WORSHIPPING CULTURE OF THE CHINESE PEOPLE

In the divine legends in China from the 12th century onwards, there are descriptions of the legend of The Lady. She was the sixth child of a merchant at sea, named Lam Nguyen, from Fujian province. She was born in the Tong Kien Long dynasty (960) in My Chau village (thus the folk still handed down her name as My Chau), Bo Dien district, Hung Hoa province in Fujian province. Another strange thing is that until the full month, she could not cry. That’s why people also give her the name Lam Mo or Mo Nuong. When she was 13 years old, she mastered magic and could ride a mat to the sea or ride a cloud to travel everywhere. Not only that, she also often used magic to heal people. However, she decided to stay that way and not get married. Due to being born and raised in the sea, her family is marine, so she is very knowledgeable in hydrology, knows the flow of water, has the ability to predict the weather. The ships that were guided or rescued by her when they encountered big waves and high winds.

Once, while weaving by the loom, she foretold that her father and brother were in trouble in the middle of the sea. She closed her eyes and got out of her mind to fly to the sea to save her father and brother. She used her teeth to bite her father’s shirt, holding her brother with both hands. Her mother suddenly saw her daughter fainting and shook her vigorously to wake her up. When she opened her lips to answer, the waves swept her father away, saving only her brother. Since then, her name has become more and more famous and she has also continued to help many people in distress while at sea. Regarding her death, there are two theories; One says that she died in 987, another source said that she died at the age of 16 while swimming to the sea to find her father. From then on, the feudal dynasties of China In countries like the Song, Yuan, and Ming dynasties, seafarers sometimes see her wearing a red-brown shirt, hovering over the sea, epiphany helping people when in trouble. Seafarers and even residents living in coastal areas give the image of her to worship in order to pray for peace.

Currently, based on survey data of Nguyen Ngoc Tho, the whole Southern region has 60 establishments worshiping Ba. With so many worship facilities, we can also see very clearly that the coverage of the image of Thien Hau Thanh Mau is very large. According to Nguyen Ngoc Tho, although experiencing a history of more than 300 years - since the Chinese community began to appear in the Southern region, the form of worshiping Ba Thien Hau has only just developed to its peak.

Currently, there are quite large and famous worshiping establishments to worship her, such as at Tue Thanh Hoi Quan (Vietnamese people call it Ba Pagoda) in District 5, Ho Chi Minh City or Ba Thien Hau Pagoda in Ho Chi Minh City. Thu Dau Mot Street, Binh Duong Province. Every year on the occasion of the Via Ba festival, the local community organizes a very largescale event, thereby reflecting the position of this Mother Goddess in the community’s consciousness.

Every year, on the 23rd day of the 3rd lunar month, the Chinese hold a ceremony to worship the Lady at temples to worship Thien Hau Thanh Mau. Around the 18th of the third lunar month, the Chinese will gather at the temple to clean, repair and prepare for the big day. The place where she lived was swept clean, covered with curtains, then bathed her statue and changed into a new outfit.

On the official day of the ceremony, people bring readymade incense, lamps, tea, wine, chicken, duck, and pig to use as an offering to Mrs. At exactly 9 o’clock is the official ceremony of the ceremony, because the number 9 is considered by the Chinese to be a lucky number. When worshiping, people light tea, pour wine and read sacrifices. The content of the literature is to pray for favorable rain, good wind, good trade, good business, good health, and well-being.