TL;DR: Hoành phi is a wooden plaque hung horizontally across the front edge of the family altar, carved with three or four large Hán characters; câu đối are a pair of sentences hung on the two columns or on the walls on either side of the altar. The characters express the descendants' reverence for their ancestors and record the ancestors' merits. In poor households, a hoành phi was replaced by a framed woven bamboo mat (cót) pasted with red paper bearing large characters, and wooden câu đối by pink paper liễn.
What are hoành phi and câu đối on the family altar?
Hoành phi is a wooden plaque hung high, horizontally across the front edge of the altar, while câu đối are a pair of sentences hung on the two columns or on the walls on either side of the altar. According to Bùi Xuân Mỹ (2001), a hoành phi usually spans the width of the house compartment, about three thước, with a height of one to 1.2 thước, and is carved with three or four large Hán characters[1]. Song Mai and Quỳnh Trang (compilers, 2006) also note that câu đối are hung on the two columns in front of the altar or on the walls, one sentence on each side[3].
The three books share a common understanding: the content carved on hoành phi as well as on câu đối is meant for descendants to express reverence for their ancestors and to record and praise the merits the ancestors left behind[1][2][3].
Where is the hoành phi hung and how many are there?
According to Toan Ánh (2001), the hoành phi is hung above the front edge of the altar; some households hang only one plaque before the ancestral altar, but wealthy families may hang two or three, each with a different style of characters and a different sentence[2]. Bùi Xuân Mỹ (2001) also records this detail[1].
As for materials, Toan Ánh's book notes that hoành phi are made in various styles: some are lacquered red with gold characters, some black with red or gold characters, some inlaid with mother-of-pearl, and others shaped like a scroll[2]. Song Mai and Quỳnh Trang (2006) record similarly: well-off households often use red lacquer with gold leaf or black lacquer with mother-of-pearl inlay, while poor households write on pink paper[3].
What characters are usually written on hoành phi?
According to Toan Ánh (2001), some common large characters on hoành phi include: Kính như tại, meaning descendants revere their ancestors as if they were always present at the altar; Phúc mãn đường, meaning the family is full of blessings; Bách thế bất thiên, meaning descendants always conduct themselves properly and never deviate[2]. These three phrases are copied intact by Song Mai and Quỳnh Trang (2006), with similar explanations[3].
Bùi Xuân Mỹ (2001) adds: on the hoành phi, besides the large characters, the reign year and season are recorded; if the plaque was offered by a descendant, that person's name and age are noted, and this case usually applies to hoành phi in clan ancestral houses or branch heads' homes[1].
Regarding câu đối, Song Mai and Quỳnh Trang (2006) cite a sample couplet commonly seen at family altars:
> Tổ tông công đức thiên niên thịnh > Tử hiếu tôn hiền vạn đại xương
The book explains: "The merits of ancestors flourish for a thousand years / Filial and virtuous descendants stay upright for ten thousand generations"[3]. This is a Hán-character couplet read in Sino-Vietnamese.
Toan Ánh (2001) also cites another common couplet often seen at altars: "Phúc sinh lễ nghĩa gia đường thịnh / Lộc tiến vinh hoa phú quý xuân"[2].
How do altar hoành phi and câu đối differ from Tết couplets?
Tết couplets are written on red paper, usually by a calligrapher during Tết, and hung temporarily in the house or before the door; altar couplets are a pair hung permanently on the two columns or on the walls on either side of the family altar, with content centered on ancestral merits and the descendants' filial piety. Tết couplets have a broader scope, tied to the custom of New Year greetings and can change yearly; altar couplets are usually made of wood, lacquered red with gold leaf or inlaid with mother-of-pearl, hung long-term and rarely changed. Readers who want to learn more about Tết couplets can see the article Where do Tết couplets come from and where did people hang them?.
What did poor households use instead of hoành phi and câu đối?
According to Bùi Xuân Mỹ (2001), poor households without wooden hoành phi used a woven bamboo mat (cót), added a frame, and pasted red paper with large characters on it to hang instead[1]. For câu đối, poor households used pairs of liễn or pink paper with couplets written on them[1]. Toan Ánh (2001) also records this substitution[2].
Summary table: type, location, content, sources
| Type | Location | Common content | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hoành phi | Hung high, horizontally across the front edge of the altar; poor households use a framed bamboo mat with red paper | Three or four large Hán characters: Kính như tại, Phúc mãn đường, Bách thế bất thiên; reign year and donor's name recorded | Bùi Xuân Mỹ (2001)[1], Toan Ánh (2001)[2], Song Mai and Quỳnh Trang (2006)[3] |
| Câu đối | Two columns before the altar or on the walls on either side; poor households use pink paper liễn | A pair of Hán or Nôm sentences praising ancestral merits and filial piety; some depict peaceful scenes | Bùi Xuân Mỹ (2001)[1], Toan Ánh (2001)[2], Song Mai and Quỳnh Trang (2006)[3] |
Hán or Nôm characters on hoành phi and câu đối?
According to Bùi Xuân Mỹ (2001), hoành phi and câu đối are both in Hán characters, but many households use Nôm couplets and Nôm hoành phi[1]. Toan Ánh (2001) and Song Mai, Quỳnh Trang (2006) also record this[2][3]. Nôm is the script in which Vietnamese borrowed Hán characters to write Vietnamese; readers who want to understand this script better can see the article Chữ Nôm: how the Vietnamese borrowed Hán characters to write Vietnamese.
Points on which the books disagree or are lacking
As to who first coined the terms hoành phi and câu đối in ancestor worship, or the date when the custom of hanging hoành phi and câu đối on the altar appeared, the books do not mention. Nor does any of the three books specify differences in the rules for hanging hoành phi and câu đối between regions or between the Kinh and other ethnic groups. The books describe customs mainly in the northern delta, from the beginning to the end of the 20th century; one should not extrapolate to the central or southern regions or to the present day when the books do not say so.
Regarding the size of hoành phi, Bùi Xuân Mỹ (2001) records a width of about three thước and a height of one to 1.2 thước[1]; Toan Ánh (2001) records similarly[2]. These are conventional dimensions for hoành phi hung in clan ancestral houses or wealthy homes, not mandatory standards for every family.
The custom of hanging hoành phi and câu đối in the context of ancestor worship
In folk belief, hanging hoành phi and câu đối on the altar is not only for decoration but also a way to express reverence for ancestors and remind descendants of the merits of birth and upbringing. People believe that ancestors are always present at the altar to witness the sincerity of descendants, so the phrase "Kính như tại" is commonly used[2][3].
However, a distinction should be made between folk belief and historical data: the custom books record the existence of the custom of hanging hoành phi and câu đối in ancestor worship as a long-standing practice, but they provide no specific chronological evidence[1][2][3].
Nhật Nguyệt's suggestion
If your family intends to hang a hoành phi or câu đối on the altar, you can refer to the sample characters and hanging methods recorded in the custom books, but you should compare with the actual altar space and local customs. Hanging hoành phi and câu đối is a cultural custom, not a mandatory regulation; each family can choose a suitable form according to its conditions and traditions.
