1. Student's full name:THANK YOU
2. Gender:Male
3. Date of birth: 26/04/1988
4. Place of birth:Quoc Oai – Hanoi
5. Decision to recognize student number:4058/2022/QD-XHNV dated December 28, 2022 of the President of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.
6. Changes in the training process:
7. Thesis topic name: The role of Cao Dai Doctrine of Tay Ninh Holy See in the spiritual life of believers in Hanoi city
8. Major:Applied Religious StudiesCode:8229009.01
9. Scientific instructor:Dr. Nguyen Huu Thu - University of Social Sciences and Humanities - VNU
10. Summary of thesis results:
“Intrinsic religion is part of the cultural identity of a nation, it truly reflects the existing values of that nation. Through that, it directly impacts the moral life, spirit, beliefs, behavior, and ideals of a person in particular and a community with religious beliefs in general.
Caodaism is an indigenous religion that was officially established on October 15, Binh Dan year (1926) in Hoa Thanh - Tay Ninh. After nearly 100 years of formation and development in the country and in some countries with Vietnamese communities living in the world, 92 years of spreading the teachings to the capital Hanoi have affirmed the role, position and practicality of the ideological and doctrinal system of this religion.
Cao Dai doctrine is the crystallization of the intersection of the Eastern Three Religions (Confucianism - Buddhism - Taoism) and the Western Christianity (Judaism - Christianity - Islam), combined with the indigenous beliefs of the Vietnamese people. Therefore, Cao Dai doctrine contains both the universal ideological values of the West and the unique values of the Vietnamese people.
In 1930, there were Cao Dai followers in Hanoi, led by Mr. Le Sanh Ngoc Hoa Thanh, who preached to a small group of followers when he was transferred to work at the Hanoi post office. In 1933, with the official appointment of the Superior Priest Thuong Tuat Thanh to preach in the Northern region, the Cao Dai Holy See of Tay Ninh officially laid the foundation for the development of Cao Dai in Hanoi and the northern provinces. From there, Cao Dai spread throughout the inner city and to some neighboring provinces. In 1943, Cao Dai was present in Dang Giang village, transmitted by Mr. Dang Tien Khanh, and received and spread by Mr. Nguyen Dinh Hy's family to many followers, laying the foundation for the birth of Dang Giang Parish later. In 1952, Cao Dai religion was brought to Phuc Duc village by Mr. Nguyen Van Bay, who shared it with four other people. These five people went to Thang Long Holy See at 29 Ly Thuong Kiet to learn and become initiated, then returned to share it with many families in the village. Phuc Duc religion was quickly established.
In 1954, the Geneva Agreement was signed, dividing the territory at the 17th parallel. Mr. Cao Trieu Phat and many dignitaries of the Cao Dai sects gathered in the North. On January 24, 1955, Mr. Cao Trieu Phat convened a meeting to establish the Only Cao Dai Church at 48 Hoa Ma, uniting all the Cao Dai sects in the North. This unification was only a formality. In reality, the sects still operated separately and had their own worship rituals. The base at 29 Ly Thuong Kiet was still led by Mrs. Kham Chau Huong Du and Mr. Dau Toc Thai Thai Thanh. Cao Dai followers in Tay Ninh from the northern provinces still gathered here to worship in large numbers every year. The base at 48 Hoa Ma was led by Mr. Cao Trieu Phat and To Van Pho, a small group of followers from the Chinh Dao Committee and some dignitaries of other sects gathered in the North. The Only Cao Dai Church of Mr. Cao Trieu Phat only existed for 2 years after his death in 1956, then this organization also disbanded.
In 1975, after some leaders of the Cao Dai Thang Long Holy See had passed away and others had migrated to the South, Mr. To Van Pho, a Cao Dai dignitary of the Religious Reform Committee, merged the Tay Ninh Cao Dai religious base at 29 Ly Thuong Kiet to 48 Hoa Ma. From then on, all religious bases in the North were under the management of the Religious Reform Committee.
In 1982, Catholic Ngoc Hau Thanh returned from the Tay Ninh Holy See. He summoned officials and fellow believers in the Phuc Duc Parish to find a plan to revive the religion. However, it was not until 1998 that the first Holy Temple built according to the model of the Tay Ninh Holy See in the Northern region was formed, creating the premise for other religious establishments in the North to separate from the control of the Religious Reform Committee to return to the Tay Ninh Holy See. In 1999, he was appointed by the Cao Dai Holy See of Tay Ninh as Representative of the Board of Directors in Ha Tay province (later Representative of the Cao Dai Holy See of Tay Ninh in Hanoi). On November 18, 2008 (October 21, Mau Ty), Dang Giang Holy See began construction after 10 years of efforts by Mr. Le Sanh Thai Loi Thanh. This is the second Holy Temple built according to the model of the Tay Ninh Holy See in the Hanoi area.
In recent years, Cao Dai religion in Hanoi, as a religious organization under the Vietnam Fatherland Front at the city, district and commune levels, has actively participated in movements to repay gratitude, eliminate hunger and reduce poverty, protect the environment, etc. The lives of followers have been increasingly improved, the number of followers has been increasing every year in the annual summary reports of the parishes, and there have been no social evils occurring among the children of the religion. Currently, many Cao Dai followers of the two parishes are serving in fields under state agencies. This further proves that Cao Dai teachings are suitable for the moral and spiritual lifestyle of the people in the Northern region. Cao Dai teachings have been and are gradually permeating the spiritual life of followers, it has a positive impact on the thinking, behavior, ethics and culture of followers in the Hanoi city area".
11. Practical application:
This thesis can help the Cao Dai Holy See of Tay Ninh to refer to and apply proposals to promote the development of the quality of human resources of Cao Dai dignitaries, and can also be used as a reference for experts when researching Cao Dai religion to understand the impacts of Cao Dai teachings on the lives of people in the capital area of Hanoi.
12. Further research directions:
The author hopes that after this research topic, it will open up further research directions for the topic of "Cao Dai Religion in the Red River Delta" as a graduate student.
13. Published works related to the thesis:(If there is an article, please provide full relevant information)
The article “The Charity Agency of Cao Dai Religion” International Conference held at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, December 2022, is seeking permission to publish.
INFORMATION ON MASTER'S THESIS
1. Full name:I DELIVER
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 thought 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.
