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The Four Palaces and Mother Goddesses of Đạo Mẫu

Heaven, Mountains and Forests, Water and Earth: the Four Palaces and their Mother Goddesses in Vietnamese Đạo Mẫu.

Three Realms and Four Palaces

UNESCO's 2016 inscription concerns practices related to the Việt beliefs in the Mother Goddesses of Three Realms. Many present-day communities also articulate an Earth Palace, producing the Four Palaces model. The terms are historically connected but should not be treated as exact synonyms.

Realms and ritual colours

Heaven is commonly red, Mountains and Forests green, Water white and Earth yellow. Costume, music and ritual implements make these affiliations visible during hầu đồng.