Tay Thien – A convergence of spirituality and nature (771694)

• TAY THIEN “COME TO THE BUDDHA, RETURN TO THE MOTHER”

Located approximately 65 km northwest of Hanoi, the Tay Thien Scenic Area in Dai Dinh Commune, Phu Tho Province is a comprehensive cultural and tourism complex, recognized as a Special National Historical and Scenic Site. Tay Thien is regarded as a sacred land where Buddhism and the Mother Goddess worship tradition converge, featuring a dense system of temples and pagodas nestled among the mountains and forests of Tam Dao National Park.

She helped King Hung defeat foreign invaders, taught the people how to cultivate wet rice, and helped preserve the sacred flame during the dawn of the Vietnamese nation. For these great contributions, she was recorded in history as the National Mother Goddess of Tay Thien. Later feudal dynasties honored her with the title “Tam Dao Son Tru, Quoc Mau Toi Linh Dai Vuong” (The Most Sacred Great Queen Mother and Guardian of Tam Dao Mountain).

The sacred Thuong Temple is the main place of worship dedicated to her in Tay Thien. In addition to the temple dedicated to the National Mother Goddess of Tay Thien, the area is home to several other sacred sites, including Cau Temple, Co Temple, Tam Toa Thanh Mau Temple, Mau Dia Temple, Co Chin Temple, and the Temple of the Mountain Deity of Tam Dao. Every year, on the 15th day of the second lunar month, local people hold a festival to commemorate the contributions of the National Mother Goddess, known as the Tay Thien Festival.