The fourth edition of the book titled “Vietnam’s Worship of Mother Goddesses” or Dao Mau, written by Prof. Ngô Đức Thịnh, has been released by the Religious Publisher.
The book, with many contents, materials and scholarly views on the worship of the Mother Goddess, affirmed that the Mother Goddess Worship in Vietnam has formed and shaped a worshipping practice with their own identities.
The book divides into three parts: worship of Female Deities, Mother Deities and Mother Goddess of Three and Four Realms (or palaces), and its impact and development; Overview of the Mother Goddess worship in Northern, Central and Southern regions of Vietnam and distinctive features; and introduction of typical Mother Goddesses in regions, such as Mother Goddess Liễu Hạnh in the North, Mother Goddesses of Thiên Ya Na and Pô Inư Nưgar in the Central, and Lady of the Realm (Ba Chua Xu) in the South.
The new publication deeply studied similarities and differences between the Mother Goddess Worship and going into trance practices (Lên đồng or Hầu đồng).
The fourth edition of this book additionally contains 100 lyrics of the Chau van song (spirit medium singing ritual) and written documents related to Mother goddesses in Vietnam.
Prof. Ngô Đức Thịnh – a leading expert in the Mother Goddess in Vietnam, currently is Director of the Center for Research and Conservation of Beliefs’ Culture in Vietnam, Member of the National Council for Cultural Heritage and Vice Chairman of the Asian Folklore Council.
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