By Hải Anh & Minh Phương 

For centuries, the worship of Việt Nam's Mother Goddesses has been an integral part of the country's spiritual and cultural life.

Passed down through generations, this tradition, which UNESCO recognises as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity, reflects people's aspirations for health, prosperity and protection.

Despite its long history and cultural significance, many Vietnamese people do not fully understand this belief system. 

In HCM City, one young spiritual medium wants that to change.

Led by Văn Hồng Thiên, ‘Gõ Chầu Thiên Hội’ is a cultural initiative that aims to digitise, systematise and promote the values and practices of Mother Goddess Worship. 

The project is part of a growing movement in Việt Nam to reimagine cultural heritage in the digital age.

Heritage digital library

From an early age, Thiên has been fascinated by images of the dances, as well as the music and the way the rituals were practiced. It sparked his curiosity and led him to learn more about the practice and its deeper cultural and spiritual meanings.

After years of practice and research, he became determined to help preserve and promote a more authentic understanding of this cultural heritage.

The website thomautamphu.vn integrates the digital library of Vietnamese Mother Goddess Worship, drawing on the digitised archives developed by researcher Lê Văn Thao, as well as the extensive collection of researcher and collector Ngô Nhật Tăng, whose work provides detailed explanations of the sacred legends, historical references and literary allusions embedded in each verse, ensuring the accuracy and reliability of information about the belief system. 

Beyond preserving documents, the platform aims to transform heritage data into opportunities for learning, exploration and community engagement.

“The biggest challenge for our team is finding a way to bring this platform to as many people as possible, so they can gain a complete and accurate understanding of the belief system and have opportunities to engage directly with those who practice it,” Thiên said.

“We are not simply digitising information about the rituals and practices. We are digitising the practitioners themselves. These cultural bearers will be the ones directly sharing their knowledge and experiences with the public, helping people better understand the tradition.”

The digital visual installations and interactive experiences on the platform allow users to explore the heritage in new ways.

“The boundary we set for ourselves is clear: we create new ways for young people to access the heritage, without distorting its original essence,” Võ Đoàn Gia Hân, platform manager, said.

“We preserve the core elements of the heritage, such as its system of symbols, colours, music and the meanings behind each spirit possession ritual.

"At the same time, we reinterpret them through a contemporary artistic language that can better engage young audiences, using formats such as digital visual installations and interactive spatial experiences.

“However, elements that are considered sacred or belong to the actual practice of the belief are treated with the necessary distance. We avoid interfering with, commercialising or excessively stylising these aspects in order to maintain their accuracy and authenticity.”

Another concern for the team is the regional diversity of the belief system. 

Across Vietnamese communities from the north to the south, the ways in which Mother Goddess Worship was followed evolved, giving rise to distinct local identities and traditions.

The team conducted field research in Huế, a city in central Việt Nam, and built a digital archive of local practices. This diversity highlights the dynamic nature of the tradition and demonstrates how local communities have adapted and localised Mother Goddess Worship over time.

Thiên said: “For us, this is a long-term project. In the future, we plan to further expand the database, digitise the knowledge and contributions of more artisans and practitioners and organise more community activities. Our goal is to create a space where young people can explore, learn about and engage with the practice of Mother Goddess Worship.

“In the long run, we hope this project can serve as a pioneering platform led by young people, helping to overcome geographical barriers and bring this belief system closer to young audiences across the country.”

Digital storytelling

Nearly 1,000 kilometres away in Hà Nội, technology is serving the same purpose but in a different way.

Instead of building digital archives, the youth-led media project ‘Xin Chào Việt Nam’ (Hello Việt Nam) is using AI-assisted production and visual storytelling to make cultural heritage resonate with younger audiences online. 

Established in March 2024, the project has built an ecosystem spanning large-scale heritage features and short-form travel and culinary videos that promote local tourism. 

After more than two years of operation, it has gained billions of views, likes and interactions across digital platforms - a success largely attributed to visual creativity and the strategic use of effects-driven editing. 

“For transition videos, we now use advanced editing tools and techniques. We also integrate AI to make the production process more effective,” said Nguyễn Trọng Đan, an editor for the project.

“AI helps us create difficult character designs, alongside 3D mapping and visual techniques that make images more striking. These effects make audiences want to keep watching to understand how those visuals were created.”

Phạm Đức Long, creative director of the project, shared that the shift reflects the changing ways younger generations consume cultural content in today's information-rich digital environment. 

“These tools attract younger audiences to engage with culture in ways that feel natural to them,” he said.

Yet creators stressed that technological innovation must go hand in hand with accuracy and cultural responsibility. 

“Whenever we work on cultural content, we go directly to the heritage sites themselves,” Long said.

“We immerse ourselves in the local practices and traditions of each art form so we can understand them correctly before presenting them to young audiences through social media.”

Driving real-world impact 

The application of digital technology has brought results that extend beyond online engagement metrics.

One prime example is the increased visitor numbers at the Vietnamese Women’s Museum, which partnered with Xin Chào Việt Nam to diversify its outreach and attract younger audiences.

“We wanted to experiment with new forms of communication to engage younger audiences, so we collaborated with Xin Chào Việt Nam,” said Lê Cẩm Nhung, head of communications at the museum. 

Videos such as ‘Bảo tàng Phụ nữ-Chuyện chưa kể’ (Untold Stories of the Women’s Museum), ‘Giải mã 3 hiện vật đặc biệt’ (Decoding Three Special Artefacts, and ‘Bí ẩn quả thông trên nắp hầm chữ A’ (The Mystery of the Pinecone on the A-Hut Cover) or the programme ‘Legends of Youth’ (Huyền thoại tuổi thanh xuân) drew hundreds of thousands of likes and shares. 

According to the museum’s representative, after this series, the number of visitors participating in experiential programmes has increased by around 20 per cent.

From an interactive platform to viral videos, these projects show how technology can be a bridge when paired with the right approach.

Nguyễn Việt Khôi, Vice Rector of the School of Interdisciplinary Sciences and Arts under the Vietnam National University, said Việt Nam possesses favourable conditions, including abundant cultural resources, a young population and high internet penetration. 

Together with national digital transformation policies and growing investment in innovation, these strengths are creating new momentum for the creative economy.

"Việt Nam’s greatest advantage lies in its cultural identity and rich heritage. When combined with modern technology and creative thinking, Vietnamese identity can become a competitive value in the global digital content market," Khôi said. 

Long shares that optimism, though from a creator's perspective. With more and more competitors entering this field, he views them as a sign that the market is finally maturing. 

“That would mean a much larger market where we don’t just retell old stories, but continue developing them into an industry that can generate economic value for the country,” he said. VNS