People visit Tran Quoc Pagoda on the full moon of the first lunar month - Photo: DAU DUNG
Tran Dinh Son, a researcher of national history and culture, shared with Tuoi Tre Online that the full moon of the first lunar month is the first full moon of the year, considered the beginning of a new year.
Depending on the region, the rituals for the Lunar New Year's full moon ceremony may vary, but they all share the common goal of expressing sincerity and wishing for a prosperous new year.
Mr. Tran Dinh Son said that the full moon of the first lunar month holds a special place in the spiritual life of Vietnamese people. Therefore, there is a folk saying, "Offering sacrifices all year round is not as important as the full moon of the first lunar month." This is the first full moon of the new lunar year, a time when people entrust their wishes and aspirations for the entire year.
Our ancestors maintained annual rituals with the aim of praying for favorable weather, smooth business operations, and abundant harvests. Specifically, during the full moon ceremony in the first lunar month, families would pray to the deities for blessings and for their prayers to come true, such as success in studies and exams, career advancement, prosperous business, and bountiful harvests.
Researcher Tran Dinh Son emphasized that there is no fixed form of offering sacrifices on the full moon of the first lunar month. Depending on the locality and region, the rituals can vary.
The first full moon of the lunar year is usually celebrated collectively as a ritual to ward off bad luck at temples and pagodas. At the beginning of the year, many people consult the astrological charts to determine which star is unfavorable, and if it is, they perform a ritual to avert misfortune according to folk beliefs. The second form of the ritual is for each family to perform the ceremony individually at home.
Researcher Tran Dinh Son - Photo: MINH HOA
Regarding offerings for the Lunar New Year's full moon ceremony, the most common and elaborate offerings include fruits, incense, and flowers. However, some families also prepare a boiled young rooster.
Regarding timing, many families choose to perform the ritual at night, outdoors, in front of their house during a full moon. After the ceremony, the head of the household bows three times, then goes to the temple or participates in the Mid-Autumn Festival celebration.
Prayers vary in expression from region to region, but they all convey sincerity, present wishes, and ask for the blessings of the gods.
Researcher Tran Dinh Son shared that the important thing in the Lunar New Year's full moon ceremony is not the feast or the complicated rituals, but the sincerity of each household.
The prayer for the full moon of the first lunar month is based on the book " Traditional Vietnamese Prayers" published by the Culture and Information Publishing House.
I bow down to the nine directions of heaven, the ten directions of all Buddhas, and all the Buddhas of the ten directions.
I respectfully bow before Heaven, Earth, and all revered deities.
I respectfully bow before the local tutelary deity, the local earth deity, the household kitchen god, and all other revered deities.
I respectfully bow before my great-great-grandfathers, great-great-grandmothers, uncles, aunts, brothers, sisters, and all relatives from my paternal and maternal sides.
We, your humble devotees, are:…
Residing at:…
Today is the full moon of the first lunar month of the year Bính Ngọ 2026, coinciding with the Lantern Festival. With sincere hearts, your humble servant has prepared incense, candles, and offerings to present before the altar.
We respectfully invite the local tutelary deity, the local earth god, the household kitchen god, the five directions, the dragon vein, and the god of wealth. We humbly request that these sacred deities hear our invitation, descend before the altar, witness our sincerity, and accept our offerings.
We respectfully invite our ancestors, both paternal and maternal, to hear our earnest prayers and invitations, to descend and witness our sincerity, and to partake in our offerings.
We, your humble devotees, respectfully invite the ancestors, both past and present, residing in this home, to partake of the offerings, witness our sincerity, and bless our family with good fortune in all things. May we be free from calamities throughout the four seasons and enjoy peace and tranquility during all eight festivals.
(After offering prayers, bow three times).
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/ram-thang-gieng-cung-sao-cho-dung-20260302142212266.htm
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