Within the Inner Sanctuary of the Tây Ninh Holy See, standing along Phạm Hộ Pháp Boulevard parallel to Hộ Pháp Đường northwest of the Great Temple, Báo Ân Từ holds a distinct place in the devotional life of Caodaism. The name Báo Ân Từ literally means Shrine of Gratitude, conceived to honor great benefactors who served the faith and humanity. Since 1947, however, because the permanent central Temple of the Mother Goddess has yet to be built, this edifice has served as the temporary Temple of the Mother Goddess venerating Đức Diêu Trì Kim Mẫu and the Nine Female Immortals (Cửu vị Tiên Nương), becoming the heart of the annual Banquet of the Yaochi Palace (Hội Yến Diêu Trì Cung) on the full moon of the eighth lunar month.
ISite and orientation
If the Great Temple of Tây Ninh forms the yang axis representing the Supreme Being (Đức Chí Tôn) with its twin soaring towers and nine stepped levels rising at the center of the Inner Sanctuary, Báo Ân Từ serves as the complementary yin pole in the overall sacred master plan. In Caodai cosmology, Father Heaven and Mother Earth, or Đức Chí Tôn and Đức Phật Mẫu, are the two creative principles of Qian and Kun that bring all things into being. Beside the solemn yang structure of the Great Temple, the presence of Báo Ân Từ as the seat of the yin principle balances yin and yang across the entire Inner Sanctuary.
The building rests on level ground, with a two-story front facade facing the boulevard and a ground floor divided across its width into three aisles that extend back through a sequence of bays rather than rising across nine stepped platforms like the Great Temple. This broad front and deep interior create an atmosphere of warmth, embrace, and shelter, fitting the nature of a compassionate Mother welcoming primordial souls home. The forecourt in front of the hall connects directly with the wide avenues of the Inner Sanctuary, forming an open bright hall (minh đường) where hundreds of fruit-offering tables and tens of thousands of pilgrims can gather on the Mid-Autumn full moon night.
The layout of three transverse aisles, with the central aisle wider than the left and right aisles, combined with the eight bays of Bát Cảnh Cung in the main hall and the four bays of the Rear Hall behind, establishes a poised symmetry. The flow of qi inside the sanctuary does not surge sharply upward but spreads evenly across the left and right aisles honoring male and female spirits before settling deeply into the central aisle, gathering at the elevated balcony altar where the statues of the Mother Goddess riding a blue phoenix and the Nine Female Immortals are enshrined.
IIHistory across periods
- 1932Erection of the initial structureHộ Pháp Phạm Công Tắc had workers disassemble three wooden houses from three Phạm Môn workshops (Sở Dưỡng Lão, Sở Nữ Công Nghệ, and Sở Trường Hòa) and reassemble them next to Hộ Pháp Đường as Báo Ân Từ, built with timber columns, mud walls, and roof tiles. From 1933 to January 1947, the building temporarily housed the Divine Globe (Quả Càn Khôn) while the Great Temple was under construction.
- 1947Conversion into the temporary Temple of the Mother GoddessAfter the Divine Globe was moved to the Great Temple on January 27, 1947, the sacred tablet (Long vị) of the Mother Goddess was brought from the Qui Thiện Temple of the Mother Goddess and enshrined at Báo Ân Từ on the 9th day of the first lunar month of the Đinh Hợi year (January 30, 1947). On the night of the 2nd day of the second lunar month (February 22, 1947), Đức Diêu Trì Kim Mẫu descended via spirit-writing at this hall.
- 1952Rebuilding in reinforced concreteOn the 16th day of the first lunar month of the Nhâm Thìn year (February 11, 1952), the Holy See dismantled the old mud-walled building and began constructing a permanent reinforced-concrete Báo Ân Từ with an upper front story under the direct supervision of Hộ Pháp Phạm Công Tắc.
- 1953Enshrinement of the statues of the Mother Goddess and Nine Female ImmortalsOn the 4th day of the eighth lunar month of the Quý Tỵ year (September 11, 1953), the Holy See held the enshrinement ceremony for the plaster statues of the Mother Goddess and the Nine Female Immortals on the elevated balcony altar (Bao lơn đài).
- 1955Joint inauguration with the Holy SeeOn the 9th day of the first lunar month of the Ất Mùi year (February 1, 1955), Báo Ân Từ was formally inaugurated during the same grand celebration as the Great Temple of Tây Ninh and has retained its form ever since.
According to the original master plan of the Tây Ninh Holy See Inner Sanctuary, Báo Ân Từ was intended to enshrine founding pioneers, dignitaries, and great benefactors of the religion and of humanity, functioning much like a pantheon of meritorious figures. Meanwhile, a separate monumental Temple of the Mother Goddess for the central Holy See was planned for another site.
Because of historical upheavals and the concentration of community resources on completing the Great Temple, construction of the permanent Temple of the Mother Goddess could not begin. When the mud-walled structure erected in 1932 deteriorated after twenty years of tropical weather, Hộ Pháp Phạm Công Tắc decided in the first lunar month of 1952 to rebuild Báo Ân Từ in brick, tile, and reinforced concrete to accommodate the growing number of worshippers.
Throughout construction from early 1952 to September 1953, the statues of the Mother Goddess and the Nine Female Immortals on the balcony altar were sculpted by volunteer artisans under the direct guidance of the Hộ Pháp. Since the enshrinement ceremony of September 11, 1953, both Caodai adherents and visiting pilgrims have known Báo Ân Từ simply as the Tây Ninh Temple of the Mother Goddess.
IIIArchitecture and layout
According to the architectural chronicle of the Tây Ninh Holy See compiled by its Construction Board and detailed descriptions of the interior, only the front section of Báo Ân Từ has an upper story (the Hiệp Thiên Đài gallery), while the rear body is single-story. Across its 12-meter width (excluding the 2-meter verandas on either side), the ground floor is divided into three distinct aisles entered through three main doors, with the central aisle wider than the left and right aisles. Along its depth from front to back, the building comprises fourteen structural bays (lồng căn), each 4 meters long. The outermost bay bears a couplet beginning with the words Bát phẩm chơn hồn, the next bay accommodates the liturgical orchestra and choir, the following eight bays form the main sanctuary hung with plaques reading Bát Cảnh Cung (Palace of the Eight Cảnh), and the final four bays form the Rear Hall (Hậu Điện).
The focal point of the central aisle is the elevated balcony altar (Bao lơn đài), which displays the high-relief tableau and painted plaster statues venerating Đức Diêu Trì Kim Mẫu. Unlike Bát Quái Đài in the Great Temple, which worships the Supreme Being solely through the Divine Eye on the Divine Globe without anthropomorphic statues, Báo Ân Từ depicts the Mother Goddess and the Nine Female Immortals in vivid figurative form amidst the celestial garden and the Peach Banquet of Immortality.
Đức Diêu Trì Kim Mẫu is sculpted riding on the back of a blue phoenix descending from the immortal realm, her countenance serene, symbolizing the Maternal Sovereign who governs the yin creative power and nurtures all living souls.
Nine celestial maidens attend the Mother Goddess and preside over the nine stages of spiritual evolution at Cửu Thiên Khai Hóa, each holding her own musical instrument or sacred emblem, accompanied by four celestial musician youths playing on either side.
On the right stands a statue of Dongfang Shuo (Đông Phương Sóc) holding a tray to catch four immortal peaches beneath the sacred peach tree. On the left kneels a statue of Đức Cao Thượng Phẩm (Cao Quỳnh Cư) holding the Long Tu Phiến fan before the Flower Pavilion, taking the place of Emperor Wu of Han in the classical legend because Caodai tradition regards him as the reincarnation of Han Zhongli.
The left and right aisles of the eight Bát Cảnh Cung bays house altars for meritorious female spirits (on the left) and male spirits (on the right). The four bays of the Rear Hall behind the main sanctuary venerate the Nine Generations and Seven Ancestors (Cửu Huyền Thất Tổ) beneath the three characters Phước, Lộc, and Thọ.
IVMeaning in Caodai doctrine
In the theology of Caodaism, Đức Diêu Trì Kim Mẫu (also invoked as Tây Vương Mẫu or Cửu Thiên Huyền Nữ in certain scriptures) governs the formation of the Spiritual Body (Chơn Thần), the subtle second body of a human being, whereas Đức Chí Tôn bestows the Divine Spark (Điểm Linh Quang, or Chơn Linh). Without the maternal molding of the Mother Goddess in the Yaochi Palace, that divine spark would have no subtle form with which to descend into the world to cultivate the Way and evolve.
For this reason, worship at Báo Ân Từ carries the intimate tone of filial devotion toward a sacred Mother. Offerings placed upon the altar of the Mother Goddess always consist of fresh flowers, tea, wine, and fruit in complete purity. Combining the veneration of the Mother Goddess in the central aisle with the worship of ancestors in the Rear Hall and meritorious predecessors along the side aisles links family filial piety directly with gratitude toward the cosmic source.
VHội Yến Diêu Trì Cung and ritual life
| Time | Ritual | Main activities at Báo Ân Từ |
|---|---|---|
| Four times daily (Tý, Ngọ, Mẹo, Dậu) | Daily prayer services | Chanting the Scripture of the Mother Goddess (Phật Mẫu Chân Kinh) and offering incense in the main hall |
| 1st and 15th of each lunar month | New-moon and full-moon services | Large numbers of local adherents gather to venerate the Mother Goddess and pray for peace |
| 14th and 15th of the 8th lunar month | Banquet of the Yaochi Palace (Hội Yến Diêu Trì Cung) | The grandest annual festival at Báo Ân Từ, featuring fruit-offering pavilions and the floral palanquin procession |
Once a year at Mid-Autumn (the 14th and 15th days of the eighth lunar month), Báo Ân Từ becomes the center of the Banquet of the Yaochi Palace (Hội Yến Diêu Trì Cung), one of the two largest festivals of the Tây Ninh Holy See. The ritual traces its origin to the Mid-Autumn full moon night of the Ất Sửu year (1925), when the three founding mediums Cao Quỳnh Cư, Phạm Công Tắc, and Cao Hoài Sang received spirit-writing instructions to set a vegetarian banquet welcoming the Mother Goddess and the Nine Female Immortals at their residence in Saigon.
Inside Báo Ân Từ on the night of the Banquet, a ceremonial vegetarian feast is set in the main sanctuary with the central seat reserved for the Mother Goddess, nine seats arranged on either side for the Nine Female Immortals, and seats opposite for deceased dignitaries of Hiệp Thiên Đài. Hundreds of elaborate offering booths crafted from fresh fruit into the shapes of the Four Sacred Creatures, peonies, and lanterns line the avenues leading to Báo Ân Từ. Following the liturgical offering inside the hall, all cakes, sweets, and fruits from the banquet table are distributed to children and pilgrims as maternal blessings (lộc Mẫu).
VILocation And How To Get There
- Address
- Đại lộ Phạm Hộ Pháp, Nội Ô Tòa Thánh Tây Ninh, phường Long Hoa (thị xã Hòa Thành cũ), tỉnh Tây Ninh
- Getting there
- Báo Ân Từ stands inside the Inner Sanctuary of the Tây Ninh Holy See in Long Hoa Ward (formerly Hòa Thành Town), Tây Ninh Province. After passing through the Main Gate (Chánh Môn) or the numbered side gates along Phạm Hộ Pháp Boulevard, visitors can walk a few hundred meters toward the Hộ Pháp Đường area to reach the forecourt of Báo Ân Từ.
- Coordinates
- 11.3052, 106.1319
As at the Great Temple, visitors entering Báo Ân Từ should wear modest, respectful clothing and remove shoes, sandals, and hats before stepping onto the porch.
Gender-separated entrances are strictly observed. When facing the front facade of Báo Ân Từ from the courtyard, men enter through the left-hand door and women enter through the right-hand door, leaving the central doorway clear.
During the Hội Yến Diêu Trì Cung festival (the afternoon and evening of the 14th into the 15th day of the eighth lunar month), large crowds gather in front of Báo Ân Từ to watch the procession of the Mother Goddess's floral palanquin and the Four Sacred Creatures dance. Visitors arriving from afar should come early in the afternoon to view the fruit-offering booths on foot and stand along the sides of the boulevard without obstructing the procession route.
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?Quick Questions
Are Báo Ân Từ and the Tây Ninh Temple of the Mother Goddess the same place
Yes. In the original master plan of the Inner Sanctuary, this building is named Báo Ân Từ (Shrine of Gratitude, honoring great benefactors of the faith). Since 1947, because the permanent central Temple of the Mother Goddess had not yet been constructed, the Holy See has used Báo Ân Từ as the temporary sanctuary for Đức Diêu Trì Kim Mẫu, so adherents and visitors commonly call it the Tây Ninh Temple of the Mother Goddess.
How is the architecture of Báo Ân Từ laid out
The building features an upper story at the front facade (the Hiệp Thiên Đài gallery) and measures 12 meters across its width, divided into three aisles with the central aisle wider than the left and right aisles. Along its depth from front to back, it is divided into fourteen bays (each 4 meters long), including eight main-sanctuary bays symbolizing the Palace of the Eight Cảnh (Bát Cảnh Cung) of the Mother Goddess and four rear bays forming the Rear Hall (Hậu Điện) dedicated to the Nine Generations and Seven Ancestors.
Who is enshrined on the balcony altar inside Báo Ân Từ
The elevated balcony altar in the central aisle enshrines a statue of Đức Diêu Trì Kim Mẫu riding a blue phoenix, surrounded by the Nine Female Immortals and four celestial musician youths, with Dongfang Shuo (Đông Phương Sóc) holding a tray to catch four immortal peaches on the right and Đức Cao Thượng Phẩm kneeling with the Long Tu Phiến fan before the Flower Pavilion on the left.
When is the Hội Yến Diêu Trì Cung festival held at Báo Ân Từ
Hội Yến Diêu Trì Cung is celebrated annually on the 14th and 15th days of the eighth lunar month (the Mid-Autumn Festival). It is the largest festival at Báo Ân Từ, featuring the procession of the floral palanquin of the Mother Goddess, the incense dragon dance, dozens of artistic fruit-offering pavilions, and a ceremonial vegetarian banquet offered to the Mother Goddess and the Nine Female Immortals.
What are the key construction dates of Báo Ân Từ
The initial timber-and-mud-wall structure was erected in 1932, temporarily housed the Divine Globe from 1933 to early 1947, and received the sacred tablet of the Mother Goddess on the 9th day of the first lunar month of the Đinh Hợi year (January 30, 1947). The current reinforced-concrete building was started on the 16th day of the first lunar month of the Nhâm Thìn year (February 11, 1952), held the statue enshrinement ceremony on the 4th day of the eighth lunar month of the Quý Tỵ year (September 11, 1953), and was inaugurated on the 9th day of the first lunar month of the Ất Mùi year (February 1, 1955).