INITIAL STEPS OF
CAODAI EXOTERICISM
I. A SHORT PERIOD OF UNION
1. God’s birth anniversary
According to the Vietnamese
traditional folk belief, the God’s birth anniversary is celebrated on the ninth
of the first lunar month.([1]) Hence, on Saturday 20 and into the small hours of Sunday
21 February 1926 (i.e., in the Mouse’s hour on the ninth of the Tiger year’s
first month), the Caodai
God’s birth anniversary was observed at Vương Quan Kỳ’s home by Ngô Văn
Chiêu and his brethren. Then, Caodai God descended, bestowing a four-line poem upon them:
Seeing more blooms, I’m
so at ease
Diversity will surely
turn into unity
Live in harmony, try to
nurse morality
Be staunch and you’ll all come to Me.
Ngô Văn Chiêu begged Caodai God for a poem including all the attendees’
given names as a souvenir. In response to his begging, a divine poem was
bestowed. Apart from their fifteen names, the underlined words litterally mean:
Chiêu Kỳ Trung độ dẫn [delivering] Hoài sanh [life]
Bản đạo khai [religion starting] Sang Quí Giảng thành [achieving, accomplishing]
Hậu Đức Tắc Cư thiên địa cảnh [heaven
and earth scenery]
Huờn
Minh Mân đáo thủ đài danh [arriving and winning elevated names].
As Chiêu was the Eldest Brother of the group, his name is at the very
beginning of the opening line of God’s poem; subsequent to it are the names of
(Vương Quan) Kỳ, (Lê Văn) Trung, and (Nguyễn Văn) Hoài. The second line refers
to (Đoàn Văn) Bản, (either Cao Hoài or Võ Văn) Sang, (Lý Trọng) Quí, and (Lê
Văn) Giảng. The third line mentions (Nguyễn Trung) Hậu, (Trương Hữu) Đức, (Phạm
Công) Tắc, and (Cao Quỳnh) Cư. Finally, the three guests’ names Huờn, Minh, and
Mân are in the closing line.
Every Saturday at his rented house at
110 Bonard boulevard, district 1, Sài Gòn (today Lê Lợi avenue
2. Ngô Văn Chiêu’s
separation from exoteric activities
In April 1926, about three months after
Ngô Văn Chiêu’s union with apostles Cao-Phạm, Caodai God told Lê Văn Trung, Cao
Quỳnh Cư, and Phạm Công Tắc to inform Chiêu of a papal robe to be made for him
(a white one embroidered with the eight trigrams). Hương Hiếu made the robe as
designed by Caodai God.
On Sunday 18 April 1926, Caodai God told
Hương Hiếu to make a white papal hat, 33.3cm high. The following day, she
presented Caodai God the first replica papal hat made of paper. Four days
later, at the evocation seance held at Hương Hiếu’s home, when presenting
Caodai God the second replica papal hat, she was rather in a hurry; then,
Caodai God said to her, “Well done! But
take it easy as no one wears it!” ([3])
Did God prophesy that Ngô
Văn Chiêu would refuse the papacy? Indeed, Chiêu decided to detach
himself from the exoteric activities initiated by apostles Cao-Phạm and their
brethren so that he could devote himself to meditation achievement to lay a
solid foundation of Caodai esotericism.
Ngô
Văn Chiêu refused the papacy on Saturday 24 April 1926. He refunded Hương Hiếu
the money she had spent on the papal robe and hat. Despite his refusal, Ngô Văn
Chiêu is still respected as the First Caodai Pope.([4])
II. NEW KEY FIGURES FOR EXOTERIC ACTIVITIES
In the first eight months of the year
Tiger (1926), for Caodai exoteric activities there were more key figures,
including the five following apostles:
1. Lê Văn Lịch (1890-1947)
Lê Văn Lịch, style Thạch Ẩn Tử, was born on Tuesday 14 October 1890 in
Long An village (later belonging to Cần Giuộc district, Chợ Lớn province).([5]) His mother was Trần Thị Đắc
(1854-1910). His father was Lê Văn Tiểng (1843-1913), who was a Minh Sư priest
at the rank of Thái Lão Sư, acquiring the dharma name Lê Đạo Long, and founding
Vĩnh Nguyên Tự, a pagoda in Long An village, Cần Giuộc district. Because
several Minh Sư pagodas (called phật
đường, buddha halls) often protected patriotic resistance fighters against
French colonialism, they were frequently placed under severe security watch by
secret police. Perhaps, to avoid persecution, Vĩnh Nguyên Tự turned into the
sole pagoda of Minh Đường 明堂, as
shortened from Minh Sư Phật Đường 明師佛堂.
Lê Văn Lịch married Trần Thị Khá (1889-1942), daughter of Thái Lão Sư
Trần Đạo Minh (1857-1927, real name Trần Văn Thụ, disciple of Thái Lão Sư Lê
Đạo Long). Lịch’s two daughters were Lê Thị Nhiều (1911-2006, holy name Diệu
Phong), and Lê Ngọc Trang (1919-1986, holy name Bạch Tuyết, who became a True
Immortal 真仙 named Quán Pháp Chơn Tiên 觀法真仙).
Following his father’s path of self-cultivation, Lê Văn Lịch became a
priest at the rank of Dẫn Ân 引恩 (yin
en: leading grace), acquiring the dharma name Lê Xương Tịnh. Then, he was
qualified to be the head of Vĩnh Nguyên Tự.
On Thursday 04 March 1926, obeying Caodai God’s command, Nguyễn Ngọc
Tương (then chief of Cần Giuộc disctrict) came to Vĩnh Nguyên Tự together with
some apostles, asking for its head’s permission to hold an evocation seance
there. Caodai God descended first, and said, “Lịch, I admit you into My disciple circle. (…) Lịch, I permit your
father, Tiểng, to speak to you.” Then, His Holiness Thái Lão Sư Lê Đạo Long
descended, told His son Lê Văn Lịch and His Minh Đường disciples that He had
achieved the Dao, becoming a True Man 真人 named Như Ý Đạo Thoàn Chơn Nhơn 如意道禪真人. All
Vĩnh Nguyên Tự congregants joyfully obeyed their founding patriarch’s command,
and unanimously converted to Caodaism.
On Saturday 10 April 1926, obeying Caodai God’s command, Lê Văn Trung
inaugurated the God’s altar at Vĩnh Nguyên Tự, and the rural pagoda turned into
one of the earliest Caodai holy houses.
2. Nguyễn Ngọc Thơ (1873-1950)
and Lâm Ngọc Thanh (1874-1937)
Nguyễn Ngọc Thơ, whose real name was Nguyễn Văn Tơ, was born in 1873 in
Bãi Xàu (today belonging to Mỹ Xuyên district, Sóc Trăng province).([6]) His parents were Nguyễn Hưng Học
(1839-1899) and Trần Thị Thảo. Aged over twenty, moving to Sài Gòn and settling
in Cầu Kiệu area (Tân Định, district 1), he became a prosperous contractor,
businessman, and rubber plantation owner, whose house was situated at 439 Paul
Blanchy street (today Hai Bà Trưng street). Besides French and Chinese
characters, he had a good command of oriental medicine.
His first wife, Mai Thị Thình (1880-1904), bore him a daughter named
Nguyễn Thị Hương (1901-1998), whose spouse was Trương Văn Tuấn (teaching at
collège Chasseloup-Laubat and running a famous printing house named Đức Lưu
Phương in Saigon ). Thơ’s daughter was divinely
bestowed the rank of Priest (Giáo Hữu)
on Tuesday 15 February 1927.
Nguyễn Ngọc Thơ became a Buddhist layman, whose master was monk Như Nhãn,
head bonze of the Giác Lâm pagoda, located in Phú Lâm, district 6, Saigon . There, around 1919, he met Lâm Ngọc Thanh, a
wealthy lady landowner from Vũng Liêm district (Vĩnh Long province). Then, they
both lived in widowhood.
Lâm Ngọc Thanh was born in 1874. After her father’s death, she was in the
care of Trần Thị Sanh (1855-1906), her mother, in Trung Tín village (later
belonging to Vũng Liêm district, Vĩnh Long province).([7]) Her first spouse was Huỳnh Văn Xây
(1878-1908), whom she bore a daughter named Huỳnh Thị Hồ in 1898. After Xây’s
death, she became monk Như Nhãn’s lay disciple.
From their remarriage, the middle-aged couple had no more children. They
were both rich patrons supporting monk Như Nhãn, their master. In mid-July
1926, however, the couple converted to Caodai faith.
Previously, in Cần Giuộc district (Chợ Lớn province) on Saturday 27 February
1926, Caodai God converted Phạm Tấn Đãi. Then, in July, God told Đãi to meet Lê
Văn Trung in Saigon and they two were to visit
Nguyễn Ngọc Thơ in Tân Định.
Explaining the reason of their first meeting, the two uninvited guests
told the householder of Caodai God’s message. The latter insisted that he would
never believe such a tale until he himself could successfully contact heavenly
powers. Right then, his spouse was staying in Vũng Liêm district.
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 執筆) to receive God’s message. His
questions on his very private affairs were exactly answered. Altogether
convinced, he and his spouse willingly joined Caodai faith on Thursday 15 July
1926. Later, the Buddhist pagoda which Lâm Ngọc Thanh had built in front of her
house in Vũng Liêm was transformed into a Caodai temple, i.e., Vũng Liêm holy
house.
3. Nguyễn Ngọc Tương (1881-1951)
Nguyễn Ngọc Tương ([8]) was born on Wednesday 22
June 1881 in An Hội village, Bảo Hựu canton (later belonging to Bến Tre
province). His parents were Nguyễn Ngọc Đẩu (1857-1882) and Võ Thị Sót
(1856-1919). After his father’s death (July 1882), Tương lived in the care of
Nguyễn Hữu Chơn (1832-1908), his grandfather.
Tương entered collège de Mỹ Tho (1897), then
attended collège Chasseloup-Laubat in Saigon (1900) until his graduation
(1902), after which he passed a secretarial examination and qualified for his
one-year-long job at Direction de l’Intérieur in Saigon .
Subsequently, he was transferred to Bến Tre province, where he spent seventeen
continuous years (1903-1920) as a civil official. Passing an administrative
examination in late 1919, he was promoted to the rank of
tri huyện.
He got married to Trương Thị Tài (1886-1906), who
delivered a daughter and a son. From the second marriage in 1908 with Bùi Thị
Giàu (1884-1937), he had three sons and two daughters.
In 1920, he was appointed chief of Châu Thành
district, Cần Thơ province. Three months later, he became chief of Hòn Chông
district, Hà Tiên province. During the years in Hòn Chông, he observed
vegetarianism, practising meditation as instructed by a Minh Sư priest.
In 1924, he was chief of Cần Giuộc district, Chợ
Lớn province, and was promoted to the rank of tri phủ during
his service there.
On Monday 01 February 1926, apostles Lê Văn
Trung, Cao Quỳnh Cư, and Phạm Công Tắc begged Caodai God to let them leave for
Cần Giuộc district so as to initiate district chief Nguyễn Ngọc Tương into the
new faith. Thus, Tương’s discipleship began in Cần Giuộc, where he earnestly
paid evening visits from place to place either for preaching or for
inaugurating new God’s altars. The number of new Caodaists increased rapidly,
not only in Cần Giuộc but also in some neighbouring districts.
On Saturday 27 February 1926, at an evocation seance held in Nguyễn Ngọc
Tương’s residence (the Cần Giuộc district chief’s palace), Caodai God said to
him, “Tương! From now onward, any area you govern will enjoy great blessings.” God bestowed him the following four-line
poem:
You’re a ruler, and I’m the Ruler
Divine
Please absolutely lead your moral
life
Year after year, be steadfast and try
To help wrong humans step to the
right.
4. Trần Đạo Quang (1870-1946)
Trần Đạo Quang, whose real name was Trần Thanh Nhàn, was born on Saturday
31 December 1870 in Ban Dầy (later belonging to Cai Lậy district, Định Tường
province).([9]) He was the only son amongst the
children of Trần Chí Hiếu and Dương Mỹ Hậu, a peasant couple who followed Phổ
Tế school of Minh Sư faith.
Trần Thanh Nhàn also followed his parents’ faith (1881), observed
perpetual vegetarianism (1884), and left home for a monastic life (1890). At
the rank of Thái Lão Sư, acquiring the dharma name Trần Đạo Quang (1914), he
was qualified to be the head of Linh Quang Tự (in Gò Vấp district, Gia Định
province), the ancestral pagoda of Phổ Tế school.
In early 1926, obeying Caodai God’s
command, Lê Văn Trung and some of his brethren came to Linh Quang Tự, asking
for its head’s permission to hold an evocation seance there. Caodai God
descended, telling Thái Lão Sư Trần Đạo Quang to join Caodaism. Thái Lão Sư
willingly obeyed God. Later, following Thái Lão Sư’s example, Minh Sư adherents
in Cochinchina and Annam
(central Vietnam Lê Lợi street HCM
City
II. A NUMBER OF DIGNITARY RANKS CONFERRED BY GOD IN THE
LATENT YEARS OF CAODAISM
In the first eight months of the year Tiger (1926), Caodai God conferred
dignitary ranks on a number of His disciples so as to prepare for the founding
of the Holy Assembly (Hội Thánh 聖會). Below
are the dates of the divine conferment upon the earliest dignitaries, except
for Student-Priests (Lễ Sanh 禮生):
On Monday 26 April 1926, at Lê Văn Trung’s home in Chợ Lớn (China
- Daoist Cardinal (Thượng Đầu Sư 上頭師) Lê Văn Trung, holy name Thượng Trung
Nhựt, and Confucian Cardinal (Ngọc Đầu Sư 玉頭師) Lê Văn
Lịch, holy name Ngọc Lịch Nguyệt. Then, Buddhist Cardinal (Thái Đầu Sư 太頭師) was not chosen yet.
- Dharma Protector (Hộ Pháp 護法) Phạm
Công Tắc, and his college of mediums including Cao Quỳnh Cư, Trương Hữu Đức,
and Nguyễn Trung Hậu.
- Two preachers Vương Quan Kỳ and Đoàn Văn Bản.
Wednesday 23 June 1926: Daoist Bishop (Thượng Giáo Sư 上教師)
Vương Quan Kỳ.
Saturday 26 June 1926: Daoist Archbishop (Thượng Phối Sư 上配師) Nguyễn Ngọc Tương, and Daoist Bishop
Ngô Văn Kim.
Saturday 17 July 1926: four Daoist Bishops Ngô Tường Vân, Nguyễn Phát
Đạt, Nguyễn Văn Kinh, and Nguyễn Văn Muồi (Mùi?).
Monday 10 August 1926: Buddhist Archbishop (Thái Phối Sư 太配師) Nguyễn Ngọc Thơ.
Tuesday 10 August 1926: Confucian Archbishop (Ngọc Phối Sư 玉配師) Lê Bá Trang.
Sunday 22 August 1926: Buddhist Bishop (Thái Giáo Sư 太教師) Lê Văn Nhung (formerly Buddhist
Karma, from Vạn Phước pagoda).
Sunday 29 August 1926: Buddhist Bishop Nguyễn Văn Luật (formerly Buddhist
Karma, from Hội Phước pagoda).
Tuesday 31 August 1926: Daoist Legist-Censor (Thượng Chưởng Pháp 上掌法) Nguyễn Văn Tương (formerly Minh Sư
dignitary).
Monday 13 September 1926: Buddhist Bishop Lâm Quang Bính.
Saturday 25 September 1926 (19-8 Bính Dần): Daoist Archbishop Lê Văn Hóa,
and Daoist Bishop Nguyễn Văn Chức.
Wednesday 29 September 1926: two Daoist Priests (Thượng Giáo Hữu 上教友) Đoàn Văn Bản and Huỳnh Văn Giỏi.([10])
Holy last name for male dignitaries of Cửu Trùng Đài
On Sunday 08 August 1926 at Vĩnh Nguyên Tự (Long An village, Cần Giuộc
district, Chợ Lớn province), Caodai God conferred holy last name Thanh upon male dignitaries of Cửu Trùng
Đài (九重臺 the Nonuple hierarchy). For instance, Lê Bá Trang of Ngọc (Confucian) branch was named Ngọc
Trang Thanh; Nguyễn Ngọc Tương of Thượng
(Daoist) branch was named Thượng Tương Thanh; Nguyễn Ngọc Thơ of Thái (Buddhist) branch was named Thái
Thơ Thanh.
*
By the end of September 1926, the earliest apostles had to carry out a
number of essential tasks so as to pave the path for the Caodai Inauguration to
be held in Long Thành village, Tây Ninh province in November 1926.([11])
The earliest apostles were from all
walks of life. Their only sameness was that no one had been trained
professionally or academically to become a missionary competent enough. Despite
that deficiency, by the 1926 autumn, they had managed to attract at least about
three hundred adherents who wholeheartedly believed in the new religion.
Obviously, such a phenomenal outcome mainly depended upon inspiring evocation
seances held in various areas for exoteric purpose. Nevertheless, their initial
success also required them to soon legalise the emergence of their nascent
congregation. That was why the registration of Caodai legal entity became an
issue to deal with.
HUỆ KHẢI
