Highlights

This work reinterprets a traditional *hau dong* (Vietnamese spirit mediumship) costume motif, commonly embroidered on the robes of the Paige. Painted with acrylic on a copper tray, it features a pair of cranes soaring amidst stylized clouds, peonies,...

This piece depicts the  ceremonial polearm (long đao), the iconic weapon associated with the Fifth Mandarin (Quan Đệ Ngũ Tuần Tranh) in the Vietnamese Mother Goddess tradition of the Three and Four Palaces. Painted in acrylic on natural bamboo, the w...

The painting “Mother Goddess of the  Heaven (Mẫu Đệ Nhất Thượng Thiên)”, rendered in acrylic on canvas, portrays the supreme deity of Vietnam’s Mother Goddess belief. At the center of the composition, the Goddess is depicted in a crimson imperial rob...

This piece is a handcrafted Mid-Autumn lantern made from dó paper  and painted with  gouache, blending the vivid opacity of the medium with the organic texture of traditional Vietnamese paper. At its center, a crane spreads its wings beneath a crimso...

This artwork depicts a stylized phoenix, delicately rendered in gouache on silk, a motif deeply rooted in Vietnamese cultural and spiritual traditions. With flowing lines and a luminous palette, the phoenix radiates elegance, vitality, and transcende...

This acrylic painting on canvas portrays Mẫu Đệ Nhị Thượng Ngàn, the Mother Goddess of the Mountains and Forests in Vietnam’s Đạo Mẫu tradition. Seated gracefully amidst a lush natural landscape, she is depicted wearing a deep green robe adorned with...

The red veil (khăn phủ diện) is not merely a ritual implement but a symbol imbued with profound spiritual significance within the Mother Goddess Belief of the Three Palaces (Đạo Mẫu Tam Phủ). Placed over the head of the medium (đồng nhân) prior to ea...

Hầu đồng is a form of possession in which deities of the Four Palaces descend into the medium, re-embodying the image of the Holy Mothers and Saints as they appear among humans, close to earthly life. Because of the cultural diversity across regions,...

Within the Mother Goddess belief system, rituals and festivals are abundant and diverse, carrying unique characteristics that distinguish them from other religions and spiritual practices. However, the most central and representative is the ritual of...

1. The Rank of Great Mandarins The costumes comprise five colors: a red robe for the First Mandarin, a blue robe for the Second Mandarin, a white robe for the Third Mandarin, a yellow robe for the Fourth Mandarin, and a light-blue robe for the Fifth ...