Brighten Up Your Life – Visit Cao Dai Holy See, Vietnam

One of the most memorable things I’ve seen on my travels is the Cao Dai Holy See in Tay Ninh, Vietnam, says Jonathan Tyrrell.

By Jonathan Tyrrell – I had no idea what Cao Dai or Caodaismwas until I went to Vietnam. A visit to Tay Ninh was part of an excursion I took from Ho Chi Minh City. It was arranged through my hotel receptionist – I didn’t expect much, but boy was I in for a surprise!

Cao Dai is a Vietnamese religion which sprang up in the early 1920′s. It brings together aspects of Confucianism, Taoism, theories of karma and rebirth from Buddhism, and a hierarchy much like the Roman Catholic Church.

The building itself is part cathedral, part mosque, part pagoda and when you first see it – it is like nothing you’ve seen before. Bright shades of pink and yellow, tiles that catch the sun light, and numerous multi-coloured dragons adorned the roof and entrance. Yet this is only a hint of what you’ll see inside.

You can enter through a side entrance at the front when a prayer service is in progress and take a look around. There is a balcony that allows you to see the service from above. As you walk into the main hall you eyes are met with a riot of colour – a real “Wow!” moment.

The more you look – the more detail you see. I guess this will not be to everyone’s taste, and to some it may look a bit like an explosion in a paint factory, but what a glorious way to decorate a place of worship!

The colours are significant; yellow (for Buddhism), blue (for Taoism) and red for Christianity. Cao Dai also has its saints of course, but the list is not what you might expect. The list begins with a few familiar names like Buddha, Confucius, Jesus Christ and Mohammed. However, the list of saints also includes; Pericles, Julius Caesar, Joan of Arc, and Victor Hugo.

Cao Dai seeks to unite all of humanity through a common vision of the Supreme Being in order to promote peace and understanding throughout the world. The Supreme Being is the same God honoured in all major religions, but the term Cao Dai avoids gender, personality or other earthly attributes. God is represented as the Divine Eye, an eye in a triangle, which appears on the façades of the sect’s temples.

You can see the headquarters of Cao Dai at Tay Ninh, not far from Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. Cao Dai is a fascinating religion and the Holy See is one of the most colourful places of worship I’ve ever visited… a ‘must see‘ if you visit Vietnam.

Jonathan is a web designer with a passion for travel and photography. He has travelled widely in the Far East, South East and Central Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa. You can read about his adventures on his travel blog, where he recalls his travel memories through his photography. Follow him on Twitter.