Along with the worship of the Hung Kings – the legendary founders of the nation, and Tan Vien Son Thanh – the God of Tan Vien Mountain, the worship of Tay Thien National Goddess is one of the three most ancient rituals in the north region.
Legend has it that in Dong Lo commune under Tay Thien – Tam Dao region (now Dong Lo village, Tam Dao district’s Dai Dinh commune) there was a rich family of Lăng Phiêu and Đào Thị Liễu. They were very rich but didn’t have a child, so they often visited holy sites to pray for one.
In a visit to Tay Thien to pray for a child, Mrs. Đào had a dream in which she saw in a golden cloud a group of beautiful fairies playing lutes, singing and dancing before flying to the West in early morning.
She then became pregnant. After tenth months, she gave birth to a beautiful girl, and named her as Lăng Thị Tiêu, with an alias as Nhược Cẩm. She had precocious talents: she could play music at the age of four years old, well understood literature and martial arts when 6 years old, and reached maturities in all kinds of women works and became a strong and gorgeous girl at the age of 12 in Dong Lo and neighboring regions.
Following an Thuc invasion, Lăng Thị Tiêu recruited 4,000 soldiers from adjacent districts and was given 2,000 soldiers and 3,000 horses by the Hung King for fighting the Thuc invaders. After defeating the Thuc aggression, she was conferred the title of “Tam Dao Son Tru Quoc Mau” (Tam Dao National Goddess). Later she taught local people how to grow mulberries, feed silkworm, weave and grow rice, etc.
When she passed away, in order to pay respect and gratitude to her practical meritorious services and contributions, local people created a worshipping temple near her residing place in Tam Dao Mountain, now known as Thong Temple.
Thong Temple – worshipping place of National Goddess Lăng Thị Tiêu
Since then, during the Tay Thien festival annually held on the 15th day of the second lunar month, San Diu ethnic group and local people in Tam Dao district often come to offer incense and worship Mother Goddess Lăng Thị Tiêu at Thong temple.
On January 14, 2020, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has classified Tay Thien Mother Goddess worship as the national intangible cultural heritage. Tay Thien – Tam Dao historical complex site is located in Tam Dao district and was recognized as a special national historical relic site in December 2015.
Worshipping statue of National Goddess Lăng Thị Tiêu
AK
