Offerings on the Full Moon of January and taboos

1. What time is the full moon offering in January?

On the full moon day of the first lunar month, Vietnamese people attach great importance to worshiping at home. Families often prepare two offerings, one is to worship Buddha, the other is to worship ancestors. In 2018, the full moon of the first lunar month falls on March 2nd of the solar calendar, so the best time to worship the full moon of the first lunar month is at noon (from 11am to 1pm) on March 2nd of the solar calendar (ie January 15th of the lunar calendar) because this is the time when Gods and Buddhas descend to earth.

However, if you cannot arrange your work to worship on that day and time, families can worship from the morning of March 1st (ie January 14th of the lunar calendar) until before 7:00 p.m. on March 2nd (ie January 15th of the lunar calendar).

2. How to prepare offerings for the Full Moon Festival in January?

- Buddha offerings

Many families still believe that the full moon of January is a day to avoid killing, so they should eat vegetarian food to pray for luck and ward off bad luck for the whole year.

Offerings are usually fruits, sticky rice, bean dishes, stir-fried soup without much added flavoring. Nowadays, many people worship on the full moon day of January with the addition of floating cakes with the meaning of praying for the whole year to be smooth, prosperous, and full of happiness.

- Ancestral worship tray

The ancestral offering tray is usually a savory offering tray, quite similar to the Tet offering tray. The savory offering tray usually has 4 bowls and 6 plates. Wealthier families may have more.

4 bowls including a bowl of stewed bamboo shoots, a bowl of meatballs, a bowl of vermicelli noodles, and a bowl of meatballs. 6 plates including chicken or pork, ham or sausage, nem thinh (nem thinh) can be replaced with a stir-fried dish, pickled vegetables, a plate of sticky rice or banh chung, and a bowl of dipping sauce.

The offering tray on the 15th day of the first lunar month must also have all the flavors. The salty taste of the dipping sauce, the spicy taste of the chili, the sour taste of the pickled onions, the sweet taste of the cake, all create a full offering tray, praying for peace and safety, driving away any bad luck that may come in the new year.

-Other offerings

In addition to savory dishes on the ancestral altar, there are also incense, fresh flowers, votive paper, candles, betel and tobacco.

3. Taboos on the 15th day of the first lunar month

The full moon of January is an important holiday, so according to folk beliefs, there are some taboos everyone should know to have a favorable year. If you avoid them, it will be good for your luck and your family's.

- Avoid breaking or damaging furniture in the house, because that means losing fortune next year.

- Avoid going to places with heavy negative energy such as graves, deserted places or hospitals, especially people with poor health.

- Avoid carrying a lot of money or valuables with you. If you lose any property on this day, your fortune will be worse this year.

Breaking things on the 15th day of the first lunar month can bring bad luck. Illustrative photo

- Avoid lending money to others, if you lend it means you are also giving away your wealth.

- Do not leave the bottom of the rice bin exposed in the house. An empty rice bin means your family will be hungry all year round.

- Be careful not to tear your clothes. According to ancient beliefs, if your clothes are torn, you will be haunted by bad luck next year.

- Do not kill on this day, otherwise your fortune will decline, you will have accidents and illnesses.

- Avoid fishing on this day because according to Vietnamese spiritual beliefs, fishing on the full moon day will bring bad luck to that person.

- Avoid swearing or cursing, otherwise you will encounter trouble.

Peace