Đoan Ngọ Festival – When National Ancestress Âu Cơ Gave Birth to the 100 Bách Việt Sons

“Con biết Mẹ chẳng giận đâu,
Nước mắt Mẹ chảy sông sâu suối nguồn.
Mẹ thương tất cả các con,
Đứa ở bên Mẹ đứa còn theo cha.
Lạc Thuỷ, Phú Lão là nhà,
Các con của Mẹ gần xa tìm về.
Sẽ không còn cảnh chia ly,
Cha xuôi Mẹ ngược con thì muôn phương.
Lòng thành con thắp tuần hương,
Mừng con của Mẹ biết đường về đây.”

Excerpt from the court literature hymn honoring Mother Goddess of Đầm Đa (a.k.a. National Ancestress Âu Cơ worshipped at the Đầm Đa Shine, Lạc Thủy district, Hòa Bình)

The Đoan Ngọ festival, celebrated on the 5th day of the 5th month in the lunisolar calendar, holds special significance as it marks the pinnacle of yang energy.

It is also during this festival that National Ancestress Âu Cơ is honored. Legend has it that on this auspicious day eons ago, Mother Goddess Âu Cơ bore an egg sac from which a hundred children, collectively known as Bách Việt, emerged, becoming the ancestors of the Vietnamese people. Mother Goddess Âu Cơ is revered as the mother figure of Vietnamese civilization.

For many followers of Đạo Mẫu – Four Palaces, the Đoan Ngọ festival is an opportune time to express gratitude towards their spiritual mentor, who imparts teachings and guides them through initiation rituals. The thanh đồng (shaman) considers their mentor as a second mother, bestowing upon them a renewed life of their true purpose.