Saint Mother Lieu Hanh: The Only Female Saint in the Four Immortals and the Mother Goddess Worship of the Three Realms
Introduction: A Special Position in the Vietnamese Psyche
In the treasury of Vietnamese folk beliefs, the "Four Immortals" refers to four immortal saints, symbolizing the nation's aspirations for eternity and noble values. These four are: Tan Vien Son Thanh, Phu Dong Thien Vuong, Chu Dong Tu, and Saint Mother Lieu Hanh. What makes Saint Mother Lieu Hanh distinct and special is that she is the only woman among the Four Immortals. Furthermore, she is venerated as the supreme Saint Mother in the heritage of the Mother Goddess worship of the Three Realms practiced by the Vietnamese. The familiar saying, "In the eighth month, we honor the Father's death anniversary; in the third month, the Mother's," is deeply ingrained in the collective consciousness, reflecting the special reverence for her, the Mother of all people, alongside Duc Thanh Tran.
Origins and Legend: Three Enchanting Descents to Earth
Unlike other saints who often have a clear historical record, the legend of Saint Mother Lieu Hanh is dense with fantastical elements, documented in various ancient texts, divine chronicles, genealogies, and jade records of clans in the Phu Day region, Nam Dinh. According to these, Mother Lieu Hanh was originally Princess Quynh Hoa, the second daughter of the Jade Emperor. Due to a mistake (breaking a jade cup), she was exiled to the mortal world to cultivate her mind and spirit.
Legend recounts that she descended to earth as a human three times, each time associated with different places and identities:
- First descent: She was born into the Pham family in Quang Nap, Vi Nhue, Y Yen, Nam Dinh, and was named Pham Tien Nga. After living in the mortal world for 40 years, she ascended back to heaven.
- Second descent: She was born into the Le family in An Thai, Vu Ban, Nam Dinh, bearing the name Le Thi Thang, with the title Giang Tien. This time is linked to a more specific historical milestone, as she passed away at the hour of the Tiger (3-5 AM) on the 3rd day of the 3rd lunar month in 1577 (during the Mac dynasty), at only 21 years old. This incarnation is closely tied to the Phu Day relic complex today.
- Third descent: She was born in Nga Son, Thanh Hoa, and returned to the celestial realm at just 18 years old.
In all three descents, Mother Lieu Hanh manifested as beautiful women of complete virtue and talent, often traveling the world, saving people, and helping others. For this reason, she was conferred titles by feudal dynasties from the Later Le to the Nguyen dynasties. She was honored with noble titles such as "Mau Nghi Thien Ha" (Mother of the Nation) and "Che Thang Bao Hoa Dieu Dai Vuong." Finally, according to legend, she took refuge in Buddhism in a semi-monastic manner and attained enlightenment with the title Ma Hoang Bodhisattva. This fusion of folk belief, Taoism, and Buddhism shows the distinctive cultural harmony and acculturation of the Vietnamese people.
Central Role in the Mother Goddess Worship of the Three Realms
The Mother Goddess worship is a distinctive indigenous belief of the Vietnamese, venerating goddesses who govern the realms of the sky, water, and forests. Saint Mother Lieu Hanh holds an extremely important position in this pantheon. She is not only a saint worshipped individually but is also considered an incarnation of the First Holy Mother of the Upper Realm (Mau Thuong Thien), the deity who governs the heavens.
In the Tam Toa Thanh Mau (Three Palaces of the Holy Mothers, consisting of Mother of the Upper Realm, Mother of the Forests, and Mother of the Waters), Mother Lieu Hanh is worshipped in the central position with the representative red attire. Red symbolizes supreme power, luck, and enthusiasm. As the incarnation of the Mother of the Upper Realm, she has the power to govern the sky and control supernatural forces such as clouds, rain, wind, storms, and thunder. This explains why she is considered the supreme Saint Mother, heading the pantheon, and is the primary and most important object of worship in the temples and shrines of the Mother Goddess system.
Phu Day: The Center of Worship and a Typical Festival
The Phu Day Historical and Cultural Relic Complex in Kim Thai commune, Vu Ban district, Nam Dinh province, is considered the site associated with the second incarnation and ascension of Mother Lieu Hanh. It is the largest and most important center of Mother Goddess worship in Vietnam.
The name Phu Day (or Phu Giay) is also linked to many interesting legends. One legend says that, due to her deep longing for her family in the mortal world, before returning to heaven, Mother left a shoe behind on earth, so the place was named Ke Giay (the land of shoes). When Mother was revered as "Mau Nghi Thien Ha," Ke Giay was renamed Phu Giay. Another legend tells of a king passing through who was gifted a pair of shoes by Mother, so the people built a shrine called Phu Giay. There is also a theory that the name Phu Day comes from the famous delicious banh day (round sticky rice cake) specialty of this region.
Every year, the Phu Day Festival is held in the third lunar month, exactly on the occasion of Mother's death anniversary, lasting several days with various distinctive rituals. The festival is not only an occasion to express gratitude to Saint Mother but also a gathering place that spreads the unique cultural and spiritual values of the Vietnamese people. Activities such as the Torch Procession, the Scripture Invocation Procession, and the Flower Staff Festival take place in a solemn and reverent atmosphere, attracting tens of thousands of pilgrims from afar. With its outstanding historical, cultural, and architectural values, the Phu Day relic complex has been ranked as a National Historical and Cultural Monument.
Chau Van Ritual and Hau Dong: The Soul of the Belief
The most prominent ritual in the Phu Day Festival, and also the main and central ritual of the Mother Goddess worship of the Three Realms, is the chau van - hau dong ritual. This is a form of folk performance expressing faith in the descent/possession of the deities in the pantheon. Practitioners (thanh dong) believe that through this form, they can communicate with the deities, becoming intermediaries to convey wishes and aspirations for a peaceful life.
A hau dong session is a harmonious combination of van singing, costumes, and sacred dance. Amidst thick incense smoke, melodious van singing, and the sounds of drums, wooden clappers, moon lutes, flutes, and two-stringed fiddles, sometimes slow and sometimes urgent, the medium changes magnificent attire through each "gia dong" (spirit possession sequence), embodying the saints with symbolic and stylized dances. Each gia dong has its own colors, costumes, and gestures, from the mandarins, the ladies, the princes, and princesses to the young female and male spirits, creating a diverse and fascinating artistic world.
From a cultural perspective, hau dong is an intangible cultural heritage that synthesizes multiple values of folk cultural forms such as oral traditions, performance, music, literature, dance, mime, and fine arts. It is also a form of shamanism (spirit possession performance) quite common in many countries worldwide, such as Korea, Mongolia, Brazil, or Russia, showing similarities in the spiritual life of humanity.
From National Heritage to Heritage of Humanity
The great cultural values of the Mother Goddess worship in general and the role of Saint Mother Lieu Hanh in particular have been recognized. The chau van ritual of the Vietnamese people has been included in the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism. Then, in 2016, an important milestone was marked when UNESCO officially inscribed the "Practices of the Mother Goddess worship of the Three Realms of the Vietnamese people" on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This inscription is not only an international recognition of the great cultural value of this belief but also a responsibility for its preservation and promotion by the entire community. The Phu Day Festival, along with the relic complex, has become one of the country's typical festivals and a spiritual tourism destination attractive to domestic and international visitors.
Conclusion
Saint Mother Lieu Hanh is not just a legendary figure but also a profound cultural symbol. From the story of Princess Quynh Hoa exiled to the mortal world, through three incarnations with many events, she has become the only female saint in the Four Immortals, the Mother of the Nation, a symbol of the strength, compassion, and kindness of Vietnamese women. Worshipping her and the Mother Goddess worship of the Three Realms not only reflect a rich spiritual life but also express the principle of "remembering the source when drinking water," honoring the role of women in Vietnamese culture, an invaluable heritage to be preserved for future generations.
