According to Vietnamese folk beliefs, the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month is the day when the Kitchen Gods (Ông Công Ông Táo) ride carps to Heaven to report to the Jade Emperor on all the good and bad deeds of the household throughout the year. Therefore, the farewell ceremony for the Kitchen Gods is one of the most important rituals before the Lunar New Year (Tết). It is an occasion for families to express their gratitude to the deities who govern the kitchen, keeping the family warm, harmonious, and prosperous. A well-prepared offering tray and a sincere prayer not only show respect for tradition but also serve as a wish for a peaceful, prosperous, and successful new year. This article will provide a complete and detailed guide to the votive prayer for the Kitchen Gods, as well as the necessary offerings and notes for a solemn and meaningful ceremony.

What is the profound meaning of the Kitchen Gods ceremony day?

The custom of worshipping the Kitchen Gods carries deep humanistic values and spiritual significance. According to legend, Ông Công is the god who governs the land of the house, while Ông Táo (or Táo Quân, the Kitchen Monarchs) are three deities who oversee the kitchen. These three deities consist of two males and one female, symbolizing warmth, harmony, and abundance in the family. Every day, the Kitchen Monarchs witness all the activities, behaviors, and words of the family members. On the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month, they ascend to Heaven together to report everything they have seen and heard to the Jade Emperor.

Therefore, the farewell ceremony for the Kitchen Gods is not just a regular ritual but also an opportunity for the household to “review” the past year. It is believed that if the offering tray is lavish and sincerity is shown, the Kitchen Monarchs will “speak well” of the family before the Jade Emperor, thereby bringing much luck, fortune, and peace in the new year. Conversely, if the family lives in disharmony and commits wrongdoings, the Kitchen Monarchs will report the truth. Thus, this ceremony also serves as a moral lesson, encouraging people to live virtuously, do good deeds, and uphold family ethics. Preparing a complete offering tray is also a way to express the desire to cast away the misfortunes of the old year and welcome a better new beginning.

What is the best date and time to worship the Kitchen Gods?

Traditionally, the Kitchen Gods ceremony is performed on the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month. However, due to the busy nature of modern life, many families may choose to perform the ceremony earlier, on the 21st or 22nd. The most important thing is that the ceremony must be completed before 12 PM (the Hour of the Horse) on the 23rd, as this is believed to be the time the deities begin their journey to Heaven.

Regarding the specific time for the ceremony, families can choose auspicious hours of the day to conduct the ritual, praying for all things to be smooth and favorable. Some popular auspicious time frames are:

• Hour of the Dragon (7 AM - 9 AM): This is a very good time, considered the start of a new day with positive energy, suitable for performing spiritual rituals.
• Hour of the Snake (9 AM - 11 AM): This is also an auspicious time, favorable for worship and prayers, helping the wishes to be easily heard and granted.

Choosing the date and time for the ceremony shows the host's thoughtfulness and sincerity, but the most important aspect is still the genuine heart directed towards the deities.

What does a complete offering tray for the Kitchen Gods include?

An offering tray for the Kitchen Gods does not need to be overly elaborate or extravagant but must be complete with offerings and demonstrate solemnity and neatness. Depending on the family's means and regional culture, the tray can be savory or vegetarian, but it usually includes the following main parts:

1. Votive Offerings

• Kitchen Gods' Attire Set: This includes three sets, with two hats for the male gods (with two dragonfly-like wings) and one for the female god (without wings). The colors of the robes, hats, and shoes may vary according to the five elements of the year.
• Carps: This is the means of transport for the Kitchen Gods to Heaven. The family can offer three live carps (kept in a basin of clean water) or paper carps. After the ceremony, the live carps are released into a clean river or lake.
• Votive paper money: A small amount of votive gold represents the travel expenses for the Kitchen Gods.

2. Traditional Savory Offering Tray

• Boiled Chicken: A whole boiled cockerel, with wings arranged neatly, is an indispensable offering.
• Gac Sticky Rice: The red color of Gac sticky rice symbolizes luck and prosperity.
• Other Savory Dishes: Vietnamese pork sausage (giò lụa), fried spring rolls (nem rán), stir-fried vegetables, bamboo shoot and vermicelli soup, or pork ball soup.
• Banh Chung/Banh Tet: Square or cylindrical sticky rice cakes, symbolizing heaven and earth, a characteristic dish of Tet.

3. Other Offerings

• Five-Fruit Tray: Fresh and colorful fruits offered to ancestors and deities.
• Fresh Flowers: Usually yellow chrysanthemums or red gladioli to make the altar more solemn.
• Betel Leaves and Areca Nuts: An essential offering in traditional Vietnamese rituals.
• Wine, Tea, Clean Water: Prepare three small cups of wine and three cups of tea.
• Candles or Oil Lamps: To keep the worship space warm.

What is the most traditional and accurate prayer for the Kitchen Gods ceremony?

After preparing the offering tray, the head of the household (usually the eldest person) will light incense, bow, and recite the votive prayer with a solemn and respectful voice. Below is a widely used traditional prayer text:

Namo Amitabha Buddha! (3 times)

We respectfully bow to the Eastern Kitchen's Guardian, the Kitchen God Monarch!

Today is the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month, year...

Your devotee(s), I/we are: .....................................................................

Residing at: ..........................................................................................

Before your altar, we sincerely pay our respects.

We reflect that throughout the past year, thanks to your grace, our family has enjoyed peace and prosperity, everyone has been safe, all things have flourished, and our fortune has grown.

On the day the Kitchen Monarchs return to the Heavenly Court, we offer these humble gifts to you, as a small token of our sincere hearts. We respectfully invite you to come before the altar, accept these offerings, and witness our sincerity.

We humbly ask the Kitchen God Monarch, when reporting to the Jade Emperor, to bestow your grace upon us, to report our good deeds and cover for our shortcomings, so that our family may enter the new year with more blessings and fortune. We pray for a new year of peace and prosperity for our family, welcoming a tết 2032 with much luck and joy.

With our humble offerings and sincere hearts, we bow and pray for your protection and blessings.

Namo Amitabha Buddha! (3 times)

What are important notes you need to know when performing the Kitchen Gods ceremony?

To ensure the ceremony is conducted solemnly and in accordance with customs, the household should note the following points:

• Location of the Offering Tray: The offering tray for the Kitchen Gods should be placed on a separate Kitchen God altar (if available) or a clean table in the kitchen area. It should not be placed on the main family altar, as the Kitchen Gods are deities who govern the land and kitchen, while the family altar is for worshipping ancestors.
• Respectful Attitude: When performing the ceremony, the host should dress neatly and cleanly, maintain a solemn and respectful demeanor, and avoid using vulgar language or arguing in the worship area.
• Burning Votive Paper: After the incense has burned down (about two-thirds of the way), the host performs the farewell rite and burns the votive paper. The burning should be done in a clean, open space. The burning of votive paper is also an important part, symbolizing sending the offerings to the deities, a ritual that has been maintained for generations, much like how we prepare for the upcoming năm bính ngọ 2026.
• Releasing the Carps: If offering live carps, take them to a river, lake, or large pond to release after the ceremony. When releasing the fish, do it slowly and gently at the water's surface to ensure they can survive; avoid dropping them from a height. This is a humane act that symbolizes the wish for life to flourish.

Worshipping the Kitchen Gods is not just a beautiful cultural tradition but also a bond connecting generations in a Vietnamese family. It is an occasion for descendants to remember their roots, express gratitude, and together pray for a new year of peace and happiness. Hopefully, with these detailed instructions, you and your family will have a warm, solemn, and fully meaningful Kitchen Gods ceremony.