What is special about the custom of worshiping Ong Cong and Ong Tao in Vietnam?
(Baonghean.vn) - On December 23rd every year, the Kitchen Gods' Day is the first day of the Lunar New Year. Every family celebrates the Kitchen Gods' Day according to traditional customs passed down from ancient times, but they do not know the interesting things surrounding this Kitchen Gods' Day.
1. Asian countries worship the Kitchen God (Mr. Tao).
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| Not only Vietnam but also China, Taiwan, and Singapore celebrate December 23 as a day to worship the Kitchen Gods and also the first day of Tet to welcome the new year. In the photo: The Chinese people's offering tray on the day the Kitchen Gods return to heaven. Photo: Outernationalist. |
2. Vietnamese Kitchen God goes to heaven on a carp
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| In Vietnam, the Kitchen Gods will go to heaven on a carp, but in China and Taiwan, the Kitchen God will ride a paper horse. Learn interesting things about the Kitchen God Festival |
3. Offerings to the Kitchen Gods
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| Vietnamese offerings include hats, shirts, shoes for the Kitchen Gods, and offerings of fruits and savory offerings. Chinese offerings include water, candy, soybeans, and animal feed (for the horses of the Kitchen Gods). |
4. Offerings often include candy.
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| The worshiping ceremony of the Kitchen God (or Kitchen God in Vietnam) of the Chinese community always includes a type of extremely sweet taffy (or maltose), with the meaning that the Kitchen God will say the best things about the family. The Chinese even put this candy in the mouth of the Kitchen God (paper). |
5. The story of the Kitchen Gods
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| The Vietnamese story of the Kitchen God is about "2 men and 1 woman", but the Chinese story of the Kitchen God is about "2 women and 1 man". |
6. What is the duty of the Kitchen Gods?
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| The common point of Kitchen Gods (Tao Quan) in the culture of many Chinese-speaking countries is that they are responsible for protecting the family and managing the kitchen, listening to all good and bad actions of everyone in the family to report to the Jade Emperor at the end of the year. The Jade Emperor will rely on that to decide on blessings, luck or punishment for each family in the new year. |
7. Prepare offerings to the Kitchen Gods
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| Vietnamese people often prepare offerings on the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month and release carp. Chinese people also prepare offerings with their families, clean their houses and enjoy eating malt candy. |
8. The custom of erecting a pole on Ong Cong and Ong Tao day
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| In the past, Vietnamese people also had the custom of erecting a pole on Tet holiday on the 23rd of December. Because from this day, the Kitchen Gods return to heaven and are absent until New Year's Eve, evil spirits will sneak back to disturb the house, so the pole must be planted to ward off evil spirits. Currently, some regions still maintain this tradition. |
9. Open the kitchen door to welcome the Kitchen God
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| Enter photo description |
The Kitchen Gods and Kitchen Gods will celebrate Tet with families: On the 30th night, Vietnamese people often watch the interesting Gala Laughter program of the Kitchen Gods, while Chinese people must remember to open the kitchen door to welcome the Kitchen God back home because according to tradition, the Kitchen God will return to celebrate Tet with the family along with all the other gods.
Although Tet Tao Quan in some countries has some differences, it still contains the most special things of Eastern culture and moreover, it also has a warm family meaning for everyone.
Hopefully with the interesting things about Tet Ong Cong Ong Tao that you don't know above, you will have more useful information to help you better understand the traditional Tet Ong Tao of Vietnam.
