Current Situation of the Worship of Mother Goddesses in Thanh Hoa Province Today
Keywords:
Beliefs in Mother Goddesses of Three Realms, Practices Related to the Viet Beliefs in the Mother Goddesses of Three Realms, Lên Đồng Spirit Mediumship Rituals, Intangible Cultural Heritage, Thanh Hoa Province
Abstract
The worship of Mother Goddesses has been developing, especially since Practices related to the Viet beliefs in the Mother Goddesses of Three Realms was recognized by UNESCO as a representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity. Many shrines have been opened, temples and palaces have been renovated, and the Lên đồng (spirit mediumship) rituals have been in full bloom. Besides positive factors, there remain negative ones including mismatching, modernizing and profiteering rituals. Based on the 2019 - 2020 anthropological fieldwork, the paper clarifies the current practice of worshipping Mother Goddesses of Three Realms in Thanh Hoa province in contemporary society.
(Received 27 March 2020; published 15 October 2020)