Cao Dai Holy See
Caodaism is a new Vietnamese faith.
It originated from Ngo Van Chieu, a minor civil servant
on Phu Quoc Island, in the early 1920s. During a séance,
he was contacted by a spirit called the Cao Dai (high position)
who handed down a creed and symbol – the ‘all-seeing eye’.
‘religion’ began to take off after a second series of revelations
by the Cao Dai. He told Ngo Van Chieu that he had already
manifested itself to humanity using Confucius, Christ, Mohammed,
and other vehicles to propagate belief structures appropriate
to the varying world cultures, but was disenchanted by the
intolerance and hatred between followers of the different
proposed to dispense with living envoys and reveal a unified
and universal religion – the ‘Third Alliance’ - through
‘saints’, spirit intermediaries such as Joan of Arc, Winston
Churchill, Victor Hugo and Napoleon Bonaparte.
the proposed universality of the Cao Dai’s doctrine, the
religion was mainly an amalgam of Buddhism, Confucianism
and Taoism, with a few aspects of Christianity and Islam.
The creed worships a universal god symbolised by the all-seeing
eye, and lays down five commandments. The soul of those
who comply will be elevated to a higher plane of existence
through reincarnation. The organisation of the new faith
borrowed heavily from the Catholic Church's hierarchical
was recognised by the French in 1926, selected its first
‘Pope’, and established a ‘Holy See’ in Tay Ninh province.
This was a large, flamboyant temple surrounded by a school,
a hospital and other support buildings.
1930, Caodaism had garnered well over half a million converts
and was becoming a powerful force in the land. It adopted
a more politically oriented outlook, and set up a private
army. Although the Cao Dai ‘army’ initially fought alongside
the Viet Minh against the French, but turned against their
erstwhile allies after the colonialists were expelled.
upshot was that the structure of Cao Dai, already weakened
by conflict, was dismantled by the communists after the
liberation of the South. Its leaders were imprisoned or
exiled, ant its lands and property confiscated.
decade later, most Cao Dai property was returned, and the
religion resumed its steady growth, albeit under tight state
Cao Dai Holy See is well worth a visit. The temple, dominated
by the all-seeing eye, is an architectural wonder, a hotchpotch
of styles from its contributing religions and ornamented
in brilliant colours.
daily service is impressive. The worshippers wear robes
of different hues denoting their function and status, and
kneel in blocks in the nave to genuflect and pray while
acolytes perform complex rituals.
are welcomed to the service, but must remove their shoes
at the door. There are separate entries men and women. Photography
is permitted, but it’s polite not to subject the worshippers
to a barrage of flashlights. After the service, visitors
can wander around the nave, but are requested not to go
beyond the pink candy-stripe pillars.
Holy See is near Tay Ninh town, about a hundred kilometres
from Ho Chi Minh City. The journey takes two to three hours.