Relationship between the legend of the White Horse God in Thang Long and the Godness of the Ly Dynasty

Abstract

The White Horse God (白馬), also known as the Long Do God (龍肚), is worshiped at the White Horse Temple and is one of the four sacred guardians of Thang Long. The names White Horse and Long Do (Dragon’s Navel) are associated both with the To River and Nung Mountain (the location where the Can Nguyen Palace was built during the Ly Dynasty, later replaced by the Kinh Thien Palace). In recent years, there have been numerous discussions about the Ly Dynasty's spiritual beliefs, particularly those related to the White Horse God, the city guardian deity of Thang Long. Based on research documents on spiritual practices from various Asian and European cultures, along with the author’s observations, analysis, and evaluation, this article traces the origins of the white horse worship tradition in Indo-European cultures and connects it with the worship of the White Horse God and female deities during the Ly Dynasty in Vietnam.