How to choose carp for offerings to the Kitchen God and Stove God in a simple yet beautiful way.

Choosing a beautiful and healthy carp for the Kitchen God offering is simple and easy, requiring only a few steps that anyone can follow to make the offering more meaningful.

Every year, families traditionally hold a ceremony on the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month to bid farewell to the Kitchen Gods as they ascend to heaven to report to the Jade Emperor about the events of the past year. Besides preparing a complete offering, red carp is an indispensable offering to send the gods to their heavenly court.

Carp is an indispensable offering when worshipping the Kitchen God (Illustrative image)

Tips for choosing carp for offerings to the Kitchen God and Stove God

The fish offered to the Kitchen God don't necessarily have to be large, as long as they are healthy, undamaged, and without missing scales. To test the fish's health, you can gently touch the water in the bowl; if the fish swims quickly and thrashes vigorously, it's a healthy fish. When you bring the carp home, keep it in a clean bowl filled with clean water.

Regarding quantity, many homeowners mistakenly believe that the more carp offered, the better, or that they should only buy one pair. However, the Kitchen God offering involves worshipping three deities: the God of the Earth, the God of the House, and the God of the Kitchen, so three red carp are sufficient.

How to properly release carp after offering them as a sacrifice?

According to folk belief, carp should be released at noon (12 PM on the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month) so that the Kitchen God can ride the fish to heaven.

However, the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month sometimes falls on a workday, leaving families unable to prepare for the midday offering. Therefore, it is not necessary to offer sacrifices to the Kitchen God at noon; it can be done at any convenient time, provided the Kitchen God flies back to heaven to report to the Jade Emperor, which means before 12 noon on the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month. The ceremony should not be performed after this time.

When releasing fish, gently tilt the opening of the plastic bag or container to lower it into the water, allowing the fish to swim out on their own. Alternatively, place the fish in your palm and gently release it into the water. The process should be gentle but quick. Absolutely do not throw the fish from the edge of a bridge or any high point, as this may kill them. After releasing the fish, observe whether they have swum away to prevent them from getting trapped.

Source: https://giadinhonline.vn/cach-chon-ca-chep-cung-ong-cong-ong-tao-don-gian-lai-dep-d204216.html