1. Student's full name:TA THANH GIAO
2. Gender:Male
3. Date of birth: 26/04/1988
4. Place of birth:Quoc Oai - Hanoi
5. Decision number for student admission:Decision No. 4058/2022/QD-XHNV dated December 28, 2022, of the Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.
6. Changes in the training process:
7. Thesis title: The role of Cao Dai doctrine from the Tay Ninh Holy See in the spiritual life of believers in Hanoi.
8. Major:Applied Religious StudiesCode:8229009.01
9. Scientific supervisor:Dr. Nguyen Huu Thu - Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities - Vietnam National University, Hanoi
10. Summary of the thesis results:
"Intrinsic religion is a part of a nation's cultural identity; it authentically reflects the existing values of that nation. Through this, it directly impacts the moral and spiritual life, beliefs, behavior, and ideals of an individual in particular and a community sharing the same religious faith in general."
Caodaism is an indigenous religion officially established on October 15, 1926 (the year of the Tiger) in Hoa Thanh, Tay Ninh. Having developed for nearly 100 years both domestically and in several countries with Vietnamese communities worldwide, and having propagated its teachings in Hanoi for 92 years, it has affirmed the role, position, and practical relevance of its system of doctrines and thought.
Cao Dai doctrine is the culmination of the intersection of the Three Religions (Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism) of the East and the Christian (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) of the West, blended with the indigenous beliefs of the Vietnamese people. Therefore, Cao Dai doctrine contains both universal Western ideological values and the distinctive values of the Vietnamese nation.
In 1930, Cao Dai followers were already present in Hanoi, initiated by Mr. Le Sanh Ngoc Hoa Thanh, who preached to a small group of believers when he was transferred to work at the Hanoi Post Office. In 1933, with the official appointment of Giáo Hữu Thượng Tuất Thanh as the missionary for the Northern region, the Cao Dai Holy See in Tay Ninh officially laid the foundation for the development of Cao Dai in Hanoi and the northern provinces. From then on, Cao Dai spread throughout the inner city and to several neighboring provinces. In 1943, Cao Dai arrived in Dang Giang village, introduced by Mr. Dang Tien Khanh. The Nguyen Dinh Hy family accepted and spread the faith to many followers, laying the groundwork for the later establishment of the Dang Giang religious community. In 1952, Cao Dai religion was introduced to Phuc Duc village by Mr. Nguyen Van Bay, who shared it with four other people. These five people went to Thang Long Holy Temple at 29 Ly Thuong Kiet Street to learn about and become converts, then returned and shared the religion with many families in the village. The Phuc Duc religious community was quickly established.
In 1954, the Geneva Accords were signed, dividing the territory at the 17th parallel. Cao Trieu Phat and many dignitaries from various Cao Dai sects relocated to the North. On January 24, 1955, Cao Trieu Phat convened a meeting to establish the Unified Cao Dai Holy See at 48 Hoa Ma Street, unifying all Cao Dai sects in the North. This unification was merely symbolic; in reality, the sects continued to operate separately and maintain their own worship rituals. The base at 29 Ly Thuong Kiet Street remained under the leadership of Mrs. Kham Chau Huong Du and Mr. Dau Toc Thai Thai Thanh, and Cao Dai followers from Tay Ninh in the northern provinces and cities still gathered there annually for worship. The base at 48 Hoa Ma Street was run by Cao Trieu Phat and To Van Pho, who managed a small group of followers from the Ban Chinh Dao (Reform Committee) and some dignitaries from other sects who had relocated to the North. The One Cao Dai Holy See of Cao Trieu Phat only existed for two years after his death in 1956, and the organization then disintegrated.
In 1975, after some of the leading figures of the Thang Long Cao Dai Temple retired, and others migrated to the South, Mr. To Van Pho, a Cao Dai official belonging to the Reform Committee, proceeded to merge the Tay Ninh Cao Dai religious establishment at 29 Ly Thuong Kiet Street with 48 Hoa Ma Street. From then on, all religious establishments in the North were under the administration of the Reform Committee.
In 1982, after returning from the Tay Ninh Holy See, Mr. Ngoc Hau Thanh convened the officials and fellow believers of the Phuc Duc religious community to devise a plan to revive the religion. However, it wasn't until 1998 that the first temple, built according to the Tay Ninh Holy See model, was completed in the northern region, paving the way for other religious establishments in the North to break free from the control of the Religious Reformation Committee and return to the Tay Ninh Holy See's ancestral temple. In 1999, he was appointed by the Tay Ninh Holy See Cao Dai Church as the Representative of the Governing Council in Ha Tay province (later the Representative of the Tay Ninh Holy See Cao Dai Church in Hanoi). On November 18, 2008 (October 21, Year of the Rat), the Dang Giang Temple was started construction after 10 years of campaigning by Mr. Le Sanh Thai Loi Thanh. This was the second temple built according to the Tay Ninh Holy See model in the Hanoi area.
In Hanoi, the Cao Dai religion, as a religious organization under the Vietnam Fatherland Front at the city, district, and commune levels, has actively participated in movements such as showing gratitude, poverty alleviation, and environmental protection. The lives of its followers have improved significantly, and the number of followers continues to increase annually, as reported in the annual summaries of the religious communities. There have been no social problems among the followers. Currently, many Cao Dai followers from the two religious communities are serving in various government agencies. This further demonstrates that Cao Dai doctrine is compatible with the moral and spiritual lifestyle of the people in the northern region. Cao Dai doctrine has been and is gradually permeating the spiritual lives of its followers, positively impacting their thinking, behavior, morality, and culture in Hanoi.
11. Practical applications:
This essay can help the Cao Dai Holy See in Tay Ninh to refer to and apply proposals to promote the development of high-quality human resources for Cao Dai clergy. It can also be used as a reference for experts researching Cao Daiism to understand the impact of Cao Dai doctrine on the lives of people in the Hanoi metropolitan area.
12. Future research directions:
The author hopes that this research topic will open up further avenues of research on the subject of "Cao Dai religion in the Red River Delta" in the capacity of a doctoral student.
13. Published works related to the thesis:(If there is an article, please include all relevant information.)
The article "The Charitable Organization of Caodaism," presented at the international conference held at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities in December 2022, is awaiting publication permission.
INFORMATION ON MASTER'S THESIS
1. Full name:TA THANH GIAO
2. Sex:Male
3. Date of birth: 26/04/1988
4. Place of birth:Quoc Oai district – Hanoi city
5. Admission decision number:4058/2022/QD-XHNV, Dated: December 28th, 2022
6. Changes in academic process:
7. Official thesis title:The role of the Tay Ninh Holy See in the spirit of adepts in Hanoi
8. Major:ReligiousCode:8229009.01
9. Supervisors:Doctor Nguyen Huu Thu
10. Summary of the findings of the thesis:
“The endogenous religion is a part of national cultural identity, it truly reflects the nation's existing values. In that way, it directly impacts the morals spirit, beliefs, behaviors, and ideals of life of a person in particular, as well as a religions community in the general.
Caodaism is an endogenous religion officially founded on October 15th, the year of the tiger (1926) in Hoa Thanh, Tay Ninh. Up to now, through nearly 100 years of forming and developing domestically and in some countries where the Vietnamese community is living in the world, as well as 92 years of spreading doctrine to Hanoi capital, that has confirmed the role, position, and realism of this religious thoughts systems.
Caodaist doctrine is the crystallization of the interference of Three Religions' thoughts (Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism) in the East and Catholic thoughts (Jewishness, Christianity and Islam) in the West, blending with the indigenous religious beliefs of the Vietnamese people.
In 1930, Caodaists appeared in Hanoi after Deacon (Le Sanh) Ngoc Hoa Thanh had spread the Caodaism doctrine to a small group of adepts when he was transferred to the Hanoi Post Office. In 1933, by officially assigning Priest Thuong Tuat Thanh to spread the Caodaism doctrine to Tonkin, the Tay Ninh Holy See officially laid the foundation for developing Caodaism in Hanoi and other northern provinces. Since then, Caodaism has spread and been widely developed in the inner area and some neighboring provinces. In 1943. Caodism was spread in the Dang Giang village by Dang Tien Khanh, and Nguyen Dinh Hy's family received and spread it to the many other followers, forming the Dang Giang religious family in the future. In 1952, Nguyen Van Trap spread Caodaism to four other men in the Phuc Duc village, and then all five of them went to the Thang Long Holy Temple at 29 Ly Thuong Kiet street to learn about and enter Caodaism befor sharing it with many other families in the village to follow. The Phuc Duc religious family was quickly formed.
In 1954, after signing the Geneva Acords, Vietnam was separated into two zones along the 17th parallel, so Cao Trieu Phat and many dignitaries of Caodaism sectarians went to gather in the North. On October 24th, 1955, Cao Trieu Phat convened a meeting to establish Unique Caodaism at 48 Hoa Ma street and to unify all Caodaism sectarians in the North. However, this unfying was just a formality, and in fact, these sectarians are still operated separately with their own rituals. The 29th Ly Thuong Kiet group was led by Diocese Head (Kham Chau) Huong Du and Parish Chief Thai Thai Thanh Tay Ninh Caodaism adepts in the nothers provinces had often gathed here to perform the rituals annually. The 48 Hoa Ma group was operated by Cao Trieu Phat and To Van Pho, this was a small group of adepts Caodai Rectification Group and some dignitaries of other sectarians gathered in the North. Cao Trieu Phat's Unique Caodaism only lasted for two years after his death in 1956, before it ended.
In 1975, after some leader-dignitaries of the Thang Long Holy Temple returned to their positions, some others went to the South, and then To Van Pho, a Caodaism dignitary of Caodaism Rectification Group, merged both the 29 Ly Thuong Kiet group and the 48 Hoa Ma into one at 48 Hoa Ma. Since then, all of the Caodaism groups in the North have been operated by Caodaism Rectification Group.
In 1982, Priest Ngoc Hau Thanh came back from the Tay Ninh Holy See and called dignitaries and adepts in the Phuc Duc religious family to find a way to restore the religious background. However until 1998, the first Holy Temple was built as the Tay Ninh Holy See's model in the North, forming the premise for the other religious groups in the North to take apart from the operation of Caodai Rectification Group as well as to return to the Tay Ninh Holy See. In 1999, the Tay Ninh Holy See assigned him to the representation position of Management Council in Ha Tay province (then was the representation of the Tay Ninh Holy See in Hanoi). On November 18th, 2008 (it was October 21th, the year of the rat), the Dang Giang Holy Temple was built after ten years that Deacon Thai Loi Thanh had attempted to call for. This is the second Holy Temple built like the Tay Ninh Holy See's model in Hanoi.
In recent years, as a religious organization of the Vietnamese Fatherland Frent at provincial district, and commune levels, Caodaism has actively taken part in grantitude, poverty reduction, environment protection movements, etc. The lives of adepts are improving better and better, the number of adepts continues to increase annually in the annual summary reports of religious families, and no evils are occurring in the religious families' children. Nowadays, there are many Caodaists from to religious families working in various fields of state agencies. This further proves the Caodaism doctrine is appropriate to the ethics and spirit of the northern people's lifestyle, the Caodaism doctrine has gradually penetrated the spirit of adepts, and it also actively impacts the thinking, behavious, morals and culture of adepts living in the Hanoi.
11. Practical applicability, if any:
This thesis is useful for the Tay Ninh Holy See in reference to and applied to the thesis' suggestions to help promote the human resources quality development Caodaism dignitaries, and it can also be used as a source of reference documents for Caodaism experts in research to understand the Caodaism doctrine's effects on Hanoi people.
12. Further research directions, if any:
This writer hopes that this research will open up further research directions for the topic of “Caodaism in the Red River Delta” as a postgraduate student.
13. Thesis-related publications:
The article about the internatinal conference of “The Charity body of Caodaism” which was held at the VNU University of Social Sciences and Humanities in December 2022, is waiting for a publishing license.
