Pantheon of Four Palaces

1. General

The Vietnamese Mother Goddess Religion, including its specific belief system known as the Four Palaces, exhibits a remarkable syncretism, incorporating diverse elements from Buddhism, Taoism, and indigenous folk traditions. While the pantheon of the Four Palaces encompasses Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Taoist deities, adherents primarily center their religious practices and devotion on the deities officially recognized within the Four Palaces’ pantheon.

In addition to the deities recognized by the broader religion, specific temples may also honor and venerate gods that are specific to the local area.

2. Official Pantheon

FATHER EMPERORS OF FOUR PALACES

The rank of Father Emperors, also known as the Holy Emperors, is considered higher than that of the Mother Goddesses. According to popular belief, the Father Emperors are regarded as the paternal figures of the Mother Goddesses, Venerable Mandarins, and certain other deities within the pantheon. It is strictly prohibited for a thanh đồng (priest) to serve the reflections of the Father Emperors.

MOTHER GODDESS OF FOUR PALACES

The rank of Mother Goddesses holds paramount significance as the primary rank. These revered deities are worshipped at all shrines within the religious practice. During the ritual of serving the Mother Goddesses’ reflections, a thanh đồng (shaman) is strictly forbidden from lifting their Red Veil, thereby concealing their face from view.

FIVE VENERABLE MANDARINS

It is believed that the five Venerable Mandarins are the sons of the Father Emperor of Water Palace. They are usually referred to as the Five Crown Princes and Royal Mandarins [五位皇太子王官].

DIVINE COURTIERS OF FOUR PALACES

The Divine Courtiers, also known as the Court Dames, are goddesses who attend the Mother Goddesses. There are 12 Courtiers in the official pantheon, thus people would refer to them as the Twelve Divine Courtiers [十二位聖朝].

DIVINE PRINCES OF FOUR PALACES

The rank of Divine Princes in the Four Palaces’ official pantheon is referred to as the Ten Divine Princes [十位聖皇].

DIVINE MISTRESSES OF FOUR PALACES

The Divine Mistresses, dutifully attending to the Mother Goddesses and the Divine Courtiers, hold the rank known as the Twelve Divine Mistresses [十二位聖姑]. It is essential to discern that the Divine Mistresses of the Four Palaces differ from the Twelve Maiden Goddesses of Mountain Village who serve the Mother Goddess of Mountain.

DIVINE MASTERS OF FOUR PALACES

The Divine Masters are characterized by their smartness, enthusiasm, and youthful vigor. However, written documentation regarding the hagiographies of the Divine Masters remains scarce. Shrines dedicated exclusively to the Divine Masters are few, as they are typically revered within the altars at other deities’ shrines. It is customary for the Divine Master worshipped at a given shrine to be referred to as the Master of that particular shrine.

3. Mighty Beastly Guardians

FIVE MIGHTY TIGER MANDARINS

The Five Tigers are commonly recognized as the Five Mighty Tiger Mandarins [五虎神官] or the Mighty Divine Tigers of Five Directions [五方神虎威靈]. These revered guardians hold the ability to safeguard the five directions and dispel malevolent energies. Within a shrine, their altar is typically positioned beneath the Council’s altar in the main hall.

The title of each Tiger is listed in the table below:

Divine Venerable	COLOR	Tiger Mandarin	DIRECTION	HEAVENLY BRANCH	FIVE ELEMENT	HÁN TỰ
Divine Venerable	Green	Tiger Mandarin	of the East,	Giáp, Ất,	Wood Element	東方甲乙木德青虎神官
Divine Venerable	Red	Tiger Mandarin	of the South,	Bính, Đinh,	Fire Element	南方丙丁火德赤虎神官
Divine Venerable	Yellow	Tiger Mandarin	of the Central,	Mậu, Kỳ,	Earth Element	中央戊己土德黃虎神官
Divine Venerable	White	Tiger Mandarin	of the West,	Canh, Tân,	Metal Element	西央庚辛金德白虎神官
Divine Venerable	Black	Tiger Mandarin	of the North,	Nhâm, Quý,	Water Element	北央壬癸水德黑虎神官

TWO MIGHTY SERPENT GENERALS

The worship of serpents is practiced throughout Vietnam. In a shrine of the Four Palaces, there are the presences of two sacred serpents, regarded as Lords Lốt. They are regarded as the Duo of Green and White Serpents Mighty Grand Generals [兩位青蛇白蛇大神將軍]. Their figures are usually placed on the shrine’s rafters. Sometimes, they can be placed in the same place with the Five Tigers under the Council’s altar, or ahead of the Council’s altar.

Serpent worship is practiced across Vietnam, and it finds its place within the Four Palaces shrines as well. These sacred spaces often house two revered serpents known as Lords Lốt, who are hailed as the Duo of Green and White Serpents Mighty Grand Generals. Typically, their figurines can be found on the shrine’s rafters. In some shrines, they may be positioned alongside the Five Tigers beneath the Council’s altar or positioned ahead of the Council’s altar.