Teacher Trekker

The second destination of the Cu Chi Tunnels tour brought our group to the Cao Dai Temple in the Tay Ninh province. We spent over an hour walking around the property and also had the opportunity to observe the 12:00 p.m. mass.

The Cao Dai Religion & Cultural Diffusion

Caodaism is a monotheistic religion that meshes elements from major world religions to create its own unique ideology. Put simply, ”cao” means “high” or “top” and “dai” means “palace” or “place”. Thus, this is a reference to the Kingdom of Heaven. Officially, Đại Đạo Tam Kỳ Phổ Độ can be translated as the Great Religion of The Third Period of Revelation and Salvation.

Caodaism combines the religious teachings of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism and Islam with philosophical elements of Taoism and Confucianism. Also incorporated is an indigenous religion known as Geniism. The goal of Cao Dai worshippers is to rejoin God in Heaven thus breaking away from the continuous cycle of rebirth and death. In many ways, Caodaism tells the story of the religious history of Vietnam and serves as a clear example of syncretism and cultural diffusion.

There are three main patron saints of the Cao Dai faith that can be viewed when entering the main entrance of the temple. They include Sun Yat-Sen, the founder of the Republic of China; world famous poet Victor Hugo & the Vietnamese Professor Nguyen Binh Khiem who represent the relationship between the earthly and divine. The list does not end there and continues to include historic figures like Jesus, Julius Caesar, Joan of Arc, and Muhhamad Ali.

The History & Spread of the Cao Dai Religion

Caodaism was developed in the Tay Ninh province in 1926 by Ngo van Chien who was a Vietnamese official who served under the French colonial administration. The most significant and largest church is the Temple Cao Dai in Tay Ninh province, which is referred to as the Temple Divine. Construction began in 1927, but due to years of financial hardship and construction delays, it was not completed until 1955.

Since its inception the religion has grown in popularity throughout Vietnam. Unfortunately, statistics vary significantly. According to my tour guide, there are approximately 2 million followers in Vietnam that proportionally make up approximately 1% of the total population. Other data suggests there are up to as many as 7-8 million worshipers in Vietnam, which is quite larger than the previous numbers and totals 2% of the population. There are small communities of parishioners throughout Asia, Australia, Canada, Europe and the United States that only comprise of around 30,000 followers.

Exterior of the Cao Dai Temple

The Cao Dai Temple is unlike any other architectural structure I have seen. The temple is 140 m in length and 40 m in width. Its highest point is 36 m in height. There are 112 circular pillars which support the exterior of the overhang. The exterior (as well as interior) of the church are covered with vibrant colors, religious symbolism and detailed craftsmanship.

The building shares Asian and European architectural styles, which further demonstrates the significance that cultural diffusion has played in the evolution of the religion. There are 2 belfries at the main entrance of the structure reminiscent of European churches. There is a statue of Maitreya Buddha sitting in the lotus position. The pointed roof and its red shingles share commonalities with Chinese architecture and elements of Hinduism. It is truly a conglomeration of world religions.

The property is protected by a large fence with 12 gates. The largest of these is only opened for political and religious leaders. In addition to the church, the surrounding property occupies some 100 hectares of land. It is the site of the Holy See of Cao Dai. Comparatively speaking, it is the headquarters of this religion like the Vatican is to Christianity. Other buildings on the property include the Office of the Pope, the Office of the Lady of the Cardinal, the tomb of Ho Phap, the Temple of the Holy Mother and the fabric House to name a few of the significant ones. Unfortunately, we had little time to walk around the property and visit any other locations besides the garden just outside the church.

Interior of the Cao Dai Temple

In interior of the temple was just as vibrant in color and packed with symbolism as the facade of the building. Eighteen pink columns wrapped with dragon and snake sculptures support the structure. They divide the temple into 9 regions and represent both the 9 regions of the Mekong Delta and the 9 stages before followers reach the sky or heaven. The ceiling is painted sky blue and covered with 3072 stars and many images of the divine eye who watches the parishioners. Towards the altar there were statues of the three primary saints of the religion. Additionally, there was a blue ball symbolizing the earth and a much larger divine eye in the altar area of the site. The triangle around the eye represents justice. This was only part of the imagery that I understood, and it only barely scratches the surface of the myriad of symbols that filled the entire grounds.

Temple Etiquette & Tips

The temple has 6 access doors. The main gate is reserved for monks and others in positions of authority. During services people are not allowed to even walk past the main gate. I was not informed of this fact by my tour guide and got yelled at by a security guard for doing so. On the left side of the temple there is a door for women and a door for men on the right, but that doesn’t apply to visitors. All tourists regardless of gender are asked to use the right side entrance when entering the temple.

Before entering the interior of the temple, everyone must remove their shoes. Socks are allowed so there is no need to be barefoot. There is a colorful carpeted path that you are ushered to walk on (to avoid the hot pavement), and an area outside where you can place your shoes. Although there is not a strict dress code, I would recommend wearing clothing similar to other religious sites that tourists commonly frequent. Be considerate as you would not want others to disrespect your house of worship.

Photography is allowed. This includes the use of flash and the shooting of videos. Do not take photographs of any of the monks unless you are first given permission. They are dressed in colorful tunics based on position. You cannot miss them. Ask them kindly, and I’m sure you won’t have a problem. No one that I was with experienced any resistance. People can also talk with fellow travelers inside the temple, but make sure to speak in a soft voice and refrain from talking during any prayer services.

There are also some rules worth following once inside the religious site. The main part of the church is reserved for worshipers and religious leaders, so avoid walking towards the altar completely. All visitors are asked to move in the same direction as they walk around the temple. It prevents congestion when making your way up to and around the balcony level.

Hours of Operations & Services

The Cao Dai Temple is free for all visitors. I would recommend making a donation. You are walking around someone else’s place of worship and taking photos. Regardless of how respectful you are, I always think it is appropriate to give back when visiting any religious site.

The temple is open 24 hours a day 7 days a week with no exceptions. Services are held 4 times a day and begin at 00:00 (12:00 a.m.), 06:00 (a.m.), 12:00 (p.m.), and 18:00 (6:00 p.m.). The service is approximately 45 minutes long. It goes without question that the 12:00 p.m. service is the most popular among tourists and as a result the most crowded time to visit. That being said, there were not so many tourists that it made the visit feel crowded. The service included hundreds of singing worshipers and a small orchestra comprised of traditional Vietnamese instruments. It was truly a unique experience, and I’m glad I decided to go on this combo tour.

Get inside the temple before the service begins. Access to enter is restricted 10 minutes prior to the start of the ceremony so don’t get locked out. During the service you will have access to the back of the first floor, the stairs and portions of the balconies. You are also not allowed to walk around while the service is being conducted and the same applies for the grounds around the church.

I would recommend that after your arrival, first walk around the surrounding area. Then make your way inside the church before finding somewhere to view the 12:00 p.m. service. Also make sure to bring snacks, beverages and sun screen. It is hot and devoid of shaded areas. Vendors are also not allowed on the grounds so come prepared.

Travel, Transportation & Tour Information

The Cao Dai Temple is located in the Hoa Thanh district of Tay Ninh province. It is roughly 90 km from HCMC and approximately 55 kms away from the Cu Chi tunnels. The only way to reach the Cao Dai Temple is by ground transport. Between traffic and poor road conditions the trip could take over 2 hours from HCMC.

Your best option is to travel with a tour group. I would also recommend going on the combo tour that also visits the Cu Chi Tunnels, otherwise you are traveling quite far for only one attraction. The price is around $10 and can be scheduled at any of the countless travel agencies.

Anyone looking for more of an adventure has other transportation methods that I’m sure will lead to an interesting story. If you ride a motorcycle, please note that parking at the temple is only for worshipers, so tourists need to find another solution. You can also take the bus. You can pick up the 702 at Ben Thanh Market in HCMC. It costs around $1 for a one way ticket. Another option is to take the 13 to Cu Chi and then take another bus to make it to Tay Ninh.

Conclusions

The Cao Dai Temple was probably the most unique religious site I have thus far visited in my travels. The architectural designs and various sculptures were unlike anything I have previously witnessed. The artwork is full of interesting symbols and is detailed in extremely vibrant colors. The ceremony and the music were well worth the trip. I do wish there was more time to explore the rest of the property, but you can’t do it all without making other sacrifices along the way. Finally, I plan on using this experience as another way to teach my students about cultural diffusion. The pictures alone should spark their interest, and a good educator can take it from there. I would pretty much guarantee that this is one topic other teachers are not going out of their way to teach and discuss with students as it falls outside most, if not all of the standard Western curriculums.

I’m glad I chose the tour that coupled the visit to the Cao Dai Temple with the Cu Chi Tunnels. If you have interest in religious sites and Vietnamese culture than this is a must see in the south of Vietnam. This site is the most significant temple in the Cao Dai religion worldwide. Make sure you to book this tour and not miss out on this experience.