• Year: 2020
• Medium: watercolor on silk

In Vietnamese folklore, Mister Thread and Madam Moon are revered as the deities of love and marriage. Their origins can be traced back to the Chinese myth of Yuè Xià Lǎorén, wherein an old man sitting beneath the Moon reading a book in which he records the romantic destiny of each human and binding together fated couples. However, the Vietnamese adaptation of this concept has given rise to a divine couple of male and female deities. Mister Thread binds the couples while Madam Moon moderates their relationships.

The union of many separate silk strings, braided together, forms a single thread with remarkable dura- bility. As a result, the silk thread has come to symbolize the unyielding bond of a couple. Lord of the Silk Thread, a male deity on the left, uses this thread to initiate new relationships.

Meanwhile, the Moon has long been associated with prosperity and fertility. A wedded couple traditionally hopes for numer- ous offsprings and an abundance of wealth. However, the Moon’s signif- icance extends far beyond material benefits as it is also believed to play a central role in the establishment of a harmonious family. As the embod- iment of the it’s divine power, Lady of the Moon is the female deity on the right, nurturing the formed relation- ships.

While visual depictions of Mister Thread and Madam Moon are scarce, they have nonetheless left an indelible mark on Vietnamese culture through their presence in literature and everyday talks. With this painting by Đoàn Thành Lộc, the vision of this divine pair has been brought to life one more time, illumi- nating their significance and inspiring a deeper appreciation of their mythos.

Mister Thread wears a mandarin’s attire from the Later Lê dynasty, including an ô sa hat and a red gown with cloud patterns. The gown features a bổ tử rank badge embroidered with a dragon on the chest. He wears his hair down. The god is depicted sitting with his left foot resting on a pillow, indicating a relaxed and peaceful mood. In his left hand is the red thread to tie people meant to be together. However, the strength of the relationship ultimately depends on their karma, as the male deity strictly follows the predestined relationships recorded in his book.

Madam Moon dons an attire akin to the Mother Goddess religion’s stat- ues with multiple layers of giao lĩnh dresses. She wears a high bun with loose hair underneath, golden flowers along the hairline. A pair of golden bracelets embellish her wrists. The goddess leisurely rests her right foot on another pillow. She wields a fan to maintain harmony between couples. When a relationship gets cold, she warms it up; when it burns too hot, she cools it down. While the god of the duo initiates relationships, the goddess supports humans to nurture theirs with lasting fulfillment.

On a Vietnamese altar, the art of displaying offerings of various fruits serves as a visual embodiment of abundance, evoking a sense of pros- perity. The fruits on the traditional high- footed tray in the painting come from different regions in the country and symbolize different meanings. Peaches are called “Đào” in Viet- namese. When combined with rose apples that have the Sino pronunciation of “Lý,” they form the word “Đào Lý,” which signi- fies young love. An entire hand of bananas is associated with having many offsprings. Custard apples in Vietnamese are “mãng cầu”, which sounds like “mãn cầu”, i.e. granted wishes. Buddha’s hands are believed to bring longevity.

Betel leaves – areca nuts symbolize the beginning of a relationship and are therefore considered essential offerings in ceremonies and rituals related to marriage. The origin myth of betel and areca is also a tale of a couple’s unwavering devotion and fidelity. Therefore, to the left of the altar, positioned before Lord of the Silk Thread, sits a tray of betel leaves and areca nuts.

Wife-and-husband cakes are a traditional dessert at Vietnam- ese weddings. Legend has it that a consort crafted the cakes as a token of her love for Emperor Lý Anh Tông while he was away at war. The cake’s round core is wrapped in a square outer layer, the perfect balance of the universe – Round Sky, Square Earth. The soft and sticky texture reflects, as some believe, the hope for the couple to always be gentle and committed to one another.