Burning votive paper is an act of showing respect, remembering ancestors and praying for peace, fortune and luck. However, the practitioner must follow certain principles and procedures.
Burning votive paper is a traditional ritual in Vietnamese religious culture, especially during Tet holidays, ancestor worship or important occasions of the year.
This is an act of showing respect, remembering ancestors and praying for peace, fortune and luck.
However, to burn votive paper properly and achieve spiritual effects, the practitioner needs to follow certain principles and procedures.
Choose the right time
The timing of burning votive paper is very important in worship rituals. Traditionally, Vietnamese people often choose the full moon day, the first day of the month or on holidays to burn votive paper.
This is not only because it is the time when ancestral spirits often visit, but also because of the belief that on these days, the spirits will easily receive offerings.
In some families, the time to burn votive paper is also chosen based on a good date and time according to the lunar calendar so that the homeowner can pray for luck and fortune.
Select the item to burn gold
The main items used for burning votive paper are votive papers, made from paper, and shaped like objects in real life.
These items include gold coins, houses, vehicles, clothes, decorative items...
However, when choosing votive paper, you need to pay attention to criteria such as beautiful appearance, good quality, not torn or too old. Votive paper not only has material meaning but also acts as a bridge between the world of the living and the world of the dead.
In addition, in some families, it is possible to burn votive paper money with other items such as paper money or gold bars to symbolize fullness and prosperity.
Prepare space and items
The space for burning votive papers must be clean, airy and solemn. Before burning votive papers, the homeowner should clean the altar, change the offering water and incense.
The offering tray needs to be fully prepared, including: incense, lamps, incense, betel and areca nuts, fruits, wine, candy, and votive paper.
When burning votive paper, homeowners can use items such as hard papers, glossy paper or iron sticks to burn votive paper.
In particular, you should not burn votive paper in the house, because this is a taboo in feng shui. Instead, families often burn votive paper in the yard or in cool places to allow air circulation.
How to perform the gold burning ceremony
Once the offering tray and items have been fully prepared, the homeowner should light incense and invite the ancestors and gods to witness and enjoy the ceremony. After the ancestor worship ceremony is completed, the homeowner begins to burn the votive paper.
During this process, attention should be paid to maintaining a dignified atmosphere, avoiding making noise or acting disrespectfully.
Fire is used to burn votive paper, but it should not be burned too quickly or too strongly, as this can cause a feeling of disrespect. In fact, burning votive paper should be done slowly and carefully.
To symbolize the offering, the homeowner can stand nearby and recite a prayer or say words of respect to the ancestors.
Pay attention to taboos when burning votive paper
Although burning votive paper is a solemn ritual, during the process, homeowners need to pay attention to avoid the following taboos:
Do not burn votive paper too early or too late: This may affect the sacredness of the ceremony. The most suitable time is in the morning or afternoon.
Do not burn votive paper in the house: This can cause disadvantages in feng shui and can affect the health of the family.
Do not burn too much votive paper: Burning too much votive paper will not bring good luck to the family, but on the contrary, it will cause unnecessary waste.
Burning votive paper is not only an act of sending money and fortune to ancestors, but also has a deep spiritual meaning. Burning votive paper shows remembrance and respect for ancestors, and at the same time prays for peace, health and fortune for the family in the new year.
Besides, this is also an opportunity for family members to gather, participate in rituals together and show solidarity and attachment./.
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