When business failed, what did older generations of Vietnamese traditionally do?
When trade declined, older generations of Vietnamese typically did three groups of things: worshipped the God of Wealth (Thần Tài) and the Earth God (ông Địa) to pray for prosperity, rechecked the opening date and altar direction, and performed rituals to resolve bad luck. These acts were seen as a way to calm the spirit and also reminded the householder to review their business practices. The important point is that faith is only one part, and cannot replace calculating the books and adjusting the business plan.
What is worshipping the God of Wealth, and why do business people worship when they suffer losses?
Worshipping the God of Wealth is a ritual of offering gifts to the deity believed to watch over the household's money. In Eastern belief, the God of Wealth is responsible for overseeing money and assets, so when business fails, many people turn to the ritual to pray for luck to return. The common day for the God of Wealth's festival is the 10th day of each lunar month, with the 10th of the first lunar month considered the most important.
Origin of the God of Wealth worship
The custom of worshipping the God of Wealth originated in China and entered Vietnam around the early 20th century. There are several different legends about this deity.
- The first theory tells of Triệu Công Minh, who helped Khương Tử Nha fight Trụ Vương. After dying in battle, he was made Chính Nhất Long Hồ Huyền chân quân, commanding four deities: Chiêu Bảo, Nạp Trân, Chiêu Tài, and Lợi Thị, with the task of managing money and assets.
- The second theory says the God of Wealth got drunk, fell to the mortal world, lost his memory, and went begging. He stopped at an empty restaurant, and once he entered, customers came in crowds. The owner kept him, and business flourished. When he remembered everything and flew back to heaven, that day was the 10th of the first lunar month, which folk tradition took as the God of Wealth's festival day.
- The third theory tells of Âu Minh, a Chinese trader, who met the Water God and was given a female servant named Như Nguyện. After bringing Như Nguyện home, his business prospered. One Tet day, Âu Minh beat Như Nguyện, who in fear crawled into a rubbish heap and disappeared. From then on, Âu Minh's business failed, and he soon became destitute. People realized she was the God of Wealth and set up an altar. Therefore, the God of Wealth's altar is often placed in a hidden corner of the house, and during the three days of Tet, people avoid sweeping the house or collecting rubbish for fear of losing the God of Wealth hiding there.
- The fourth theory holds that the God of Wealth was originally Bố Đại La Hán, also called Nhân Yết Đà tôn giả in India, one of the eighteen Arhats. He often carried a large cloth bag, putting whatever was given into it and distributing to children. Thus, statues of the God of Wealth often stand, carrying a large bag, with both hands raised to the sky, symbolizing luck and success.
Offerings and how to worship the God of Wealth
According to folk belief, before the ritual, the householder should bathe the statues of the God of Wealth and the Earth God and wipe them dry. Offerings usually include fruit, water, joss paper, and on the main festival day, many people buy gold to pray for prosperity. However, buying gold on the God of Wealth's festival also carries risk: if bought two days before, customers may have lost more than two million dong per tael due to price differences.
Is rechecking the opening date and altar direction a common practice of older generations?
Yes. When business failed, older generations of Vietnamese often rechecked the opening date and the direction of the God of Wealth and Earth God altars, believing that the date, time, and direction could affect the shop's fortune. However, this is folk belief with no scientific basis to confirm effectiveness. Feng shui schools also disagree on how to choose dates and directions, so this article only presents the common folk convention and does not assert one way as the only correct one.
Points often rechecked
- Opening date: choosing a day believed to suit the shop owner's age, avoiding conflicting days.
- Direction of the God of Wealth altar: often placed in a hidden corner, avoiding facing the main door, following the story of Như Nguyện hiding in the rubbish heap.
- Position of the Earth God altar: often placed near the entrance to welcome customers.
What is a ritual to resolve bad luck, and should business people do it when suffering losses?
A ritual to resolve bad luck is a folk ceremony to neutralize misfortune believed to be affecting a person or family. When business fails, many people think they are facing bad luck and seek a ritual master to perform the ceremony. However, this field is prone to exploitation. Before deciding, one should stay clear-headed and distinguish between legitimate spiritual needs and being taken advantage of.
Why are spiritual activities around business increasingly flourishing?
According to economist Nguyễn Trí Hiếu, this phenomenon stems from the Vietnamese view that wealth brings rituals. When life is more prosperous, people have more assets and want to preserve them, so they turn to deities for protection. Demand creates supply, and business people see this trend and find ways to meet the need, forming spiritual services.
The downside of spiritual business
Besides immediate benefits, spiritual business also gives rise to many problems. At many spiritual projects, there is a situation of turning public property into private property, blocking gates to collect money, even with national heritage. Lawyer Trương Thanh Đức argues that spiritual service business is not in the list of conditional business sectors, and the core is still transparency of revenues. If defined as business, there must be proper documents, and even donations must have strict management mechanisms.
Comparison table of ways to respond to business losses
| Response | Main content | Origin, viewpoint | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Worshipping the God of Wealth, Earth God | Offering gifts, praying for prosperity | Eastern belief, entered Vietnam early 20th century | Cannot replace business management |
| Rechecking opening date, altar direction | Rechoosing date, time, altar direction | Folk feng shui, schools disagree | For reference only, not absolute |
| Ritual to resolve bad luck | Ceremony to neutralize misfortune | Folk belief | Stay clear-headed, avoid exploitation |
| Reviewing books, cash flow | Checking costs, revenue, plan | Economics, management | Should be done before turning to spirituality |
What should be done before turning to spirituality?
Before turning to spirituality, one should review the books, cash flow, and business plan. Specifically:
- Check fixed and variable costs, find money leaks.
- Review selling prices, profit margins, and best-selling products.
- Reassess the customer base and sales channels.
- Plan cash flow for the next three months, prepare for the worst case.
- Seek advice from someone with expertise in finance or management.
Faith can be a spiritual support, helping business people stay calmer, but it should not be seen as a substitute for adjusting business practices. If one still wants to perform rituals for the God of Wealth or to resolve bad luck, choose a transparent place and avoid expenses too large compared to financial capacity.
Conclusion
Older generations of Vietnamese, when business failed, often worshipped the God of Wealth, rechecked the opening date, and performed rituals to resolve bad luck. These customs originated in China, entered Vietnam around the early 20th century, and carry spiritual meaning more than practical effectiveness. In today's context, when spiritual services flourish and can be exploited, business people should stay clear-headed, prioritize reviewing business operations before seeking lucky rituals.
