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"Gold Sand Painting and the Mother Goddess Worship in Hang Trong Paintings" is one of two talk shows within the "Spiritual Colors of Vietnam" project. This project aims to bring together the spiritual beauty of Vietnamese folk paintings from four famous styles: Hang Trong, Dong Ho, Kim Hoang, and Lang Sinh; combined with the art of Gold Sand Painting – an art form improved by Hue enamelware that had been lost for over a century. The goal is to honor the cultural values, identity, and religion that have been formed and developed by the Vietnamese people.
The painting "Five Tiger Generals" in the Hang Trong style of gold-painted paintings.
The talk show "Kim Sa Painting and the Mother Goddess Worship in Hang Trong Paintings," organized by Hoa Gam, brought together art and folk culture enthusiasts. It offered unique experiences combining artistic value and tradition. The talk show also featured artisan Le Dinh Nghien, the last remaining practitioner of the Hang Trong folk painting technique.
In particular, besides conveying meaningful messages about traditional values to the public, attendees also had the opportunity to admire the painting "Five Tiger Generals" - the first painting in Vietnam created using the art of Kim Sa painting.
Artisan Le Dinh Nghien (left), the last person to still possess the secret of Hang Trong folk painting.
Ms. Nguyen Hoang Oanh, the founder of Hoa Gam and the person directly responsible for restoring and creating new paintings using traditional art, said: "In Vietnamese beliefs, the tiger is considered a powerful and majestic mythical creature. From there, it gradually entered art, becoming a distinctive feature in Vietnamese folk paintings."
In the Mother Goddess worship tradition of the Three and Four Realms, the Five Tiger Generals belong to the system of deities revered and worshipped by the people as the lowest rank. It can be said that the worship of the tiger deity did not develop independently but existed alongside other religions and beliefs, especially the Mother Goddess worship. Therefore, we created the Five Tiger Generals painting in the Golden Sand painting style to continue the beautiful values left behind by Hang Trong paintings. In addition, all the paintings aim to convey to the younger generation the beauty of traditional art in the most accessible and unique way, while also infusing a touch of modernity into ancient painting art."
Ms. Nguyen Hoang Oanh (center) - the founder of Hoa Gam, is also the person directly responsible for restoring paintings and creating new paintings using ancient art techniques.
The worship of Mother Goddess is known as a folk belief that appeared very early in the cultural life of the Vietnamese people, deeply rooted in indigenous and primitive traditions, and has existed throughout the nation's history. The practice of worshipping Mother Goddess itself originates from the matriarchal system that has been consistent throughout the formation of the Vietnamese psyche.
The Mother Goddess worship tradition embodies many rich and diverse traditional cultural values. Worshiping the Mother Goddess is synonymous with the desire for protection, fertility, and creation. Unlike other religions and beliefs, it focuses on the real, earthly, and intimate aspects of life, as the Mother Goddess religion prioritizes the earthly lives of people in many ways, such as health, wealth, luck, and happiness. The Mother Goddess worship also uniquely expresses patriotism and the principle of remembering one's roots, as the figures worshipped in Mother Goddess temples and shrines are often heroes who bravely fought and sacrificed for the independence and freedom of the nation.
The paintings depicting the Mother Goddesses in Hang Trong style have achieved certain values in terms of both religious belief and artistic merit. This is a unique and distinctive type of religious painting.
The talk show "Kim Sa Painting and the Mother Goddess Worship in Hang Trong Paintings" not only sincerely honors traditional arts but also represents a fresh and passionate affirmation by the younger generation of the past and the beautiful historical values of our nation. To ensure that traditional arts can fully develop their essence, the talk show aims to rediscover a lost art form and gain a deeper understanding of a belief recognized by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity.
