The Four Immortals (Vietnamese: ''Tứ bất tử'',
chữ Hán: 四不死) refers to the four chief cult figures in the pantheon of genii worshiped by the Vietnamese people of the
Red River Delta
The Red River Delta or Hong River Delta ( vi, Châu thổ sông Hồng) is the flat low-lying plain formed by the Red River and its distributaries merging with the Thái Bình River in northern Vietnam. ''Hồng'' (紅) is a Sino-Vietnamese word ...
region in legend and mythology. They are
Tản Viên Sơn Thánh (chữ Hán: 傘圓山聖), also known as Sơn Tinh (山精) the god of
Tản Viên Mountain, Phù Đổng Thiên Vương (扶董天王, also known as
Thánh Gióng, Ông Dóng) a giant who defeated northern invaders,
Chử Đồng Tử (褚童子) a sage, and Princess
Liễu Hạnh (柳杏公主), a heavenly spirit and Mother Goddess.
Full development of the mythology and honouring of the Four Immortals took place in the
Lê dynasty. Each of the four immortals has association with helping historical national figures. For example, Thánh Gióng in legend helped the sixth Hung King to repulse foreign invaders.
[Laurel Kendall ''Vietnam: Journeys of Body, Mind, and Spirit'' 2003 Page 19 "One of four immortals in Vietnamese folk belief, Thanh Grong helped the sixth Hung King to repulse invaders."]
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Four Immortals
Vietnamese folk religion
Vietnamese mythology
Vietnamese deities
Vietnamese gods
National personifications