Cao Dai Temple in Tay Ninh in southern Vietnam

by Silva Wischeropp

The Asian temple image is an analogue photograph from my series:
“Passage to Vietnam”, taken during my three-month photographic journey in Vietnam in 2000 using a Nikon FE2 camera.
The Cao Dai Temple in Tay Ninh is a feast of colours and symbolism – dragons, mosaics and the all-seeing divine eye.
During the midday ceremony, worshippers clad in robes sing beneath the colourful dome.
The Cao Dai Temple in Tay Ninh (officially Tòa Thánh Tây Ninh or the ‘Holy See’)
is the global headquarters of Cao Dai.
It is situated around 100 kilometres north-west of Ho Chi Minh City and was built between 1933 and 1955. This unique, colourful temple complex combines elements of churches, mosques and Asian pagodas.

Caodaism is a syncretic religion founded in Vietnam in 1926.
It blends the teachings of the world’s major religions and philosophies:
Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism
Christianity and Islam
Central symbol:
The ‘Divine Eye’ within a triangle, which adorns the altar and the windows and represents God.
Saints: Alongside the founders of the religions, historical figures such as Victor Hugo and Joan of Arc are also venerated.

The temple is striking for its vibrant colours (particularly yellow, blue and red, which represent Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism).
The interior is laid out like a cathedral, with a colonnade entwined by dragons and a starry sky on the ceiling.
The hierarchy: During ceremonies, worshippers wear white robes, whilst the priests are dressed in bright yellow, blue or red, depending on their philosophical affiliation.