TL;DR: The lễ mở cửa mả (grave-opening ceremony), also called lễ khai mộ, is a ritual held about three days after burial and is common among many communities of residents in the South. In folk belief, the ceremony opens the way for the soul to leave the grave and wakes the dead with the cry of a chick. According to an article on a Buddhist website, Buddhism has no lễ mở cửa mả (grave-opening ceremony), only the lễ an vị mộ (rite of placing the grave): the descendants come to visit and repair the tomb.
What is the grave-opening ceremony and when is it held?
The grave-opening ceremony, also called lễ khai mộ, is a rite held by many families about three days after the burial of the deceased, performed right at the grave. In folk belief common among many communities in southern Vietnam, after being buried the soul cannot yet be liberated and still lingers deep in the grave, suffering. Opening the grave is meant to let the soul leave the grave and go to liberation[1].
According to the article by author Trần Trấn Giang published on phatgiao.org.vn, usually about three days after burial the family holds the grave-opening at the grave[1].
What do the offerings and rituals of the grave-opening ceremony include?
The grave-opening offering tray as recorded in southern Vietnam is fairly complex, with many groups of symbolic offerings. It can be divided into four main groups: offerings for the soul, offerings for the land deities, offerings symbolising the journey out of the grave, and offerings for release.
| Group of offerings | Details | Folk meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Offerings for the soul | 2 vases of flowers, 2 plates of fruit (1 for the land deities, 1 for the soul), 6 bowls of sweet soup, 2 plates of sticky rice, a set of tam sên (egg, meat, shrimp), 7 cups, a pot of tea, a jar of wine | Offering and remembering the deceased |
| Offerings for the land deities | 3 bamboo tubes about 4 tấc long, sharpened at one end: 1 with salt, 1 with water, 1 with water, covered with nylon; 4 candles; 5 kinds of beans; 5 bamboo slips 4 tấc long sharpened at one end as tablets for the ngũ phương ngũ thổ tôn thần | Worshipping the ngũ phương ngũ thổ tôn thần, asking the deities who guard the land for permission |
| Symbols of the journey | A chick led along; a small ladder of bamboo, reed or banana tree with 7 rungs if the deceased is a man, 9 rungs if a woman; a sugarcane stalk | The chick calls out to wake the dead; the ladder helps the soul climb out of the grave; the sugarcane symbolises the hard work of parents raising children |
| Release | 18 birds to set free | Releasing birds to accumulate merit |
According to Trần Trấn Giang, during the rite the family must have a chick led along so that it calls out and the soul hears the chicken and wakes up, because of the belief that the dead will sleep forever without the sound of a chicken to wake them. The chick also symbolises the absence of parental love. If the deceased is young and has no spouse, a chick is not required[1].
According to the same record, people make a small ladder of bamboo, reed or banana tree with 7 rungs if the deceased is a man, 9 rungs if a woman, with the belief that it helps the dead climb out of the grave more easily. The five-tấc ladder represents the five constant virtues, and the three bamboo tubes represent the three bonds. Beside that, the family also brings a sugarcane stalk symbolising parents raising children in hardship and becoming thin and worn[1].
How does Buddhism view the grave-opening ceremony?
According to the article "Tục mở cửa mả ở Nam Bộ" on phatgiao.org.vn, Buddhism does not have a grave-opening ceremony but only a rite of an vị mộ. That is, three days after burial, descendants return to the grave to visit and repair it carefully, because on the burial day the family is busy so all grave-building is left to the đạo tỳ. While the bereaved must bring the soul home for the an sàng rite, they fear the đạo tỳ did not do it carefully, so they go to the grave to check and repair it. At the same time the bereaved take the occasion to make offerings and pray to express their love and remembrance. This rite can be performed by the family itself, without necessarily inviting a master. Moreover, on the burial day the soul was already brought home for the an sàng rite, so no soul remains under the grave to be opened[1].
On Buddhist funeral rites, according to the article "Nghi thức tang lễ theo truyền thống Phật giáo" on phatgiao.org.vn, Buddhist funeral rites include steps such as trị quan nhập liệm, phục hồn, khai kinh tiến linh, phát tang, triêu điện, tịch điện. In the phục hồn step, an altar is set up with a portrait, tablet and incense bowl, and the soul is invited to be seated so that the consciousness can be calm and clearly recognise that it must leave the body, because it is believed that at that time the consciousness of the dead is lost, afraid, and not yet aware of what is happening[2].
Are these two views contradictory?
Not exactly contradictory, but two layers of meaning overlapping. The folk layer focuses on freeing the soul from the grave, while the Buddhist layer focuses on the bereaved returning to the cemetery to finish repairing the grave and express love and remembrance.
Where does the custom of opening the grave come from?
According to the article "Tục mở cửa mả ở Nam Bộ", this rite was introduced from China to our country, then became an official custom. Today, the grave-opening custom is still maintained by many southern residents and seen as an indispensable rite when a family unfortunately has a member die young[1].
However, it should be noted that this claim about Chinese origin is made in an article on a Buddhist website, without specific textual evidence. So this should be seen as one author's account rather than a proven conclusion.
What should be noted when holding the grave-opening ceremony today?
According to the article on phatgiao.org.vn, the rite of an vị mộ in the Buddhist view can be performed by the family itself, without necessarily inviting a master, and there is no need to bring a chick or sugarcane: the article says these are only a symbolic form of Confucian filial piety, and flowers, fruit, sticky rice and sweet soup offered at the grave are enough[1].
Is the grave-opening ceremony still common?
According to Trần Trấn Giang, the grave-opening custom is still maintained by many southern residents[1].
In closing
The grave-opening ceremony three days after burial is a rite of passage with many layers of meaning: the folk layer explains it as the belief that the soul needs a way out of the grave, and the Buddhist layer explains it as the bereaved returning to repair and visit the grave. Both layers coexist in many communities. What matters is that this rite still keeps its core function: helping the bereaved express love and remembrance and finish what needs to be done for the deceased after burial.
