The main hall of the Thiền Lâm holy house (1926)
IV. PREPARING THE 1926
INAUGURATION CEREMONY
1. Some
preparations before the Cochinchina-wide diffusion
Prior to the diffusion over Cochinchinese provinces, in
preparation for the Inauguration to be celebrated in mid-November 1926, Caodai
God converted a number of personages at various séances, and bestowed ranks
upon them so that they would be qualified to hold noble positions in the early Caodai Church
* Nguyễn Ngọc Thơ’s
and Lâm Ngọc Thanh’s conversions
In mid-July 1926, Caodai God converted Nguyễn Ngọc Thơ and
Lâm Ngọc Thanh, a Buddhist married couple.
Previously, in Cần Giuộc district (Chợ Lớn province) on
Saturday 27 February 1926, Caodai God had converted apostle Phạm Tấn Đãi. Then,
in July, God requested him to meet apostle Lê Văn Trung (Thượng Trung Nhựt) in Saigon and they two were to visit Nguyễn Ngọc Thơ in Tân
Định (district 1).
Explaining the reason of their first meeting, the two
uninvited guests told the householder of Caodai God’s spiritual message. The
latter insisted that he would never believe in such a tale until he himself
could successfully contact Heavenly Powers. Right then, his spouse was staying
in Vũng Liêm district, Vĩnh Long province.
At his home in Tân Định, after having kept three vegetarian
days coupled with praying, Nguyễn Ngọc Thơ used a spirit-writing pen (chấp bút) to receive God’s message. His
testing questions on his very private affairs were exactly answered. Altogether
convinced, he and his spouse willingly joined Caodai faith on Thursday 15 July
1926.[1]
* Monk Như
Nhãn’s conversion
Also known as Thích Từ Phong or Nguyễn Văn Tường, Monk Như
Nhãn was head bonze of the Giác Lâm pagoda, built in 1887, located in Phú Lâm,
district 6, Saigon .
Receiving a permit signed by the chief of Tây Ninh province
on 15 July 1925, Monk Như Nhãn had the Thiền Lâm pagoda constructed in Gò Kén
(today at 5/11 Long Trung hamlet, Long Thành Trung village, Hòa Thành district,
Tây Ninh province).
During its construction, the married couple Thơ and Thanh
were great donators, who might considerably influence Monk Như Nhãn.
After their conversion to Caodaism, the couple introduced the
new faith to the Monk, and invited him to attend some spirit-evoking séances.
On Monday 23 August 1926, during a séance which might be held
at the Thiền Lâm pagoda, Shakyamuni Buddha under the name Caodai the Immortal
Mahabodhisattva Mahasattva asked Monk Như Nhãn, “This place is the holy land, where I am going to establish a holy
house. Would you willingly help me?” [2]
Thirteen days later, on Sunday 05 September 1926, at the
Thiền Lâm pagoda, Monk Như Nhãn was conferred a divine title by Caodai God.[3]
So, at the end of August 1926, Monk Như Nhãn readily let the earliest
Caodai apostles borrow the Thiền Lâm pagoda and transform it into a holy house
named Thiền Lâm (also called Gò Kén).
* Improving
the Thiền Lâm holy house
With the Monk’s consent, as of the beginning of September
1926, the earliest Caodai apostles whole-heartedly put money and effort into
the site so as to improve the holy house, inside and outside.
Then, still surrounded with trees and bushes, the former
pagoda exposed its unpainted walls and earth floor. It also lacked a path
leading to the traffic road. The couple apostles Nguyễn Ngọc Thơ (Thái Thơ
Thanh) and Lâm Ngọc Thanh (Hương Thanh) generously used their own money to have
the trees and bushes removed, a well bored, a garden built, and flowers
planted, etc. Besides two rows of temporary dwellings for those participating
in the site’s improvement, apostles Thơ and Thanh got an over-200-metre stony
path built so that cars could run straight towards the inner gate from road 22B.
No matter how great the expenditure, apostle Nguyễn Ngọc Thơ (Thái
Thơ Thanh) only wished to finish the improvement soon. Consequently, during a
séance held at his home in Tân Định on Wednesday 22 September 1926, Caodai God
advised, “I request you to save your
money. There will be more plans next year. Your capital should be saved for
other useful tasks.” [4] Did God’s advice imply that His pious disciple
should cut costs because at the beginning of the 1927 spring the earliest
Caodai apostles would have to move out of the Thiền Lâm pagoda?
The Thiền Lâm pagoda (30x15m) can be seen today, about five
or six kilometres from the Tây Ninh town, on the right side of road 22B leading
to Saigon. The stony drive, which was finished nearly the end of 1926,
completely dissapeared; as seen in a photograph taken around 2012, the said
driveway turned into a red dirt path.
* Preparations
for the Thiền Lâm main hall
On Friday 17 September 1926, Caodai God instructed apostle
Nguyễn Văn Kiệt to make seven thrones for the Giáo Tông (Pope), three Chưởng
Pháp (Legist-Censors), and three Đầu
Sư (Cardinals). The two arms of the Giáo Tông throne were carved two
dragons; of the Chưởng Pháp, two
phoenixes; and of the Đầu Sư, two
unicorns. The back of each throne was carved three of the four numinous
creatures (say dragon, unicorn, tortoise, and phoenix), excluding the one
already carved on either arm of the throne.
God instructed apostle Lâm Quang Bính (Thái Bính Thanh, from
Rạch Giá province) to make a Globe of the Universe (Quả Càn Khôn), 3.3 metres in diameter, painted azure. Then, according
to a French astronomy book, apostle Bính would draw three thousand seventy-two
stars, and draw the God’s Eye on Ursa Major.
God instructed apostle Nguyễn Ngọc Thơ (Thái Thơ Thanh) to
arrange the God’s Altar, where he would place the statues of the Three-Teaching
Founders (Shakyamuni, Laozi, and Confucius), the Three-Teaching Founders’
Representatives (Li Taibai, Guanyin, and Guan Sheng), Jesus Christ, and Jiang
Taigong.
* More hands given to the preparation for the 1926 Inauguration
Before their Cochinchina-wide diffusion, the earliest Caodai
apostles held several séances in several places so as to introduce the
fledgling faith to local residents. To name a few:
- The Cầu Kho séance:
At the home of apostle Đoàn Văn Bản (Thượng Bản Thanh), in district 1, Saigon .
- The Chợ Lớn séance:
At the home of apostle Lê Văn Trung (Thượng Trung Nhựt), on quai Testard, Chợ
Lớn city.
- The Giồng Ông Tố séance:
At the home of apostle Đỗ Văn Vàng, in Giồng Ông Tố, Thủ Đức district, Gia Định
province.
- The Hội Phước pagoda séance:
At the pagoda of apostle Nguyễn Văn Luật (Thái Luật Thanh, former Buddhist
Karma), in Long Trạch village, Cần Giuộc district, Chợ Lớn province.
- The Lộc Giang séance:
At the Phước Long holy house, formerly a pagoda, of apostle Trần Văn Giống (Thái
Giống Thanh, former Buddhist Karma), in Chợ Đệm, Chợ Lớn province.
- The Tân Định séance:
At the home of apostle Nguyễn Ngọc Thơ (Thái Thơ Thanh), in Tân Định, district
1, Saigon .
- The Tân Kim séance:
At the home of apostle Nguyễn Văn Lai (Thượng Lai Thanh), in Tân Kim village,
Cần Giuộc district, Chợ Lớn province.
- The Thủ Đức
séance: At the home of apostle Ngô Văn Điều, near Thủ Đức market, Thủ Đức
district, Gia Định province, etc.
On Sunday 19 September 1926, in preparation for the 1926
Inauguration, Caodai God told a number of apostles to leave the above-mentioned
séances for the Thiền Lâm holy house.
On Saturday 30 October 1926, in Saigon ,
Caodai God relocated Nguyễn Thị Hiếu (Hương Hiếu, Mrs Cao Quỳnh Cư) and Nguyễn
Thị Nhiều (Hương Nhiều, Mrs Phạm Công Tắc) to the Thiền Lâm holy house so that
they could cooperate with their spouses in Gò Kén. Apostle Hương Hiếu contributed
greatly to the decent food and lodging for a non-stop flow of people pouring in
the holy house, irrespective of day or night. To buy vegetable and fruit, she
herself went to the Tây Ninh market by hosrse-drawn carriage.
* His Holiness Lý Thái Bạch (Li Taibai)
started holding the Spiritual Papacy
Apostle Ngô Văn Chiêu did
not receive the Papacy on Saturday 24 April 1926. His decision caused the
vacancy of the Papal seat. On Friday 29 October 1926, Caodai God bestowed the
Spiritual Papacy upon His Holiness Lý Thái Bạch.
* Permit for celebrating the 1926
Inauguration
Apostle Lê Văn Trung (Daoist
Cardinal Thượng Trung Nhựt) asked the Colonial government for permission to
celebrate the 1926 Inauguration, and he got a permit dated Sunday 07 November
1926. Then, invitation cards co-signed by Cardinal Thượng Trung Nhựt and Monk
Như Nhãn were sent to a great number of government officials, other religions’
dignitaries, notables, and celebrities, etc.
2. Some preparations after the Cochinchina-wide
diffusion
* Forming four groups in charge of Ceremony,
Reception, Receipt of offerings, and Spending
On Tuesday 16 November
1926, Caodai God formed four groups as follows:
- Ceremony: Lê Bá Trang (Ngọc Trang Thanh) was the head; Lê Văn Nhung
(Thái Nhung Thanh), the deputy; and two assistants. In addition, there were
twelve volunteer helpers.
- Reception: Nguyễn Ngọc Tương (Thượng Tương Thanh) was the head;
Nguyễn Văn Luật (Thái Luật Thanh) and Thượng Hoài Thanh, the deputies. Besides
four assistants, there were twelve volunteer helpers.
- Receipt of offerings: Nguyễn Ngọc Thơ (Thái Thơ Thanh), Như Nhãn,
Trần Đạo Quang, and two clerks. (Money donation was not accepted.)
- Spending: Lê Văn Lịch (Ngọc Lịch Nguyệt), Lê Văn Hóa (Thượng Hóa
Thanh), Xài, and two clerks.[5]
* Arranging the dignitaries’ positions
During the same séance on
Tuesday 16 November 1926, Caodai God instructed apostles in the dignitaries’
positions in the Thiền Lâm main hall while performing the ceremony.
There were three
divisions facing the God’s Altar: All male dignitaries queued in the middle and
on the right (the same side as the statue of Quan Thánh, say Guan Sheng);
female dignitaries dressing in white queued on the left (the same side as the
statue of Quan Âm, say Guanyin).
Male dignitaries of three
branches (Thái, Buddhist branch,
dressing in yellow; Thượng, Daoist
branch, blue; Ngọc, Confucian branch,
red) queued in the middle in the following order: three Chưởng Pháp (Legist-Censors), three Đầu Sư (Cardinals), and three Chánh
Phối Sư (Principal Archbishops).
Next to them were Phối Sư (Archbishops), Giáo Sư (Bishops), and Giáo Hữu (Priests). All dignitaries of
the same rank queued in three branches Thái,
Thượng, Ngọc.
At the end of the main
hall was the table for Hộ Pháp
(Dharma Protector). Twelve mediums queued here in three groups, facing the
God’s Altar:
In the middle was group
one, consisting of four apostles: Nguyễn Trung Hậu, Trương Hữu Đức, Trần Duy
Nghĩa, and Trương Văn Tràng. Later, blessed by God on Sunday 13 February 1927,
they were respectively Bảo Pháp
(Dharma Conservator), Hiến Pháp
(Dharma Dedicator), Khai Pháp (Dharma
Developer), and Tiếp Pháp (Dharma
Receiver).
On the right of group one
was group two, consisting of four apostles: Ca Minh Chương, Phạm Văn Tươi, Phạm
Tấn Đãi, and Nguyễn Thiên(g) Kim. Later, blessed by God on Sunday 13 February
1927, apostles Chương, Tươi, and Đãi were respectively Bảo Đạo (Dao Conservator), Hiến
Đạo (Dao Dedicator), and Khai Đạo
(Dao Developer).
On the left of group one
was group three, consisting of four apostles: Lê Thiện Phuớc, Nguyễn Văn Mạnh,
Huỳnh Văn Mai, and Võ Văn Nguyên. Later, blessed by God on Sunday 13 February
1927, apostles Phước and Mạnh were respectively Bảo Thế (World Conservator), and Hiến Thế (World Dedicator).
Behind them were Hộ Pháp
Phạm Công Tắc, Thượng Phẩm Cao Quỳnh Cư (on the right of Hộ Pháp, the same side
as group two), and Thượng Sanh Cao Hoài Sang (on the left of Hộ Pháp, the same
side as group three).
Beside apostle Cao Quỳnh
Cư was apostle Mùi (or Muồi?), holding the Thượng
Phẩm streamer. Beside apostle Cao Hoài Sang was apostle Lê Thế Vĩnh,
holding the Thượng Sanh streamer.
* Caodai God’s intructions on the eve of the
Inauguration
On Wednesday 17 November
1926, Caodai God bestowed the rank of Đầu
Sư (Cardinal) upon Monk Thích Thiện Minh, who was henceforth known as Thái
Minh Tinh. Then, God continued instructing the apostles in preparation for the
Inauguration. Again, He advised apostle Nguyễn Ngọc Thơ (Thái Thơ Thanh) to cut
back expenses of improving the Thiền Lâm holy house.
For the reception, three of the four assistants
and twelve volunteer helpers were grouped in three teams: the first one was in
charge of the upper class as well as the French; the second, the middle class;
and the third, the common people. Apostle Nguyễn Ngọc Tương (Thượng Tương
Thanh) himself was in charge of the French government officials.
For the spending, also instructed by God, each
expenditure item was to be approved with signatures of all the three apostles
in charge, namely Lê Văn Lịch (Ngọc Lịch Nguyệt), Lê Văn Hóa (Thượng Hóa
Thanh), and Xài.
God reminded the apostles
of even things that might be thought of as trivial ones. For instance, He advised apostle Nguyễn Ngọc Thơ (Thái Thơ Thanh)
to locate the generator at a distance far enough so as to lessen the noise. He
told apostle Trần Đạo Quang to bind the Spring
and Autumn Annals with a red ribbon, and to choose a patra (almsbowl) made of copper, not porcelain. (In Caodai faith,
the Spring and Autumn Annals, the dust whisk, and the patra respectively
symbolize the Three Teachings: Confu-cianism, Daoism, and Buddhism.)
HUỆ KHẢI
