Lacquer Painting ( TỨ PHỦ CÔNG ĐỒNG )

Tứ phủ công đồng (Four Palaces) or Tứ phủ (Four Realms) is a belief system within the Vietnamese Mother Goddess worship (Tín ngưỡng thờ Mẫu Việt Nam). The Four Palaces encompass:

• Thiên phủ (Celestial Realm): Governed by the First Mother (Mẫu đệ nhất or Mẫu Thượng Thiên), who controls the heavens and holds power over clouds, rain, wind, storms, and thunder.
• Nhạc phủ (Mountain Realm): Overseen by the Second Mother (Mẫu đệ nhị or Mẫu Thượng Ngàn), who watches over the forests and mountains, bestowing wealth upon all living beings.
• Thuỷ phủ (Water Realm): Ruled by the Third Mother (Mẫu đệ tam or Mẫu Thoải), who reigns over rivers and waters, aiding rice cultivation and the fishing industry.
• Địa phủ (Earth Realm): Managed by the Fourth Mother (Mẫu đệ tứ or Mẫu Địa Phủ), who governs the land and is the source of all life.

Hanging a “Tứ Phủ Công Đồng” painting in a respectful place at home is believed to help the homeowner be protected and sheltered, experience a peaceful mind, be free from illness, and have smooth and favorable fortune.