Standing on Trương Định Street in Sơn Đông Ward, Vĩnh Long Province (formerly Ward 6, Bến Tre City), not far from the Bến Tre River and Bến Tre Bridge, the Bến Tre Holy See is the central mother temple of the Cao Đài Ban Chỉnh Đạo church, one of the major branches of Caodaism in the Mekong Delta. Beginning as the modest timber-and-thatch An Hội Temple built in 1928, the site became the rallying center for hundreds of parishes from 1934 onward under the leadership of Pope (Giáo Tông) Nguyễn Ngọc Tương (Đầu sư Thượng Tương Thanh) and Censor-General (Thượng Chưởng Pháp) Lê Bá Trang (Đầu sư Ngọc Trang Thanh).
ISite and orientation
The land of Bến Tre is formed by three large alluvial islands, An Hóa, Bảo, and Minh, built up by four branches of the Tiền River, namely the Mỹ Tho, Ba Lai, Hàm Luông, and Cổ Chiên rivers. The Bến Tre Holy See sits on the ground of former An Hội Village on Bảo Island, where the Bến Tre River winds through the urban center before emptying into the broad Hàm Luông River. This island setting encircled by fresh river waters creates a gentle water gathering (thủy tụ) where orchards stay green year-round, well suited to a path of cultivation rooted in quietude, moderation, and meritorious service.
The Holy See compound covers more than seven thousand square meters along Trương Định Street, one of the busy thoroughfares linking the Bến Tre Bridge area with the inner town. Although situated right in the urban center, the grounds inside the perimeter fence open into a spacious courtyard shaded by mature trees, setting the noise of street traffic apart from the devotional calm within.
The Great Temple (Đền Thánh, or Bửu Điện) rises at the center of the grounds with the twin towers of Ngọc Cổ and Kim Chung standing symmetrically on either side of the front facade. Around the Great Temple, auxiliary halls such as Báo Ân Từ, Thiên Phong Đường, Diêu Trì Bửu Điện, and meditation quarters are arranged in a protective ring on all four sides, keeping the qi within the compound warm and cohesive.
IIHistory across periods
- 1928Erection of the thatch An Hội TempleAfter embracing Caodaism in 1926 and being ordained as Chánh Phối Sư in 1927, Nguyễn Ngọc Tương (Đầu sư Thượng Tương Thanh) returned to An Hội Village, Bảo Hựu Canton, Châu Thành District in former Bến Tre Province to build the first simple timber-and-leaf An Hội Temple.
- 1934Founding of Ban Chỉnh Đạo in Bến TreFollowing disagreements over organizational direction in Tây Ninh, Acting Thượng Đầu Sư Nguyễn Ngọc Tương and Acting Ngọc Đầu Sư Lê Bá Trang left Tây Ninh for Bến Tre on May 5, 1934. On November 20, 1934 (the 14th day of the tenth lunar month of the Giáp Tuất year), a grand assembly at An Hội Temple formally established Ban Chỉnh Đạo with roughly 1,300 attendees representing 85 parishes across 18 provinces.
- 1935 - 1947Investiture of the Pope and rebuilding of the Holy SeeAt the Vạn Linh Assembly held from February 11 to 14, 1935 (opening on the 10th day of the first lunar month of the Ất Hợi year), the congregation acclaimed Đầu sư Nguyễn Ngọc Tương as Pope (Giáo Tông) and Đầu sư Lê Bá Trang as Thượng Chưởng Pháp. The papal enthronement ceremony took place on May 9, 1935 (the 7th day of the third lunar month). An Hội Temple became the Holy See, and in 1947 construction began on the large reinforced-concrete Great Temple (Bửu Điện).
- 1938Inter-branch unity assembly at the Holy SeeThe Bến Tre Holy See hosted a major convocation bringing together representatives of numerous Caodai churches and branches across southern Vietnam to restore ecclesiastical discipline in accordance with the New Canonical Code (Tân Luật) and the Religious Constitution (Pháp Chánh Truyền).
- 2017Provincial historical-cultural heritage rankingOn June 19, 2017, the Cao Đài Ban Chỉnh Đạo Holy See complex at 100C Trương Định Street officially received its certificate as a provincial historical-cultural heritage site covering a protected area of 7,015.1 square meters.
The life of Pope Nguyễn Ngọc Tương (1881 - 1951) runs through the entire founding history of the Bến Tre Holy See. Originally a colonial district chief (Đốc phủ sứ) who served in Cần Giuộc and Xuyên Mộc, he voluntarily resigned his mandarin post in 1930 to devote himself full-time to religious work in Tây Ninh. When he established Ban Chỉnh Đạo in his home province of Bến Tre in 1934, he and Thượng Chưởng Pháp Lê Bá Trang (1880 - 1936) advocated strict adherence to the original Tân Luật and Pháp Chánh Truyền alongside economic self-reliance and disciplined study.
Soon after elevating An Hội Temple to a Holy See in 1935, the church opened the Trung Thừa seminary inside the compound to train educated and virtuous successor dignitaries, while establishing an Outer Institute (Ngoại viện) to oversee missionary outreach and charitable relief. Thanks to this orderly structure, by the late 1930s Ban Chỉnh Đạo had grown into one of the largest Caodai churches, with temples and adherents spread across southern and central Vietnam.
Throughout his years at the Bến Tre Holy See, Pope Nguyễn Ngọc Tương was renowned for his austere lifestyle, lifelong vegetarianism, and extended solitary retreats praying for the welfare of the people. Following his passing on June 18, 1951 (the 14th day of the fifth lunar month of the Tân Mão year), his relics were enshrined at the Holy See, remaining a spiritual anchor for generations of Ban Chỉnh Đạo dignitaries and followers.
IIIArchitecture and layout
The Bến Tre Holy See complex is laid out across 7,015.1 square meters of land, balancing its main worship halls with quiet garden courtyards. Its centerpiece is the Great Temple (Đền Thánh, also called Bửu Điện), begun in reinforced concrete in 1947 along the traditional Three Palaces (Tam Đài) plan of Caodaism while expressing the clean, graceful proportions characteristic of the Mekong river islands.
The front facade of the Great Temple is defined by two tall symmetrical towers topped by pointed roofs without intermediate balconies and crowned with the swastika (chữ Vạn) emblem. Standing in the ceremonial courtyard facing the front of Bửu Điện, the left-hand tower is the drum tower named Ngọc Cổ (Jade Drum) and the right-hand tower is the bell tower named Kim Chung (Golden Bell). Between the two towers rises the central gable adorned with the radiant Divine Eye, lotus reliefs, and the emblems of the Three Teachings.
The main reinforced-concrete sanctuary divided internally into Hiệp Thiên Đài, Cửu Trùng Đài, and Bát Quái Đài, enshrining the Divine Eye, the Divine Globe, and the altars of the Three Teachings and Five Branches.
Viewed from the front courtyard, on the left stands the Ngọc Cổ drum tower and on the right stands the Kim Chung bell tower, sounding the four daily prayer hours for the entire inner compound.
Dedicated halls venerating Đức Diêu Trì Kim Mẫu and commemorating the founding pioneers, dignitaries, and adherents who built up the Cao Đài Ban Chỉnh Đạo church.
Thiên Phong Đường serves as the central administrative and council hall of the Holy See, adjoining the Trung Thừa seminary and the Kỳ Thọ Garden (Thiên Lý Mật Truyền) where Pope Nguyễn Ngọc Tương practiced solitary meditation.
IVDaily worship and religious life
Liturgical life at the Bến Tre Holy See strictly maintains the four daily prayer sessions at the hours of Tý, Ngọ, Mẹo, and Dậu in keeping with early Caodai tradition. Resident dignitaries in the inner compound observe lifelong vegetarianism, keep monastic precepts, and personally tend the altar lamps, incense, and fresh fruit offerings in Bửu Điện.
A defining hallmark of the Cao Đài Ban Chỉnh Đạo church in Bến Tre is its integration of doctrinal study (structured into Hạ Thừa for lay initiates, Trung Thừa for administrative clergy, and Thượng Thừa for contemplative practitioners) with charitable works such as free traditional herbal clinics, poor relief, and local scholarship funds.
VMajor annual festivals
| Lunar date | Festival name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 9th day of the 1st lunar month | Grand Festival of the Supreme Being (Vía Đức Chí Tôn) | Major new-year celebration honoring the Creator inside Bửu Điện |
| 14th day of the 5th lunar month | Memorial Day of Pope Nguyễn Ngọc Tương | Commemorating the passing of the founder of the Ban Chỉnh Đạo church (June 18, 1951) |
| 15th day of the 8th lunar month | Banquet of the Yaochi Palace (Hội Yến Diêu Trì Cung) | Grand festival honoring the Mother Goddess and the Nine Female Immortals |
| 15th day of the 10th lunar month | Founding Day and Ban Chỉnh Đạo Anniversary | Commemorating the Opening of Caodaism (15th of the 10th lunar month) and the founding of Ban Chỉnh Đạo at An Hội (14th of the 10th lunar month, Giáp Tuất 1934) |
VILocation And How To Get There
- Address
- Số 100C đường Trương Định, phường Sơn Đông (Phường 6, thành phố Bến Tre cũ), tỉnh Vĩnh Long
- Getting there
- The Holy See is located at 100C Trương Định Street, Sơn Đông Ward (formerly Ward 6, Bến Tre City), Vĩnh Long Province. From Ho Chi Minh City, travelers can take the Ho Chi Minh City - Trung Lương Expressway, cross the Rạch Miễu Bridge along National Highway 60 into the former Bến Tre urban center, and turn from the Bến Tre Bridge area onto Trương Định Street for a short distance to reach the Holy See gate.
- Coordinates
- 10.2408, 106.3687
The Holy See welcomes visitors daily free of charge. Guests should wear modest, neat attire with trousers or skirts below the knee and sleeved shirts.
Before entering the Great Temple, Báo Ân Từ, or Thiên Phong Đường, visitors should remove footwear outside, speak quietly, and follow the guidance of the resident dignitaries on duty.
When visiting during the noon prayer service (12 noon, Ngọ hour), guests should observe from the outer verandas or designated visitor areas and avoid walking across the front of the altars while the ceremony is underway.
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?Quick Questions
Which branch of Caodaism does the Bến Tre Holy See belong to
The Bến Tre Holy See is the central mother temple of the Cao Đài Ban Chỉnh Đạo church, founded on November 20, 1934 at An Hội Temple under the leadership of Pope Nguyễn Ngọc Tương and Censor-General Lê Bá Trang.
What are the names of the two towers on the front facade of the Bến Tre Great Temple
The two tall towers flanking the front facade of Bửu Điện (the Great Temple) are named Ngọc Cổ and Kim Chung. When standing in the courtyard facing the facade, the left tower is Ngọc Cổ (the drum tower) and the right tower is Kim Chung (the bell tower).
Who was Pope Nguyễn Ngọc Tương
Pope Nguyễn Ngọc Tương (1881 - 1951), known by his religious name Thượng Tương Thanh, was a former colonial district chief (Đốc phủ sứ) who resigned his post to pursue religious life and served as Acting Thượng Đầu Sư in Tây Ninh. In 1934 he returned to Bến Tre to establish Ban Chỉnh Đạo and was acclaimed as Pope (Giáo Tông) by the Vạn Linh Assembly in early 1935.
When was the Bến Tre Holy See designated a heritage site
On June 19, 2017, the Cao Đài Ban Chỉnh Đạo Holy See at 100C Trương Định Street formally received its provincial historical-cultural heritage certificate, protecting a total compound area of 7,015.1 square meters.
What are the main structures inside the Bến Tre Holy See compound
Within the compound of over 7,000 square meters, beside the central Great Temple (Bửu Điện) with its Ngọc Cổ and Kim Chung towers, stand Báo Ân Từ, Diêu Trì Bửu Điện, Thiên Phong Đường, the Trung Thừa seminary, and the Kỳ Thọ Garden where Pope Nguyễn Ngọc Tương practiced solitary meditation.