TL;DR: The 100-day memorial (lễ tốt khốc) does not require an upturned rice bowl and an egg. Phan Kế Bính (1915) records the upturned rice bowl with a boiled egg as the "first" offering of a giỗ feast, while for the tốt khốc rite he only says it "offers a feast", without listing offerings. Some families set out these two offerings at the 100-day rite and some do not; in folk belief they are usually taken as a full meal and the sincerity offered to the deceased.
What is the 100-day memorial and why is there a custom of offering a bowl of rice and an egg?
The 100-day memorial (lễ tốt khốc, also called cúng trăm ngày) is held on the 100th day after the death; some families count the day of death as the first day, others do not. Phan Kế Bính explains that the hundredth day is the tốt khốc rite, "meaning that only then does the weeping stop"; at this rite a feast is offered, after which the twice-daily rice offerings end[1]. Some families add an upturned bowl of rice and a boiled egg to the offering tray. So what do these two offerings mean, and are they required?
What do the upturned rice bowl and egg mean in the memorial?
In folk belief, the upturned bowl of rice is usually taken as a full meal the descendants offer the deceased, and the round boiled egg as life and increase; some also see the rice and egg as "travel money" or provisions for the dead on the way to the other world.
Phan Kế Bính records these two offerings without explaining them, and the other sources cited here say nothing of the custom's origin; the readings above are oral tradition and vary from place to place.
In the sources cited here, these two offerings appear at the giỗ (death anniversary), not at the 100-day rite. In the Kỵ nhật section of Việt Nam phong tục, Phan Kế Bính writes: "At a giỗ, however large or small, there must always be a bowl of rice turned over onto a boiled egg, placed first"[1]. In the Tang ma (funeral) section he only says the tốt khốc rite "offers a feast", without listing the offerings.
Is the upturned rice bowl and egg mandatory in the 100-day memorial?
No. The sources cited here do not list the upturned rice bowl and egg as offerings particular to the 100-day rite; some families set them out, others offer only incense, flowers, fruit and a meal. Writing about giỗ feasts, Phan Kế Bính says: "Granted, those who have the means set out high trays and full feasts, and those who do not offer a little rice and an egg, which is enough to show their sincerity"[1].
How do customs differ between regions?
The 100-day rite varies from place to place mainly in how the day is counted and how the offering is made. Some count from the day of death, others follow a note in Gia lễ giản yếu and count 3 months and 10 days from the burial; in the Buddhist view the offering is vegetarian. As for the upturned rice bowl and egg, the sources cited here do not say which region keeps them more. Ethnic minority communities have their own life-cycle rites: Võ Thị Thùy Dung (2017) studied the life-cycle rituals of the M'Nông in Đam Rông district (before July 2025), Lâm Đồng province, and notes that these rituals are changing under economic, social and religious influences.
In which other rituals do the upturned rice bowl and egg appear?
These two offerings also appear in other rites. When the spirit altar is set up after encoffining, many places put before the coffin a bowl of rice made of two bowls turned onto each other with a pair of chopsticks stuck in it, together with a boiled egg. In the star-offering rite to ward off misfortune (cúng sao giải hạn) in Hà Nội, Lê Đức Hạnh records eggs as one of the offerings: "As for eggs, some people set out 5, 3 on a plate and 2 placed in a cup of plain water"[2].
Suggestions for families today
Nhật Nguyệt's suggestion: When preparing the 100-day memorial, families should ask the elders in the clan about the specific customs of their lineage. If the family has a tradition of offering the upturned rice bowl and egg, it can be continued as a cultural beauty. If circumstances do not allow or local custom does not require it, families can simplify without feeling guilty, as long as sincerity is maintained. The important thing is the gathering of descendants and the heartfelt remembrance of the deceased.
Summary table: Upturned rice bowl and egg in rituals
| Ritual | Presence of upturned rice bowl and egg | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 100-day memorial | Some families set them out, not mandatory | Folk custom |
| Giỗ ceremony | Yes, as the "first" offering on the tray | Phan Kế Bính (1915)[1] |
| Funeral | Upturned rice bowl with chopsticks and a boiled egg, set out at the spirit altar | Folk custom |
| Giải hạn ceremony | Egg is an offering, with specific quantity and arrangement | Lê Đức Hạnh (2008)[2] |
