Everyone immersed themselves in the vibrant atmosphere of the Grand Feast of the Yaochi Palace Banquet to pray for favorable weather, national peace and prosperity and to express their belief that the Divine Mother and the Nine-Tiered Altar descended to earth to bring peace and harmony to the world and to their lives.
Thousands of Cao Dai followers flocked to the Tay Ninh Holy See from the afternoon of October 5th to attend the 2025 Grand Ceremony of the Yao Chi Palace Banquet
In the Cao Dai religion’s main ceremonial system, the Grand Ceremony of the the Yao Chi Palace Banquet holds a significant position, second only to the Grand Ceremony honoring the Supreme Being, in order to pay homage to the Divine Mother and the Nine Immortal Maidens.
The Yaochi Palace Banquet was first held on the full moon of the eighth month of the year of the Ox (1925), and today, 2025 marks the 100th anniversary of the Banquet organization. The grand ceremony included the main ritual of the procession of the Mother Buddha and the Nine Immortal Maidens, dragon - lion - turtle - phoenix dances and offerings of five kinds of fruit, cakes and sweets praying for favorable weather, national peace and prosperity, peace, warmth and happiness for all families. Cao Dai followers displayed fruit offerings, sweets, musical instruments, decorative lanterns and flowers... and reenacted the stories of the Divine Mother and the Nine Immortal Maidens.
The Yaochi Palace Banquet has its origins in an ancient legend that recounts how Emperor Han Wudi received the Buddha Mother at the home of Mr. Cao Quynh Cu. Immediately after the first party for the Mother Goddess and the Nine Immortal Maidens on the full moon night of the eighth month of the year of the Ox (1855), the Lady and the Nine Immortal Maidens descended in turn to thank the three deities and each gave a four-line poem as a memento. Caodaism has embraced and developed this into an indispensable part of its doctrines and rituals.
The Tay Ninh Holy See, the largest religious structure of the Cao Dai religion, is located in Hoa Thanh ward, 5km from the Tay Ninh administrative center, with a grounds covering more than 1 square kilometer.The grand ceremony consists of two parts: the ritual and the festivities, lasting from evening until midnight, featuring spectacular performances by phoenix dance troupes, musicians, drummers, dancers and lion dance troupes.
The ceremonial part of the ritual on the night of the 15th of August in the lunar calendar lasts from afternoon until midnight. At midnight, a small altar is offered at the temple; at noon, an altar dedicated to the Mother Buddha is offered. The ceremonial area is arranged solemnly. Many elaborate and vibrant offerings, including the four mythical creatures (dragon, unicorn, turtle, phoenix) made from fruits, and five kinds of fruit are displayed at the temple of the Mother Buddha to express the reverence of the believers. On the altar, there is one cup and one teacup reserved for the Divine Mother, and to the right, there is another cup and teacup for venerating the Supreme Being. Below is a long table displaying offerings, with 12 chairs for the Nine Immortal Maidens, Guardian Deities, High-Ranking Officials and High-Ranking Beings, all decorated with embroidered flowers, on top are placed the exquisite treasures of each deity.
The celebratory part of the Grand Ceremony includes a procession of floats depicting the Mother Buddha and the Nine Immortal Maidens, comprising dignitaries from the Holy See, distinguished guests, and thousands of devout men and women, parishioners and citizens, moving towards the center of the Holy See. In addition, there are also dragon-horse dances and four-mythical-creature dances (incense dragon, jade unicorn, turtle and phoenix). Especially, the highlight of the grand ceremony is the incense dragon dance, a unique feature only found in Tay Ninh, with its uniqueness lying in the dragon’s body, nearly 20 meters long, controlled by 30 dancers and the coordination between the mascots in the dance along with the blazing red flames, which delights the audience. In addition, attendees of the Grand Ceremony were able to admire hundreds of meticulously crafted works of art depicting dragons, phoenixes and fairies made from vegetables and fruits, donated by various parishes.
Beyond its religious significance, the Grand ceremony of The Yaochi Palace Banquet has become a quintessential cultural festival of Tay Ninh during the full moon of the eighth lunar month, attracting hundreds of thousands of pilgrims and international tourists, contributing to the preservation and promotion of Vietnamese cultural identity, moral traditions and a connection to the roots of the Vietnamese nation.
