APOSTLES CAO-PHẠM’S
DELIVERANCE BY CAODAI GOD
I. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF APOSTLES CAO-PHẠM
In Saigon in 1925, Cao Quỳnh Cư, Cao Hoài Sang, and Phạm Công Tắc were
three civil officials who came from the same province of Tây Ninh and had the
same love for poetry and traditional music.([1]) In company with them was Cư’s spouse
(Nguyễn Thị Hương, also called Hiếu, well known as Hương Hiếu).([2])
1. Cao Quỳnh Cư (1888-1929) and Hương Hiếu (1887-1971)
Cao Quỳnh Cư, style Bội Ngọc, was born in 1888 in Hiệp Ninh village, Hàm
Ninh Thượng canton, Tây Ninh province. His parents were Cao Quỳnh Tuân
(1844-1896) and Trịnh Thị Huệ (1853-1946). In 1925, Cư worked for Saigon
Railroad Service as a clerk, and rented a house at 134 Bourdais street Calmette street
In 1907 Cư got married to Nguyễn Thị Hương, born in Dakao (Saigon ). Her parents were Nguyễn Văn Niệm (from Cần Thơ
province) and Trần Thị Huệ (from Gia Định province). The latter passed away in
1929.
In 1893 Nguyễn Thị Hương attended a girl’s boarding school in Saigon , run by the French nuns of Saint Paul of Chartres
(SPC). She also learned home economics in 1903. Thanks to her good education,
she became điển ký (transcriber), making
full written copies of spirit messages at the evocation seances held by
apostles Cao-Phạm. Besides, she made religious costumes for the earliest
dignitaries of the Tây
Ninh Church
2. Cao Hoài Sang (1901-1971)
Cao Hoài Sang, style Thanh Thủy, was born on Wednesday 11 September 1901
in Thái Bình village, Tây Ninh province. His father, Cao Hoài Ân (1878-1909),
worked for a court and passed away in Saigon .
His mother, Hồ Thị Lự (1878-1972), later became a dignitary at the Tây Ninh
Holy See. His elder sister, Cao Thị Cường (1898-1973), later became manager of
the orphanage located in the area of the Tây Ninh Holy See. His eldest brother,
Cao Đức Trọng (1897-1958), contributed to the introduction of Caodaism to Cambodia
He attended collège Chasseloup-Laubat, a junior high school in Saigon . After graduating with a diploma (diplôme d’études primaires supérieures),
he worked for the Customs Service in Saigon as
a clerk in 1920. Located on D’Arras
street Cống Quỳnh street
3. Phạm Công Tắc (1890-1959)
Phạm Công Tắc, style Ái Dân, was born into a Catholic family. His father
was Phạm Công Thiền, from An Hòa village, Trảng Bàng district, Tây Ninh
province. As a civil official, Thiền was transferred to Bình Lập village, Châu
Thành district, Tân An province, where Tắc was born on Saturday 21 June 1890.
Tắc started school in 1895, and entered collège Chasseloup-Laubat in
1905. Two years later, he graduated with a diploma (diplôme d’études primaires supérieures). In 1910, he joined the
Customs Service in Saigon as a clerk, becoming
a colleague of Cao Hoài Sang. His spouse was Nguyễn Thị Nhiều (1892-1968), who
later became a dignitary at the Tây Ninh Holy See.
II. THE POEM EXCHANGE BETWEEN MORTALS AND IMMORTALS
In his report “Le Caodaϊsme”
dated 01 January 1932, Lalaurette, Inspector of Political and Administrative
Affairs, cited a district chief’s report. The citation informed that during the
years 1924-1925 there was a wave of spiritism spreading through Cochinchina.([3])
1. Experiment with the turning table
On Friday night 24 July 1925, Phạm Công Tắc and Cao Quỳnh Cư paid a visit
to Cao Hoài Sang’s house located on D’Arras
street
Their efforts in the first two nights were in vain. On Sunday night 26
July 1925, they could contact the siprit of Cao Quỳnh Tuân (Cư’s father), who
sent his son an eight-line poem, of which the two opening lines and the two
closing ones read:
At over fifty I passed away
Around ten were you that day
…
How sorrowful my old-age wife
Send her please sweet words I say.
Such a contact strengthened apostles Cao-Phạm’s belief in communicating
with the invisible world and they agreed to repeat their experiment in the
following week.
2. Thất Nương (the Seventh Lady)
On Thursday night 30 July 1925, at Cao
Hoài Sang’s home, apostles Cao-Phạm contacted Thất Nương, the Seventh of the
Nine Immortal Ladies, who all escort Buddha Mother (the Golden Mother of the
Jade Pond). However, they did not know Her divine position until a month had
passed because She did not reveal it during their early contacts. At the first
night, under the name Đoàn Ngọc Quế, She gave an eight-line poem narrating her
death at a young age. Its two opening lines read:
With
whom would I share my sad destiny
When ill fate
wasted my youth of beauty...
Then, each of apostles Cao-Phạm successively recited his impromptu reply poem,
using the same rhyme sequence.
3. Establishing a brotherhood with the Seventh Lady
The joy of exchanging poems drove the group of spiritists to practise the
turning table enthusiatically, regardless of tiredness. They felt that there
was not at all a separation between the visible and invisible realms. Around
the beginning of August 1925, they established a brotherhood with the Seventh
Lady: Cao Quỳnh Cư was the eldest; Phạm Công Tắc, the second; Cao Hoài Sang,
the third; and the Seventh Lady, the last.
Cao Quỳnh Cư’s elder brother was Cao Quỳnh Diêu (1884-1958), style Mỹ
Ngọc,([4])
born in Hiệp Ninh village, Hàm Ninh Thượng canton, Tây Ninh province. His
spouse was Trần Thị Lựu. Learning apostles Cao-Phạm’s extraordinary
communications with the invisible realm, Diêu soon joined them, either at
Sang’s home (where a round three-legged table was used) or at Cư’s (where a
square four-legged table was used).([5])
4. Bát Nương (the Eighth Lady) and
Quí Cao
On Saturday night 22 August 1925,
through the Seventh Lady’s
introduction, apostles Cao-Phạm contacted Bát Nương, who came under the name
Hớn Liên Bạch. The newcomer gave them an eight-line poem narrating the
separation of a love couple. Its two opening lines read:
At the
time saying goodbye
Pledge faithful
to end of life...
On Saturday 26 August 1925, apostles
Cao-Phạm contacted the spirit of Huỳnh Thiên Kiều, alias Quí Cao, formerly
member of Ngưu Giang Thi Xã, a poetry club in Saigon. In his lifetime, Quí Cao
was an official at the City Hall. That night, replying Bát Nương’s poem received on 22
August, Quí Cao wrote a
poem repeating the same rhyme sequence. The two closing lines of his poem read:
Separated
by miles and miles
Sincerely to you
best words of mine.
5. His Holiness AĂÂ
At Cao Quỳnh Cư’s home on Friday night
28 August 1925, they contacted a divinity who called himself AĂÂ. When Cư asked about his age, the
table tilted and one of its legs tapped on the floor continuously and
innumerably. In their very first contact, His Holiness AĂÂ said, “If you all want Me to arrive constantly,
please accept My conditions as follows: First, don’t try to find out who I am.
Second, don’t ask about political issues. Finally, don’t ask about Heaven’s
scheme.” ([6])
AĂÂ are the first three letters of the
Vietnamese alphabet. Derived from Alpha
or a (the
first letter of the Greek alphabet), letter A represents the origin of the
universe which is named Thái Cực (Taiji),
symbolised with [. Thái Cực split into yin and yang. Letters Ă
and  are variants of A, compared to yin and yang. The breve Ú of Ă
resembles the black part 
or
yin; the circumflex ^ of  resembles
the white part 
or
yang of the symbol [. In other words, AĂÂ represents Thái Cực and
yinyang. Like Thái Cực, hence, AĂÂ represents an impersonal God.([7])
or
yin; the circumflex ^ of  resembles
the white part or
yang of the symbol [. In other words, AĂÂ represents Thái Cực and
yinyang. Like Thái Cực, hence, AĂÂ represents an impersonal God.([7])
6. Using the beaked basket
Around the end of September 1925, His
Holiness AĂÂ told apostles Cao-Phạm to offer the Golden Mother of the Jade Pond
and the Nine Immortal Ladies a vegetarian feast on the mid-autumn night.
The Seventh Lady advised apostles
Cao-Phạm to pray and observe three vegetarian days from Tuesday 29 September
through Thursday 01 October 1925. She not only instructed them how to evoke the
Golden Mother but also requested them to use a beaked basket (corbeille à bec) for contacting heavenly
powers.([8])
One of Cao Quỳnh Cư’s neighbours was
Phan Văn Tý (1888-1962), who came from Thủ Dầu Một province and worked for the
Public Works Service. Being much accustomed to using a beaked basket at healing
seances where divinities were solicited to bestow remedies upon patients, this
civil official willingly let Cư and Tắc borrow his own beaked basket and
instructed them how to use the spirit evoking apparatus.
7. The Peach Banquet
When instructing apostles Cao-Phạm how to evoke the Golden
Mother, the Seventh Lady revealed that She was Đoàn Ngọc Quế, also called Vương
Thị Lễ,([9]) and the Eighth Lady was Hớn Liên Bạch.
Together with other seven Immortal Ladies, they would accompany the Golden
Mother in the coming mid-autumn night feast.
The feast was thoughtfully prepared at Cao Quỳnh Cư’s home under the
Seventh Lady’s instructions: Agarwood was burned to purify the room where a
solemn altar with offerings was arranged to deferentially welcome the Golden
Mother. Before the altar they positioned a large table on which fresh fruits
and beautiful flowers were displayed. They also placed nine chairs for the Nine
Immortal Ladies.
On Friday mid-autumn night 02 October 1925, apostles Cao-Phạm held an
evocation seance before the altar, using the borrowed beaked basket. The Golden
Mother descended, accompanied by the Nine Immortal Ladies and other divinities.
As begged by the Seventh Lady and accepted by the Golden Mother, apostles
Cao-Phạm played their string instruments to pay homage to the heavenly powers.
They were also allowed to join the feast but they humbly took their seats
behind the Nine Immortal Ladies’ chairs. Today, adapting that night’s event,
Caodai congregations annually observe the mid-autumn night’s Peach Banquet,
enriched with more rituals.
After the mid-autumn feast, heavenly powers began to advise
apostles Cao-Phạm to consider self-cultivation. For instance, Phổ Hiền Bồ Tát (Samantabhadra) recommended, “Do try to keep good thoughts so as to
understand Heaven’s scheme!” In addition, the poem exchange was still going
on between mortals and immortals.
The circle of poets in Saigon gradually
came to know the poem exchange at evocation seances held on D’Arras street.
Consequently, apostles Cao-Phạm almost always had curious visitors, who wished
to witness their mysterious evocations. Among Cư’s acquaintances was Trương Hữu
Đức, a clerk for the Railroad Service, who soon joined the evocation group in
1925.
8. Trương Hữu Đức (1890-1976)
Style Hòa Dân, alias Thân Dân, Trương
Hữu Đức ([10]) was born on Thursday 20 February 1890,
not 1892 as shown in his personal papers. His father was Trương Văn Tựu,
ex-chief of Cầu An Thượng canton, Chợ Lớn province. Later, his father became a
Confucian Bishop (Ngọc Giáo Sư). His mother was Lê Thị Nhụy (also called Sót).
His spouse was Nguyễn Thị Sanh, becoming a Student-Priest (Lễ Sanh) on Tuesday
15 February 1927.
9. Nguyễn Trung Hậu (1892-1961)
Style Thuần Đức, Nguyễn Văn Hậu (real
name) ([11]) was born on Friday 01 April 1892, in
Bình Hòa village, Gia Định province. His father was Nguyễn Phục Lễ (1856-1915),
style Văn Nhiêu, an oriental medical physician; his mother, Lê Thị Cơ
(1854-1926). In 1919 he married Diệp Thị Nguy (1901-1953), also called Qui,
from Phú Hựu village, An Mỹ canton, Sa Đéc province.
In 1911 Nguyễn Trung Hậu graduated from
Gia Định Pedagogical School (École
Normale de Gia Định). As of 1922 he ran a primary boarding school named Internat Primaire de Dakao (later
renamed Huỳnh Khương Ninh, a junior high school at the corner of Huỳnh Khương
Ninh and Phan Liêm streets, district 1, Saigon). Besides his teaching job, he
contributed to a few newspapers, and joined a poetry club named Ngưu Giang Thi
Xã, where Quí Cao Huỳnh Thiên Kiều was his co-member.
Learning the poem exchange between the
spirit of Quí Cao and apostles Cao-Phạm, in November 1925 Nguyễn Trung Hậu paid
an evening visit to the seance on D’Arras street to contact Quí Cao spirit, and
soon became a new participant of the evocation group.
In late 1925, Nguyễn Trung Hậu received
a four-line poem bestowed by His Holiness AĂÂ, who referred to his style Thuần
Đức as well as his poetry skill in the two opening lines as follows:
Thuần Đức is of high talent
In the circle of
poets current...
III. APOSTLES CAO-PHẠM’S INITIATION
INTO CAODAISM
1. Hearing the name Caodai the first
time
On Tuesday 20 October 1925, at midnight,
the Nine Heavens Mysterious Goddess (Cửu
Thiên Huyền Nữ) advised apostles Cao-Phạm, “Do cultivate heart and nourish nature so as to return to your
primordial positions.”
Later, on Saturday night 12 December
1925, the same Goddess commanded, “On the
first (night of next lunar month) you three must look up to Heaven for the
Dao.”
Apostles Cao-Phạm did not understand the
phrase “look up to Heaven for the Dao”; accordingly, they decided to ask divinities for
explanation. The Seventh Lady descended on Sunday night 13 December 1925, and
an incognito spirit the following night. They both, however, said that they
were not to explain anything, and that the group had better evoke His Holiness
AĂÂ.
On Tuesday night 15 December 1925, His
Holiness AĂÂ descended and said, “On the
first night of the eleventh lunar month you three must look up to Heaven for
the Dao. Take a bath for purifying yourselves. Kneel outdoors holding nine
incense sticks and pray as follows: We three - Cao Quỳnh Cư, Phạm Công Tắc, and Cao
Hoài Sang - are looking up to and praying to Caodai God for blessing three of us,
helping us turn over a new leaf.”
It was the first time they heard the
name Caodai and none of them understood it.
On Wednesday night 16 December 1925,
after the outdoor ritual of seeking the Dao on the ground before Cư’s house,([12]) apostles Cao-Phạm went indoors and held
an evocation seance. God descended, blessing them with four sentences of
twenty-eight mysterious Sino-Vietnamese words.
Immediately repeating the evocation,
they received His Holiness AĂÂ’s interpretation: “Caodai God implied that your belief in Him was not strong enough;
thus, He requested your confirmation. You three must ponder it thoroughly.”
After the night they looked up to Heaven
for the Dao, heavenly powers frequently descended, instructing them.
2. Christmas night 1925
On Thursday 24 and into the small hours of Friday 25 December 1925, Phạm
Công Tắc and Cao Hoài Sang got together at Cao Quỳnh Cư’s home and held an
evocation seance. His Holiness AĂÂ descended and said, “Caodai God has understood the heart of three disciples Cao Quỳnh Cư,
Phạm Công Tắc, and Cao Hoài Sang. He has fully bestowed blessing upon each
person. Be joyful tonight because it’s the day of God’s advent to Europe to teach the Dao. I am so glad to see how much you
three respect and love Me. This house will be full of My blessings. Time and
day is coming. Wait for My command. I will manifest mysteries so that you will
respect and love Me much more.”
His Holiness AĂÂ encouraged apostles
Cao-Phạm, “Very good! I only expect that you three will step
more and more steadily on the path of Dao.”
They asked if His Holiness AĂÂ and Caodai God were only one being. His
Holiness AĂÂ reminded them, “You’ve
promised not to be curious about the Great Immortal’s name, haven’t you?”
However, on Thursday night 31 December 1925 apostles Cao-Phạm knew that
AĂÂ was a Caodai God’s borrowed name. Then, Caodai God asked them, “You three love Me so much, don’t you? Have
you realised how I demean Myself as AĂÂ? Have you been fully aware of My power?
Can anyone of the same greatest power demean himself like AĂÂ? I am AĂÂ, Your
Master. That’s the manner I’ve come to you; do you love Your Master?”
Thirteen days later, when the Seventh Lady descended on Wednesday 13
January 1926, apostles Cao-Phạm complained that She had had the heart to
conceal the fact that His Holiness AĂÂ and Caodai God were only one divine
being. She consoled them, “God has God’s
scheme. I know my limits. So, I dared not reveal anything, no matter what I was
aware of. Now I’m glad that you three have been so much blessed.”
At the same night, encouraging them on the path of Dao, the Sixth Lady
left a long poem, of which the four opening lines read:
Your path of Dao’s smooth; oh, how
happy
Riches or royal ranks cannot compete
Chrysanthemum wine waits at Peach
Banquet
Immortal elixir can keep immortality…
In the third line, the Sixth Lady reminded apostles Cao-Phạm of the
divine Peach Banquet held by the Golden Mother of the Jade Pond so as to reward
new immortals who have successfully self-cultivated and returned to their
primordial positions in heaven. In the fourth line, she implicitly suggested
that they should practise meditation in order to get free from samsara.
IV. LÊ VĂN TRUNG (1876-1934)
On Monday 11 January 1926 apostles Cao-Phạm were unexpectedly visited by
a new guest aged fifty named Lê Văn Trung, a famous personage in Cochinchinese
business and political circles.([13])
1. His life prior to spiritual contacts
In 1876, Lê Văn Trung was born to a petty farmer family in Phước Lâm
village, Phước Điền Trung canton, Cần Giuộc district, Chợ Lớn province. His
parents were Lê Văn Thanh (1845-1878) and Văn Thị Xuân (1849-1912).
In 1894, after graduating from collège Chasseloup-Laubat in Saigon , and then passing a civil service examination, Lê
Văn Trung started his clerical job at the Palace of the Government of
Cochinchina (Palais du Gouvernement de la
Cochinchine).
After twelve years as a civil official, he resigned to stand for the
Colonial Council of Cochinchina (Conseil
Colonial de Cochinchine). He won the election, becoming the representative
for Saigon and such provinces as Gia Định, Chợ
Lớn, Gò Công, Tây Ninh.
By a decree in the same year, Lê Văn Trung and a few Vietnamese
personages were appointed members of the Local Committee for Improving
Indigenous Education in Cochinchina (Comité
Local de Perfectionnement de l’Enseignement Indigène en Cochinchine).
In 1911, Lê Văn Trung appealed to Saigon celebrities to build the first school for girls.
In 1915, after two years of construction, the school for young indigenous girls
(collège des Jeunes Filles Indigènes)
was inaugurated and started its first academic year.
On Saturday 18 May 1912, the French
Government conferred Knight of the Legion of Honour (Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur) on Lê Văn Trung.
On Thursday 10 December 1914, Lê Văn
Trung was appointed to the Government Council of Indochina (Conseil de Gouvernement de l’Indochine).
Besides the above-mentioned socio-political activities, Lê Văn Trung went
into business after leaving the Palace of the Government of Cochinchina. In
1920 his business began to decline and eventually ended up in a total failure
four years later. Deeply distressed, he worsened himself by smoking opium. However,
misfortunes never come singly: His eyesight degenerated and he was almost
blind.
2. Lê Văn Trung’s initiation into Caodaism
A relative of Lê Văn Trung was Nguyễn Hữu Đắc (1897-1974), who followed a
religious congregation named Minh Lý Đạo and dwelt at 100 Lục Tỉnh street Hùng Vương street
There, His Holiness Lý Thái Bạch descended, advising Lê Văn Trung to
renounce worldly illusions for self-cultivation. Trung started vegetarianism,
quit smoking opium, and his eyesight was gradually recovered. After the
divine blessing upon Lê Văn Trung, Chợ Gạo evocation seance was closed by
heavenly powers. Experiencing the miracle at the said seance, Trung believed in
spirit evocation. Accordingly, on Monday 11 January 1926 he wholeheartedly paid
a visit to Cao Quỳnh Cư.
At Cư’s home that night, apostles Trung,
Cư, Tắc, and Sang held a seance. Caodai God descended and bestowed a four-line
poem upon Trung, commanding his devotion to Dao.
Exactly a week later, obeying Caodai
God’s instruction, Cao Quỳnh Cư and Phạm Công Tắc brought the beaked basket to
Lê Văn Trung’s house on Quai Testard street, Chợ Lớn (today Châu Văn Liêm
street, district 5). Caodai God descended, initiated Lê Văn Trung into the new
faith.
V. APOSTLES CAO-PHẠM’S ADVANCEMENTS
1. Increase of their belief
On Friday 25 December 1925, Cao Quỳnh Cư
made a vow to his Master to keep two more vegetarian days on the fifteenth and
thirtieth of each lunar month because he wished “to be purified to worship Caodai God”.([15])
On Saturday 02 January 1926, Caodai God
said to Cư and Tắc, “I tell you both one
thing: Absolutely wait for My command. You’d better not make a judgement based
on individual thoughts. I’ve already assigned the duties and responsibilities
of you both, but the right day hasn’t come yet. Do follow My words. From now
on, I’m going to teach you the Dao.” ([16])
Cao Quỳnh Cư and Phạm Công Tắc practised
sutra recitation. On Monday 01 January 1926, Caodai God encouraged them, “I praise your sutra recitation.” ([17]) It is unknown what sutra they recited.
Indulging in the new faith, Hương Hiếu
(Cao Quỳnh Cư’s spouse) wished to convert her mother, Trần Thị Huệ. On Thursday
07 January 1926, she asked her Master, “My
mother’s living apart; so, how can I convert her?”
Caodai God replied, “Hiếu, you’ve wholeheartedly self-cultivated. Your ethics is capable
enough to save your ancestors, much less your mother. Let Me decide her life.
Don’t be sad.”
2. Union with Ngô Văn Chiêu
Apostles Cao-Phạm still did not know how
to worship their Master. Around late January 1926, Caodai God told them to unite
with Ngô Văn Chiêu to found Caodaism. They were also requested to respect Chiêu
as their Eldest Brother. Thereafter, Chiêu instructed them in worship rituals,
especially the altar arrangement with the God’s Eye above. Taking
responsibility for evocation, Chiêu was pháp
đàn (seance master), who protected the evocation against evil interference;
Cư and Tắc were đồng tử âm dương (yin-yang
mediums); Hương Hiếu was điển ký (transcriber),
who made full written copies of spirit messages delivered through the pair of
mediums.
During the union with Ngô Văn Chiêu, the
Cao-Phạm group welcomed a few more members. In addition to Võ Văn Sang, Nguyễn
Văn Hoài, and Lý Trọng Quí (1872-1945, also called Hồ Vinh Quí), the newcomers
included Vương Quan Kỳ, Đoàn Văn Bản, and Lê Văn Giảng.
3. Vương Quan Kỳ (1880-1939)
Vương Quan Kỳ, style Mỹ Lương,([18]) paid his first visit to apostles
Cao-Phạm on Tuesday 17 November 1925.([19]) He was born on Saturday 29 May 1880,
not 04 July 1880 as shown in his certificate of birth. His father was Vương
Quan Để (1842-1887), son of a military mandarin named Vương Quan Hạc; his
mother was Huỳnh Thị Bảy (1851-1935), daughter of provincial chief Huỳnh Mẫn
Đạt (1807-1882). In 1894 he entered collège de Mỹ Tho; two years later, he
studied at collège Chasseloup-Laubat (Saigon). Passing a civil service
examination (1898), he started his clerical job at Direction of Agriculture and
Commerce (Direction de l’Agriculture et
du Commerce), which belonged to the Palace of the Government of Cochinchina
(Palais du Gouvernement de la Cochinchine)
on Wednesday 18 May 1898. As a successful civil official, he successively was
promoted to the ranks of tri huyện and tri phủ (working at Poll-Tax Service). In
1906 he married Huỳnh Ngọc Phan (1878-1949), from Sa Đéc province. Granted
French citizenship on Saturday 16 March 1912, his given name was Guillaume.
4. Đoàn Văn Bản (1876-1941)
Đoàn Văn Bản, style Văn Long,([20]) was from Tân Uyên village, Chánh Mỹ
Trung canton, Biên Hòa province. Graduated from the pedagogical school named École Normale Primaire d’Instituteurs,
he became an elementary teacher, and finally the headmaster of Cầu Kho
elementary school (today Trần Hưng Đạo elementary school, at 250 Trần Hưng Đạo
street, district 1). From the first marriage, he had no child; the second wife
bore him only one daughter named Đoàn Thị Quới.
On Thursday 14 January 1926, at his
house at 42 Général Leman street, district 1 (today Cao Bá Nhạ street), he
succesfully evoked Caodai God, being bestowed a poem of four seven-word lines.([21]) His own house finally turned into
Cầu Kho holy house, one of a few earliest Caodai places of worship.
5. Lê Văn Giảng (1883-1932)
Lê Văn Giảng ([22]) was from Phong Thới village, Vũng Liêm
district, Vĩnh Long province. His parents were Lê Văn Thoại and Võ Thị Lương.
He got married to Huỳnh Thị Chính (1886-1973). He started his path to Caodai
faith when working as an accountant at a company named Hippolito on Espagne
street (today Lê Thánh Tôn street), district 1, Sài Gòn. Then, he lived at 85 Lagrandière street (today Lý Tự
Trọng street), district 1, Sài Gòn.
6. Inaugurating the God’s altar at
home
Following Ngô Văn Chiêu’s instruction,
apostles Cao-Phạm established the God’s altar at their homes, one by one.
Whenever a new God’s altar was inaugurated, an evocation seance was held there
so that the household could enjoy Caodai God’s blessings. For instance, an
altar inaugurating ritual was performed at Cao Quỳnh Cư’s home on Wednesday 27
January 1926, and the two other ones at Vương Quan Kỳ’s and Lê Văn Trung’s four
days later.
7. Suggestions on meditation practice
On Thursday night 14 January 1926, the First Lady said to Cao Quỳnh Cư,
Phạm Công Tắc, “I beg you two to strive
hard to learn the Dao, nourish and train your spirit so that you will certainly
achieve the Dao (become immortals). Don’t make light of your heavenly positions.
Don’t attach yourselves to worldly illusions, otherwise you’ll fall into
samsara.”
On Wednesday night 27 January 1926, on the occasion of the altar
inauguration at Cao Quỳnh Cư’s home, the heavenly powers descended in turn,
advising the apostles to practise meditation so as to get free from samsara. For
instance, the Seventh Lady said:
“I beg you three [Cư, Sang, Tắc] to consider how this secular world is. Such an ephemerous confederate
rose (hibiscus mutabilis) is much better than a human life because despite its
a-mere-day existence, it still owns its beauty; contrarily, a mortal is born in
order to suffer only. In short, though a person might live to a hundred years,
he hasn’t yet achieved anything with complete satisfaction. Death brings
nothing along with it. This ephemeral life is called the sea of suffering in
Buddhist sutras.
I beg you three to treasure your
immortality (freedom from samsara). Those who lack the
Dao must seek It; so, how regretable if you’ve got It but waste It. You’ve
already been on the right path; hence, follow it and go straight ahead so as to
return to your primordial positions.”
Lê Văn Trung asked, “We wonder
whether we’ve got conditions to practise meditation or not. Please tell us.”
The Seventh Lady replied, “You’ve already
met the Dao; so, you’ve got predestined conditions. Strive hard to cultivate
yourselves. Diligence brings about success. Laziness causes downfall. Let that
be a warning to you. Do think it over soon. A passing day is a day closer to
death. Don’t hesitate. Now, I take my leave.”
8. Worshiping the Three Governors of Majesty
Initially, after the God’s Eye appeared to Ngô Văn Chiêu on Phú Quốc
island (1921), only the Divine Eye was worshiped. Later, on the altar were
added the Three Governors of Majesty, namely Lý Thái Bạch (Li Taibai, the First Governor on behalf of Daoism), Quan Âm (Guanyin, the Second Governor on behalf
of Buddhism), Quan Thánh (Guansheng, the
Third Governor on behalf of Confucianism).
At the altar inauguration at Lê Văn Trung’s home on Sunday 31 January
1926, Caodai God descended and said, “[Lê
Văn] Trung, your’re right when worshiping Me [the God’s Eye] above all. You
should remove Guansheng to My left side and Guanyin to My right side. Li Taibai
is worshiped below Me.”
A few months later, the positions of the Three Governors of Majesty on
the altar were instructed in the two other evocation seances: at Cao Quỳnh Cư’s
home on Thursday 22 April 1926; and at Thiền Lâm holy house (Long Thành
village, Tây Ninh province) on Friday 17 September 1926.
9. The Tiger new year’s eve 1926
The year Ox almost ended. On the last afternoon of that lunar year
(Friday 12 February 1926), obeying Caodai God’s instruction, the apostles got
together to make a tour visiting each disciple’s home. The team brought the
beaked basket so as to hold an evocation seance at each home. Ngô Văn Chiêu was
the seance master (pháp đàn), Cao
Quỳnh Cư and Phạm
Công Tắc were yin-yang
mediums (đồng tử âm dương), Nguyễn
Trung Hậu was the dictator (độc giả, dictating
spirit messages), Tuyết Tân Thành was the transcriber (điển ký).
First, in district 1, the team
visited Võ Văn Sang’s home (in Cầu Muối area). Then they
called on seven ones in turn: Cao Quỳnh Cư (134 Bourdais street), Vương Quan Kỳ (80 Lagrandière
street), Lê Văn Giảng (85
Lagrandière street), Nguyễn Trung Hậu
(in Dakao area), Nguyễn Văn Hoài (address unknown), Phạm Công Tắc (D’Arras street), Đoàn Văn Bản (42 Général Leman street). Later they went on to Nguyễn Hữu Đắc (100 Lục Tỉnh street
Leaving Lý Trọng Quí’s home, the whole team returned to Lê Văn Trung’s,
and arrived just in time for celebrating the lunar new year’s eve. Again, they
held an evocation seance and received Caodai God’s command as follows:
“Chiêu, you’ve promised to spread the
Dao to save mortals. Now you must keep your words by leading all of My
disciples on the path of morality until their fulfilment. You shouldn’t give up
your duties. Do teach them on My behalf.
“Trung, Kỳ, Hoài, you three must go
and save humans on Chiêu’s behalf. Listen and obey Me.
“Bản, Sang, Giảng, Quí, make
yourselves moral to spread the Dao to mortals. Listen and obey Me.
“Đức, practise evocation. Hậu,
practise evocation. Later you two will follow your brethren to save humans.
Listen and obey Me.”
The above instructions by God confirmed Ngô Văn Chiêu’s position as the
Eldest Brother (Anh Cả) of the early
Caodai congregation. According to Caodai New
Law, Eldest Brother is also a title for Pope, namely Giáo Tông.
The evocation seance on the Tiger new year’s eve at Lê Văn Trung’s home
ended the six-month period (from 24 July 1925 till 12 February 1926), during
which apostles Cao-Phạm’s path to Caodai faith was paved by God.
A year later, during the seance on Wednesday 02 February 1927 (the first
day of the traditional Tết), Caodai God said, “This day last year when I established Caodaism, I had only twelve
disciples...” ([25])
According to the above holy message, the Caodai calendar should commence
on the first day of the year Tiger (Saturday 13 February 1926). In other words,
whenever the Vietnamese people’s traditional Tết begins, Caodai disciples should
also start their own new calendar.([26])
HUỆ KHẢI
