Young couple in Hanoi busy making offerings to Ong Cong Ong Tao

Young couples prepare for the Kitchen God and Stove God ceremony in the same way as previous generations, but in a simpler and quicker manner. (Images from several families in Hanoi .)

On the morning of January 21st, markets in Hanoi were bustling with customers buying items for the Kitchen God and Stove God worship ceremony. Many people in Northern Vietnam believe that after 12 noon on the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month, the Kitchen God will ascend to heaven, so the ceremony must be performed 12 to 24 hours beforehand. At 7:30 AM, Hoai Nguyen arrived at Cau Giay market to buy offerings. She had consulted guides on preparing offerings to be more prepared when shopping. "Even though I'm young, I always prepare thoroughly for traditional ceremonies. However, I usually choose a simple, not overly elaborate, way," Hoai said. According to Hoài, votive paper offerings are also indispensable items for worship, but she only buys the right amount. After cleaning the altar, removing the incense sticks, and wiping it with cinnamon water, Hoai found a prayer text on her phone and began the ceremony. Today, her husband was at work and not home, so Hoai arranged everything herself, lit the incense at noon, and then went to release the fish. Hoai's family's offering tray only included sticky rice, roasted meat, rice and soup... alongside paper hats and a golden carp. Tuan Minh and Minh Hanh's family also kept things simple today. In their first year living independently, the young couple consulted their parents and received guidance on preparing a complete and appropriate offering for the Kitchen God and the Stove God. "My mother-in-law prepared the entire offering. She ordered the items online and bought them for both of us. My parents' view is to keep the rituals simple so that everything is complete and just right," Minh Hanh said. According to Vietnamese tradition, the offering to the Kitchen God doesn't need to be overly extravagant, with a lavish spread of food or expensive offerings. Depending on their specific circumstances, each family prepares the offerings differently. Today, Minh Hanh's family bought and arranged paper hats, gold and silver offerings, fruits, sticky rice, and pork sausage... The young couple sincerely prayed for peace and good health for their family. After the week-long memorial service was over, Tuan Minh took the golden carp and released it into a pond near his house.

Minh Hạnh brought the votive offerings down to burn in a censer in the apartment building.

Vietnamnet.vn

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/vo-chong-tre-o-ha-noi-tat-bat-lam-le-cung-ong-cong-ong-tao-2365235.html