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TL;DR: The seventh lunar month full moon day includes three important offerings with separate trays: offering to the Buddha with a pure vegetarian meal, offering to ancestors with a full savory tray, and offering to wandering spirits with items for the deceased. The Buddha and ancestor offerings are usually made before 12 noon, while the wandering spirit offering is around 5 PM to 7 PM. It is not mandatory to make all three trays; it depends on each family's conditions and traditions, with sincerity being the essence.
The Full Moon of the Seventh Lunar Month and the Meaning of the Three Offering Trays
The Full Moon of the Seventh Lunar Month, also known as Vu Lan (the Buddhist festival of filial piety) or the Festival of Pardon for Wandering Souls, is one of the most important days in the spiritual culture of the Vietnamese people. According to folk belief, this is the day when King Yama opens the gates of the Quỷ Môn Quan (Gate of Ghosts) so that wandering souls may return to the world of the living. On this occasion, Vietnamese people typically prepare three separate offering trays: one to offer to the Buddha, one to the ancestors, and one to the wandering souls. Each tray has its own meaning and arrangement, expressing the reverence and filial devotion of the descendants.
The book Việt Nam phong tục (Vietnamese Customs) by Phan Kế Bính (1915) records that the Vietnamese, following Buddhist texts, generally regard the full moon of the seventh month as the day of pardon for wandering souls, meaning that those in the underworld are granted one day of pardon, so many households buy votive paper to offer to the ancestors, and families with a recent death burn votive paper and hold a vegetarian feast. The same book also records the custom of burning votive paper, which originated in China; later generations used paper money instead of real money, and in the Five Dynasties period paper clothes and paper hats were made to offer to ghosts and spirits. This is a record from an original text about a transmitted custom, not a research conclusion about spiritual efficacy.
The three offering trays on the Full Moon of the Seventh Lunar Month differ in the type of offering, the characteristic dishes, the placement, and the time of offering.
| Offering tray | Type of offering | Characteristic dishes | Placement | Time of offering |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offering to the Buddha | Vegetarian | Glutinous rice with mung beans, gấc glutinous rice, chè kho (sweet mung bean paste), vegetarian giò (Vietnamese sausage), vegetarian nem (spring rolls), mushroom soup, stir-fried vegetables, fresh fruit | The highest, most solemn position in the house | Before 12 noon on the day of the full moon |
| Offering to the ancestors | Savoury or vegetarian | A whole boiled chicken (usually a young rooster), giò lụa or giò thủ, chả nem, braised pork or pork aspic, bamboo shoot and glass noodle soup or bóng thả soup or mọc soup, gấc glutinous rice, bánh chưng or bánh tét, stir-fried dishes | On the altar of the household spirits and ancestors, below the Buddha offering tray | Before 12 noon on the day of the full moon |
| Offering to the wandering souls | Vegetarian | Thin rice porridge, rice and salt, popcorn, cakes and sweets, sweet potato, corn, boiled cassava, slab sugar, fruit, small change and paper clothes | Outdoors: in the yard, on the pavement, or at a crossroads | Around 5 pm to 7 pm (the hour of the Rooster) |
What Does the Offering Tray to the Buddha Include?
Meaning and Origin
The offering tray to the Buddha on the Full Moon of the Seventh Lunar Month is tied to the story of Vu Lan Bồn. According to the Vu Lan Bồn Sutra, Mục Kiền Liên (Maudgalyayana) used his supernatural powers to see his mother reborn as a hungry ghost, starving and unable to eat anything. The Buddha taught that to save his mother he must invite the monks to gather, each focusing on reciting the Buddha's name, and then offer food as alms to dedicate the merit. The Vietnamese adopted and adapted this ritual into the preparation of a pure vegetarian tray to offer to the Buddha.
Characteristic Dishes
The offering tray to the Buddha is usually a vegetarian tray, with no meat or fish, consisting only of light dishes made from vegetables and fruits. Common dishes include glutinous rice with mung beans, gấc glutinous rice, chè kho, vegetarian giò, vegetarian nem, mushroom soup, stir-fried vegetables, and various fresh fruits. In particular, a vegetarian tray almost always includes glutinous rice and chè, symbolising sweetness and abundance.
Arrangement and Notes
The offering tray to the Buddha should be placed in the highest, most solemn position in the house, usually on a separate Buddha altar or on the main altar if the family worships together. When offering to the Buddha, people usually light incense, flowers, lamps and candles, and use only pure agarwood incense. Flowers should be lotus, tuberose, or magnolia to suit the pure atmosphere. Absolutely do not place votive paper or savoury dishes on the Buddha altar. Importantly, the Buddha offering tray must be prepared first, followed by the ancestors' tray, expressing the order of hierarchy in the spiritual realm.
What Does the Offering Tray to the Ancestors Include?
What Is the Meaning of the Ancestor Offering?
Offering to the ancestors on the Full Moon of the Seventh Lunar Month expresses gratitude and remembrance for departed grandparents and ancestors. Vietnamese people believe that on this occasion, the elders and ancestors also return to reunite with their descendants. Therefore, the ancestors' offering tray is usually prepared carefully and fully, like a meal for the living. According to the common understanding, this tray is offered jointly to the household spirits (Thổ Công and the spirits of the home) and the ancestors, so many families call it the tray for the household spirits and ancestors together.
Dishes on the Ancestors' Tray
Unlike the vegetarian tray offered to the Buddha, the ancestors' tray is usually a full savoury tray, including traditional Vietnamese dishes. The tray typically has a whole boiled chicken (usually a young rooster), giò lụa or giò thủ, chả nem, braised pork or pork aspic, bamboo shoot and glass noodle soup or bóng thả soup or mọc soup, gấc glutinous rice, bánh chưng or bánh tét, and stir-fried dishes. In addition, the tray also has fruit, betel and areca, wine and water. Depending on the family, a vegetarian tray may be made instead of a savoury one, as long as the meaning of reverence is preserved.
Differences Between Regions
The ancestors' offering tray on the Full Moon of the Seventh Lunar Month differs somewhat between the three regions. Northerners tend to focus on boiled, braised and stir-fried dishes, with boiled chicken an indispensable item. Central Vietnamese often add spicy, rich dishes such as bánh bèo, bánh lọc, and pickled shrimp paste. Southerners prefer sweet, rich dishes such as braised pork and sour soup, and often use bánh tét instead of bánh chưng.
How to Arrange the Tray
The ancestors' offering tray is placed on the ancestors' altar, below the Buddha offering tray. The dishes are arranged attractively and neatly, usually following the principle of large dishes in the centre and small dishes around. On the tray there are always a pair of chopsticks, a bowl, and a spoon to invite the ancestors to eat. After the offering, the descendants in the family gather to receive the blessings, share the feast, and enjoy the good fortune.
What Does the Offering Tray to the Wandering Souls Include?
Spiritual Meaning
According to folk belief, the Full Moon of the Seventh Lunar Month is the day when King Yama opens the gates of the Quỷ Môn Quan (Gate of Ghosts), and wandering souls with no refuge and no relatives to worship them may return to the world of the living. The offering tray to the wandering souls is meant to give alms to these souls, expressing the compassion and spirit of saving the suffering of Buddhism, while also helping the souls not to disturb the family.
According to the record in Việt Nam phong tục (1915) by Phan Kế Bính, rural northern Vietnam once had a fairly similar custom: at the graveyard of each village, people built a shrine for wandering souls to worship together the graves with no one to care for them, where a female medium tended the incense and lamps morning and evening; in the three summer months, on the full moon and the first day of the month, porridge was cooked for the offering, then placed in rolled đa leaves and stuck on both sides of the road. This is a record of an old custom, showing that offering porridge to wandering souls has long been established, not only appearing at today's Full Moon of the Seventh Lunar Month.
Offerings on the Wandering Souls' Tray
The wandering souls' offering tray is usually placed outdoors, in the yard, on the pavement, or at a crossroads, not inside the house. The offerings on the wandering souls' tray are diverse and somewhat more special than the two trays above. Typically, the tray includes thin white rice porridge, usually arranged in 12 small bowls; rice and salt, popcorn, cakes and sweets, fruit; sweet potato, corn, boiled cassava, and slab sugar; along with small change (real money or hell money) and paper clothes cut into small multi-coloured pieces. In particular, thin porridge is an indispensable dish because, according to belief, the tormented souls are often starving and thirsty, with throats as small as a needle, so they cannot eat solid food and can only eat thin porridge.
How Is the Offering to the Wandering Souls Made?
The offering to the wandering souls is usually performed in the late afternoon or evening, after the offerings to the Buddha and the ancestors have been completed. People believe that the wandering souls can only receive offerings at night, not during the day. When offering, the householder usually places the tray outdoors, not inside the house, and lights incense, praying and asking the souls to accept the offerings and then go elsewhere, without disturbing the family. After the incense has burned out, rice and salt are scattered in the four directions and eight corners to distribute to the souls, then votive paper is burned in a furnace or metal container, with someone watching and extinguishing it completely before leaving.
Is It Mandatory to Offer All Three Trays?
No, it is not mandatory. Depending on the conditions and traditions of each family, many households offer only to the ancestors, or combine the offerings into one, as long as sincerity is preserved. The three trays are a common way of distinguishing the vegetarian offering to the Buddha, the offering to the household spirits and ancestors, and the offering of alms to wandering souls, rather than a hard rule that everyone must follow fully. Families with few members, limited means, or living in apartments without a yard can certainly simplify.
The Order of Offering and Important Notes
The Order of Performing the Offerings
According to traditional custom, the order of offering on the Full Moon of the Seventh Lunar Month is clearly prescribed. First is the offering to the Buddha with a vegetarian tray, next is the offering to the ancestors with a savoury tray, and last is the offering to the wandering souls outdoors. This order expresses respect for the higher beings, while also ensuring that the wandering souls do not fight over the ancestors' offerings.
Suitable Times for Offering
The offering trays to the Buddha and to the ancestors are usually made before 12 noon on the day of the full moon, that is, in the morning or at midday. Meanwhile, the offering to the wandering souls is usually made around 5 pm to 7 pm, the hour of the Rooster, because in folk belief this is when spirits gather. Many families choose to offer on the 14th day of the seventh lunar month instead of the exact full moon day to avoid crowds and have more time to prepare carefully.
Taboos to Avoid
When offering on the Full Moon of the Seventh Lunar Month, Vietnamese people usually avoid certain things. The wandering souls' tray should not be placed inside the house, to avoid the souls entering the home. One should not burn too much votive paper, causing waste and environmental pollution. Avoid offering savoury food to the wandering souls because, according to belief, this can stir up their anger. In addition, after the offering, votive money and paper clothes are usually burned outdoors, in a furnace or metal container, with someone watching and extinguishing it completely before leaving, and not brought into the house.
Differences Between Regions in Preparing the Trays
Each region has its own way of preparing the Full Moon of the Seventh Lunar Month tray, reflecting its distinctive culinary culture. Northerners usually prepare the ancestors' tray with traditional dishes such as boiled chicken, giò lụa, chả nem, bamboo shoot soup, and gấc glutinous rice. Central Vietnamese often add specialty cakes such as bánh bèo, bánh lọc, and spicy dishes. Southerners lean towards sweet, rich dishes such as braised pork and snakehead fish sour soup, and often use bánh tét instead of bánh chưng.
In the wandering souls' tray, the differences are also clear. Northerners usually offer thin porridge, rice and salt, and various cakes and sweets. Central Vietnamese often add bean chè and bánh ít. Southerners often add tropical fruits and xôi vò. Despite the differences, the common point remains the sincerity and compassion of the householder towards the wandering souls.
Modern Views on the Full Moon of the Seventh Lunar Month Offering
In modern society, many young families have taken a new approach to the Full Moon of the Seventh Lunar Month offering. Instead of preparing too many elaborate dishes, they focus on sincerity and the spiritual meaning of the ceremony. Many people choose a vegetarian tray for all three offerings to express compassion and avoid killing. Others reduce the burning of votive paper to protect the environment, instead using that money to do good deeds and help the poor.
Preparing the three offering trays on the Full Moon of the Seventh Lunar Month is not only a spiritual ritual but also an occasion for family members to gather, prepare together, and share meaningful meals. This is also an occasion for descendants to express filial devotion to living grandparents and parents and to remember those who have passed away, while practising compassion towards all beings in accordance with the Buddhist spirit that has deeply permeated Vietnamese culture.
Overview article on the topic: What Is Distinctive About Traditional Vietnamese Cuisine by Region?
