Cao Dai

(University of Dhaka, Bangladesh – May 30, 2021) At the invitation of the Bangladesh Society for the Study of Culture and Religion (BSSCR), Dr. Mohammad Jahangir Alam delivered a Keynote Speech on A Socio-historical Overview of the Syncretic Origin of Caodaism at the 2nd Annual Conference of the BSSCR (online via google meet) on  Saturday, May 29, 2021  at  11 am . Dr. Alam is an Associate Professor of the Department of World Religions and Culture at the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. He is considered as  an expert on Caodaism.

( by Rev. Canh Tran April 21, 2021 ) O n the eve of the New Year 2021 (Year of the Buffalo), on behalf of His Eminence Cardinal Thuong Tam Thanh, Chairman of the Cao Dai Sacerdotal Council at the Tay Ninh Holy See, as well as dignitaries in Tay Ninh and Cao Dai Overseas Missionary, we sincerely wish His Excellency Yun Eun-Do, President of Daesoon Jinrihoe, together with his family, the dignitaries of Daesoon Jinrihoe, and the wonderful readers of Global Daesoon GOOD HEALTH, HAPPINESS, LONGEVITY AND PROSPERITY, but above all else we pray you receive

(News from the Cao Dai Holy See in Tay Ninh on February 20, 20 21 - Photos by Thanh Thuy, Huu Loi and Caodai TV group) The program for the Great Festival Commemorating God in the Year of the Ox (2021) was as follows: February 19, 20 21 + 08:00am: - Grand Opening Ceremony of the Great Festival on the front plaza of  the Holy Temple. Cardinal THUONG TAM THANH, Chairman of the Sacerdotal Council of Caodaism delivered the opening speech, and presided over  the ribbon-cutting ceremony. The Cardinal then took the guests for an inspection tour of the 28 exhibition booths.  

(From Taipei January 1, 2021 - Report and photos by: Cao Dai Taipei Congregation – Weixin Shengjiao TV) On the morning of the New Year January 1, 2021, a delegation of 5 members of the Cao Dai Taipei Congregation, consisting of : 1. Sub-dignitary Nguyen Tuan Em, Acting Cao Dai Congregation Chief, Delegation leader 2. Sub-dignitary Ly Thi Thuy Trang - Secretary of the Congregation 3. Ms. Nguyen Thanh Tuyen, member 4. Ms. Nguyen Le Hong An, member 5. Mr. Duong Van Trinh, member attended the 15th annual "Chinese United Worship Ceremony" at the invitation of Dr. Fiona Hsin-Fang Chang, Director, Research and Development

(Taipei 12/12/2020 – Reported by Taipei Cao Dai Congregation) On 11 December 2020, Sub-dignitary Nguyen Tuan Em, Congregation Chief and Ly Thi Thuy Trang, Secretary of the Taiwan Taipei-based Cao Dai Congregation, both participated in a Virtual International Conference called “ New Religions in East Asia: Development and Internationalization ” at the Invitation from the Graduate Institute for Religious Studies, Cheng Chi University, Taiwan.  

(Taipei, Taiwan, 21st Nov 2020 – Reported by Taipei Caodai Congregation) Following the invitation of Reverend Thuong Canh Thanh (President of Cao Dai Overseas Missionary) and Taipei Caodai Congregation, at 10:30AM on November 21st 2020, the delegation consisting of 11 delegates from Weixin Shengjiao (Taichung, Taiwan), Daesoon Jinrihoe (South Korea) and Taiwan Cheng Chi University paid a visit to the worship place of Taipei Cao Dai Congregation.

(Westminster, California, Nov 22, 2020 – By Rev. Canh Tran) As researchers and scholars are aware of, Caodaism is a spiritist religion, based completely on divine messages received from God and other Divinities to establish the religion in 1926 in Viet Nam. Many people consider SPIRITISM as an occult activity, and nobody comes up with the idea or concept to consider it as a religion. Until now. An article written by a freelance journalist Meagan Drillinger on Sep. 16, 2020, has listed the “20 Largest Religions in the World”, in which CAO DAI is ranked No. 15 and SPIRITISM is ranked No. 10. Here are the 20 religions mentioned

(Manhattan, Kansas, Nov 9, 2020 – Reported and translated by Thanh Thuy Caodai TV). On November 9 th , 2020 (Fall semester), Professor Dr. Michael Wesch gave an introduction lecture of the Cao Dai Religion to his students at Kansas State University (USA). This lecture is within the “Introduction to World's Religions” course, Anthropology major. The Kansas State University (USA) - the oldest public institution of higher learning in the state of Kansas, was founded in 1863, and ranked #170 in National Universities (according to the latest report of U.S. News & World Report).

(Cao Dai Tay Ninh Holy See, October 25, 2020 - Pictures by Huu Loi - Report by Thanh Thuy) On October 25, 2020, the filmmaking team of Arab24 News Agency (A24 News Agency) led by Mr. Nguyen Ha Le and a photographer came to Tay Ninh Holy See to do a reportage on the Cao Dai religion. According to the schedule of the delegation, at 10:00 am, His Eminence Cardinal Thuong Tam Thanh, Chairman of the Cao Dai Sacerdotal Council, welcomed the film crew and gave an interview at the Cardinal’s Office.  

(Saigon October 9, 2020 – Photos taken by Deacon Thuong Van Thanh) At the invitation of Ms. Marie C. D’Amour, Consul General of the United States of America in  Ho Chi Minh City, at 6 p.m. on Friday, October 9, 2020, His Eminence Cardinal Thuong Tam Thanh, Chairman of the Cao Dai Sacerdotal Council Tay Ninh Holy See, together with Deacon Thuong Van Thanh, Deputy Head of Cao Dai Overseas Missionary, came to the residence of  the US Consul General on Nguyen Du Street, HCMC, to attend the reception in honor of the 244th Anniversary of the American Independence Day

(Dhaka Oct. 7, 2020 - Reported by Rev. Canh Tran) The Vice Chancellor of the University of Dhaka, Professor Dr. Md. Akhtaruzzaman handed over a cheque of MPhil Research Grant of Cao Dai Overseas Missionary (CDOM), California, USA, for this year 2020 to Injamam Mahbub Mojumder at his office on Wednesday October, 7, 2020. The Chairperson of the Department of World Religions and Culture, Professor Dr. Fazrin Huda and Dr. Mohammad Jahangir Alam, Associate Professor were present at the event

(Tay Ninh Holy See, October 3, 2020 - Pictures taken by Rev. Thuong Em Thanh and Caodai TV team: Huu Loi - Hong Nhan - Minh Triet. Report by Thanh Thuy) According to tradition since the establishment of Dai Dao Tam Ky Pho Do, every year on the full moon day of the eighth lunar calendar, all Cao Dai adepts gather at the Holy See to celebrate the Great Festival Commemorating the Holy Mother Goddess and Her 9 Muses (called “Hoi Yen Dieu Tri Cung”). This is an opportunity for all children to show their infinite filial piety and faith to the Holy Mother Goddess

(Report from Taipei, 27 June 2020. Pictures by Weixin Shengjiao) Following the invitation from  Weixin Shengjiao Taiwan, in the morning of June 26, 2020 (Lunar Calendar 5 th May, Year of the Rat), Religious Chief Nguyen Tuan Em, Acting Head of the newly founded Taipei Cao Dai Congregation and Mrs. Ly Thi Thuy Trang, Secretary of the Congregation, participated in the Gratification Ceremony on the Dragon Boat Festival held by Weixin Shengjiao in Nantou, Taiwan.

Question 1: I see that all members join their hands, bow and prostrate. This must be the Caodai Mudra. Can you explain the meaning of this gesture? Answer:   The Vietnamese term of Caodai Mudra is called  “ Ấn Tý” (in Vietnamese, Ấn: mudra, Tý: year of Rat /first year of the Chinese lunar calendar ) . This particular gesture of the hands underscores underlying esoteric meanings in Caodai teachings. God’s message: “Left [hand] is the Sun, Right [hand] is the Moon, the two of them represent Yin and Yang. The unity of Yin and Yang created the Cosmos-genesis and from that all things have been given rise to and transformed, that is the way of Tao to be expressed”      

(From Tay Ninh Holy See Feb 02, 2020 – News and photos from Huu Loi, Le Cuong and Caodai TV group) The Great Festival Commemorating God in the Year of the Rat 2020 has proceeded according to the Sacerdotal Council's Program as follows: The 8th of January Canh Ty (Feb. 01-2020) + 08:00: -  Opening Ceremony of 33 exhibition booths on the communal plaza in front of the Temple. Cardinal Thuong Tam Thanh, Chairman of the Cao Dai Sacerdotal Council delivers the opening speech.