Worshiping the Kitchen Gods is one of the traditional customs of the Vietnamese people. According to ancient beliefs, the Kitchen Gods are the gods who protect the family, manage the kitchen, and the fortune of the homeowner. To receive the Kitchen Gods' support, families often hold a solemn farewell ceremony.
The custom of worshiping Tao Quan has existed for a long time and there are many different legends about the origin of worshiping Tao Quan.
According to the custom of worshiping "Five Gods" (worshiping 5 gods in the family), people worship the Kitchen God (Tao Quan), the Well God (Tinh Than), the Door God (Mon Than), the House God (Ho Than), and the Window God (Trung Luu Than).
There is also a theory that the five characters are the five gods of the Kitchen (Tao Quan), the Earth God (Tho Cong), the Ancestor of the Profession (Tien Su), the Door God (Mon Gia Ho Uy), and the God who protects the health of humans and animals (Nhan Suc Y Than).
A tray of offerings to the Kitchen Gods of a Vietnamese family (Photo: Pham Thanh Ha).
Among them, Tao Quan, Tho Dia and Mon Than are most commonly worshiped. Tao Quan (Dong Tru Tu Menh Tao Phu Than Quan) is the deity in charge of family fortune and virtue.
In addition, folklore has passed down the story of the three kitchen gods, talking about the origin of "two men and one woman in the kitchen". There is also a legend that the Kitchen God is the younger brother of the Jade Emperor, sent down to earth by the Jade Emperor to be the Kitchen God, to grasp the situation, the good and bad things in the family. On the 23rd of December every year, the Kitchen God returns to heaven to report to the Jade Emperor to decide the good and bad things for that family.
This year, the ceremony to worship Ong Cong and Ong Tao falls on Friday, February 2nd of the solar calendar. According to traditional customs, Vietnamese families always prepare full offerings and choose a good day and time to worship Ong Cong and Ong Tao.
Many people believe that when worshiping Ong Cong and Ong Tao, they must display offerings or burn incense in the kitchen. However, feng shui expert Pham Cuong said that this is the personal opinion of some people and is not popular.
The reason is because, according to Vietnamese beliefs, the family altar and incense bowl are like "transmitting stations" for gods and ancestors to enjoy offerings.
If there is no regular incense bowl to worship Tao Quan in the kitchen corner but still display offerings there, it would be improper and lack of neatness in the worship. Folklore believes that the higher-ups may not receive the messages and prayers of the homeowner.
Regarding the good day and good time to worship Ong Cong and Ong Tao, feng shui expert Pham Cuong said that families should worship before the time Ong Cong and Ong Tao return to heaven - before noon (12:00) on December 23.
"Families can worship from the 17th to the 18th of the lunar calendar, choosing a worship time that suits their conditions and work. Those who are civil servants, office workers or busy business people can choose to worship on a day off, a few days before the 23rd.
Many people often look at the yin and yang and the five elements and worry about this day conflicting with that day. I find this cumbersome and unnecessary. The most important thing in worshiping is sincerity," said feng shui expert Pham Cuong.
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