phúc thần
Definition
- Noun:
- A benevolent deity or spirit: A person of good reputation who, after death, is worshipped as a benevolent protective spirit or god. This term belongs to traditional folk belief and veneration.
- A tutelary god of a locality: A guardian spirit believed to bring fortune and protection to a specific area, village, or community.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Ngôi đình này thờ vị phúc thần của làng. (This communal house worships the village's benevolent deity.)
- Người ta tin rằng vị phúc thần sẽ phù hộ cho dân làng. (People believe the tutelary god will protect the villagers.)
Advanced Usage
- The concept of a "phúc thần" is often contrasted with malevolent spirits. It is central to the practice of ancestor worship and the veneration of local heroes or virtuous individuals in Vietnamese folk religion.
Variants and Related Words
- Thần thánh (n): deities, gods, a general term for divine beings.
- Thành hoàng (n): the tutelary god of a village or city, a closely related concept often synonymous with in context.
Synonyms
- Tutelary deity: A guardian god or spirit of a place.
- Benevolent spirit: A kind, protective spiritual entity.
- Guardian spirit: A spirit that watches over and protects.
Related Cultural Concepts
- Thờ cúng tổ tiên (ancestor worship): The practice of venerating deceased family members, which shares a conceptual foundation with honoring a .
- Đình làng (village communal house): The typical architectural structure where a local or is often enshrined and worshipped.