Tan Chau Riverfront
by Carolyn Derstine
Title
Tan Chau Riverfront
Artist
Carolyn Derstine
Medium
Photograph - Photograph
Description
Tan Chau is a town located in the Mekong Delta region of southern Vietnam, just south of the Cambodian border. Prominent in this view of the Tan Chau riverfront is the colorful temple, Thanh that Tan Chau, which is of the Cai Dai religion. Caodaism was founded in southern Vietnam in 1926 and is now the third largest religion in Vietnam after Buddhism and Roman Catholicism. Caodaism merges the symbols, beliefs, and practices of many religions prevalent in Vietnam in the early 20th century including Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism, and Roman Catholicism, highlighting the unity of all religions and universal peace. Tan Chau is home to several other temples, one of which is the Long Duc Buddhist temple, also visible in this riverfront view. A note of caution regarding the swastikas on top of some towers: The swastika is actually one of humankind's oldest known symbols and has been used by many cultures throughout the world as a positive symbol of prosperity and good fortune. In Buddhism, the symbol is known as “manji” and signifies the Buddha’s footsteps. It is still used today to mark the location of Buddhist temples.
Uploaded
August 5th, 2023
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