contests of making banh chung, banh gio and banh day; cultural camps among villages and units; folk games such as tug of war and xiangqi; art and drum programs; cultural exchanges, Soong Co folk singing performances and practice of Three Palaces Mother Goddess worship[3].
The basic practice of Three Palaces Mother Goddess worship is the mediumship rite and festivals, through folk cultural elements such as costumes, music, chau van singing, dance and performance[1]. At the Tây Thiên Festival, the practice of Three Palaces Mother Goddess worship is held as part of the festive part[3].
In folk belief, festival-goers believe that offering incense at the Upper Temple and joining the palanquin rites bring peace and good fortune to the family. This is a community belief, not a claim about actual efficacy.
Important milestones associated with Tây Thiên
| Year | Event | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1763 | A document of the Board of Rites under the Le restoration records the relics worshipping National Mother Tây Thiên | VietnamPlus 2020 |
| 12/2015 | The relic worshipping her in Đại Đình town was recognized as a Special National Historical Relic | VietnamPlus 2020; Nhân Dân 2026 |
| 14/1/2020 | Decision 176/QD-BVHTTDL announced the list of National Intangible Cultural Heritage, including Tây Thiên Mother Goddess worship | VietnamPlus 2020 |
| 8/3/2020 | Ceremony announcing the heritage recognition decision in Tam Đảo District, Vĩnh Phúc Province | VietnamPlus 2020; Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism 2020 |
| 2/4/2026 | Opening of the Tây Thiên Spring Binh Ngo Festival, that is the 15th day of the second lunar month | Nhân Dân 2026 |
Which heritage title belongs to the festival and which to the worship?
This is a commonly confused point. The National Intangible Cultural Heritage title belongs to "Tây Thiên Mother Goddess Worship", not to the festival alone[1][2]. Specifically, on 14 January 2020, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism issued Decision No. 176/QD-BVHTTDL announcing the list of National Intangible Cultural Heritage, including Tây Thiên Mother Goddess Worship, Tam Đảo District, Vĩnh Phúc Province[1].
Meanwhile the relic site worshipping her in Đại Đình town was recognized by the Prime Minister as a Special National Historical Relic in December 2015[1][2][3]. Thus there are two different kinds of title: one for a tangible relic (special national, 2015) and one for an intangible worship practice (national, 2020).
Who organizes it and what does the festival mean to the local community?
In 2026, the Tây Thiên Festival was organized by Đại Đình Commune in coordination with the Phú Thọ Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism[3]. Before July 2025 this area belonged to Tam Đảo District, Vĩnh Phúc Province; after the administrative unit rearrangement, the organizing unit is recorded as Đại Đình Commune, Phú Thọ Province[3].
The Tây Thiên Festival is an important part of the cultural and spiritual life of the people of the ethnic groups in Đại Đình Commune and neighboring areas, aiming to remember and honor the merits of National Mother Lăng Thị Tiêu[3]. Activities displaying cultural heritage and introducing tourism products are also held to promote the image of Tây Thiên - Tam Đảo to visitors[3].
Why does the Tây Thiên Festival belong to the group of Mother Goddess worship festivals?
Tây Thiên Mother Goddess worship lies within the broader current of the Vietnamese Three Palaces Mother Goddess worship, a form of worshipping the Mother incarnate in the realms of sky, water and forest, formed on the foundation of goddess worship[1]. From the 16th century, this worship became a cultural and religious activity with deep influence in social life and the mindset of the people[1].
The practice of Three Palaces Mother Goddess worship is distributed in many localities across the country such as the Northwest, Northeast, Northern Delta, North Central Coast and Ho Chi Minh City; among them Nam Định is regarded as the center with nearly 400 sites of Holy Mother worship, according to figures cited in a 2020 article[1]. This number is tied to the time of publication, not a continuously updated figure.
Points to note when learning about the Tây Thiên Festival
- The identity of National Mother Lăng Thị Tiêu is legend; materials about her should be read with the awareness that this is storytelling tradition, not verified historical record.
- Heritage titles should be clearly distinguished: "Tây Thiên Mother Goddess Worship" is a national intangible cultural heritage (2020); the relic site is a special national relic (2015).
- The administrative place name has changed: before July 2025 it belonged to Tam Đảo District, Vĩnh Phúc Province; now it is Đại Đình Commune, Phú Thọ Province.
- The festival time is reckoned by the lunar calendar, so the solar dates change each year; check the specific calendar before arranging a trip.
