Phu Tay Ho
A temple on West Lake where followers of the Mother Goddess religion, Dao Mau, bring offerings and hold mediumship rites.
Practised and told of here
Best time: The first and fifteenth day of the lunar month; the third month of the lunar calendar for the festival of Lieu Hanh.
Phu Tay Ho sits on a peninsula on West Lake. It is a main shrine to Lieu Hanh, a princess of the Mother Goddess faith, and is crowded with offerings on the first and fifteenth day of the lunar month.
Dao Mau
The Mother Goddess religion honours goddesses of the heavens, the earth, the mountains and the waters. UNESCO added the practice of the Mother Goddess faith to its list of intangible heritage in 2016. Its mediums, called ong dong and ba dong, host spirits in a ceremony known as len dong, with costumes, music and dance.
History and law
The French colonial authorities and later socialist governments both described these rites as superstition. The state has since taken them up as culture, and rules limit large offerings and the burning of paper goods at some temples.
Visiting
Ask before photographing the mediums; a len dong rite can last for hours. Bring a small offering of flowers and fruit if you wish.
A respectful visit to Phu Tay Ho
Living communities are not a show. Ask before photographing a person or a ceremony, and follow local rules.
- The main temple See the altars and the gathered offerings.
- The lakeside path Walk around the shore.
- Quan Thanh Temple Visit the Taoist temple at the lake's other end.
Written by the EveryJaadu desk with AI assistance. Background: "West Lake (Hanoi)" on Wikipedia. Opening hours, markets and ceremonies change; check locally before travelling. If something is wrong, tell us.
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