God of Wealth | Science and Life

According to the Wikipedia open encyclopedia, "The God of Wealth is a deity in Vietnamese beliefs and some Eastern countries. According to legend, the God of Wealth is Zhao Gongming, a person from the Qin Dynasty. He renounced worldly life and became a hermit on Mount Zhongnan. Later, after achieving enlightenment, he was appointed as the Chief Marshal of the Xuan Dan, responsible for expelling plagues, curing diseases, and warding off evil spirits."

Furthermore, anyone who suffered injustice and sought his help received assistance. Merchants would offer prayers to him for prosperity and good fortune. He is often depicted as a man with a dark face, a thick beard, holding a whip, and riding a black tiger. He is also known in folklore as Tài Bạch Tinh Quân or Triệu Công Nguyên Soái. People often depict him on a metal plate placed on their altars for worship.

The God of Wealth Day is an Eastern belief celebrated on the 10th day of the first lunar month every year. In the year of the Dragon (2024), the God of Wealth Day falls on Monday, February 19th. On this day, many families, businesses, shop owners, and enterprises carefully prepare elaborate offerings to welcome the God of Wealth, bringing prosperity, abundance, and good fortune.

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Originating from the "God of Wealth"

According to researcher Huynh Ngoc Trang, the book Dai Nam Quoc Am Tu Vi (Dictionary of the National Language of Dai Nam) by author Huynh Tinh Paulus Cua, published in 1896, does not contain the term "God of Wealth," but does include the term "God of the Land" as an annotation for the entry "Earth God," which is explained as "god who guards money." However, next to that, in the entry "God of Wealth," Paulus Cua does not explain its meaning but notes "rarely used."

Regarding the long-held belief that the tenth day of the first lunar month is associated with the God of Wealth, and the current opinion that it is the day of the Earth God rather than the God of Wealth, Mr. Huynh Ngoc Trang suggests that this originates from the writings of Dong Phuong Soc (a scholar during the reign of Emperor Han Wudi) concerning the Chinese concept of creation (the creation of heaven, earth, and all living things).

"Accordingly, on the 1st day, chickens were born; on the 2nd, dogs were born; on the 3rd, pigs were born; on the 4th, goats were born; on the 5th, buffaloes were born; on the 6th, horses were born; on the 7th, humankind was born; on the 8th, grains were created; on the 9th, heaven was created; and on the 10th, earth was created. Therefore, the day of the deity's birth is the day of the deity's birth. And thus, the day of the Earth God is the 10th day of the first lunar month: the day of 'earth's birth'."

According to this belief, there is also the custom of considering May 10th as "Earthly Day".

However, according to Chinese beliefs, and more broadly, the influence of Chinese culture in East Asia, the philosophy of the five elements states: earth generates metal. That is, earth produces money and wealth (as understood by Huình Tịnh Paulus Của in the Đại Nam quấc âm tự vị mentioned above), hence the custom of worshipping the God of Wealth.

According to researcher Huynh Ngoc Trang, in terms of imagery, the statue of the God of Wealth worshipped in Vietnamese families for a long time resembles the "Earth God of Fortune and Righteousness" statue among Chinese religious statues.

"However, with the development of business life, the God of Wealth has become a necessity. And today, in many families, people worship both the Earth God and the God of Wealth together on one main altar, reflecting the concept that "money originates from the earth" or "the Earth God is the guardian of wealth."

Common activities on the day of the God of Wealth's festival.

On this day, families and businesses that value the worship of the God of Wealth often engage in the following activities:

Offering to the God of Wealth

The ritual of worshipping the God of Wealth on the 10th day of the first lunar month is to express gratitude for the god's help over the past year, and to pray for continued blessings of wealth and prosperity in business this year.

Offerings to the God of Wealth usually include: candles, incense, water (3 cups), wine (3 cups), rice, paper money, salt, fresh flowers, a plate of five kinds of fruit, betel nuts and leaves, and possibly an additional plate of savory dishes.

Depending on the region and the economic conditions of each family, the savory offerings vary. Many families offer a set of three dishes consisting of boiled pork (pork with both fat, lean meat, and skin), three boiled eggs, and three shrimp. The offerings to the God of Wealth in Southern Vietnam often include grilled snakehead fish or roasted pork with rice noodles.

Buy gold

Many people often buy gold on the Day of the God of Wealth to pray for good fortune, prosperity, and wealth. They also buy gold as an offering to the God of Wealth, thanking him for helping their businesses thrive and their sales flourish throughout the past year.

Previously, only business people bought gold on the 10th day of the first lunar month with the intention of seeking wealth and good fortune. In recent years, many others have also followed this trend.

Buy feng shui items

On the day of the God of Wealth's festival, many people buy additional feng shui items such as feng shui stones, toad statues, etc., hoping for a prosperous and more fortunate year.

Buy a lucky cat figurine.

Besides buying gold, many people also buy lucky cat figurines on this day, hoping for wealth, good fortune in work, and smooth sailing in business.

Auspicious times on the day of the God of Wealth in 2024

In fact, the 10th day of each lunar month is considered the day to worship the God of Wealth. However, the God of Wealth's Day in January is the most important in a year because it is the first month of the year. With the belief that a good beginning leads to a good ending, people believe that if they are blessed by the God of Wealth on this day, their business will prosper throughout the year.

According to feng shui experts, in the year of the Wood Dragon, the auspicious times for worshipping the God of Wealth on the 10th day of the first lunar month in 2024 include: the hour of the Rabbit (5-7 am), the hour of the Snake (9-11 am), and the hour of the Monkey (3-5 pm).

During these times, the homeowner carries gold and silver through the main gate or front door and places it in the auspicious location of the safe, where the family usually keeps their money, in order to welcome a new year filled with wealth, good fortune, and prosperity.

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