INTRODUCTION This is a book about Caodaism, an indigenous Vietnamese religion that originated in South Vietnam and has shown its greatest develop­ ment in that part of the nation. (See Fig. 1 for the locations of the major Caodai centers.) Herbert Blumer defines a social movement as ';a collective enterprise to establish a new order of life" (Blumer 1951: 199). This is an apt description of Caodaism. It is not only concerned with ritual and other practices generally considered to be of a religious nature, but the movement is interested in social, administrative, political, and economic activities. Caodaism is both a social movement and a religion. Although Caodaism was officially inaugurated in 1926, its roots are found in the development of other Asian religious movements and Western philosophical thought. The religion is syncretistic in its organizational structure, philosophy, theology and ritual practices: ... much of Cao Daist doctrine is drawn from Buddhism of the Ma­ hayana tradition, and mixed with it are concepts of Taoist and Con­ fucianist origin. The Buddhist ideal of "the good man" provides the basis for Cao Daist ethics, and the whole complex of little-tradition Vietnamese taboos and sanctions is incorporated into their ideal be­ havioral scheme (Hickey 1964: 291). This synthesis of elements adapted from other religions into a func­ tioning religious movement manifests itself in such common Caodai practices as priestly celibacy, vegetarianism, seance inquiry and spirit communication, reverence for ancestors and prayers for the dead, fer­ vent proselytism, and sessions of meditative self-cultivation. After establishing ,the original Caodai holy see at Tay Ninh, approxi­ metely 60 miles northwest of Saigon, the Caodai founders sought to propagate the new religion. It attracted adherents from all classes of the Vietnamese. Many of the early followers were employees of the French colonial administration in Cochinchina, the southern third of present day Vietnam. Since 1926 Caodaism has acquired a following of approximately two million persons. This estimate includes adults and children, although the latter are not considered disciples until they formally join the religion at eighteen. From 1926 to 1956, when the major elements of the Caodai armed forces were incorporated into the South Vietnamese army, Caodaism 2 INTRODUCTION ,.. ,.. 1""* 1*"'* F* I o 50 100 250 Km. N Tan An. My Tho. ~:::4ji===~~!!cach• Gia •Ben Tre • Can Tho Fig. 1. The locations of some Major Caodai centers in South Vietnam. .