Kitchen Gods worship: A colorful cultural picture of three regions
The Kitchen Gods worship ceremony on the 23rd day of the last lunar month is considered an important ritual marking the start of the Lunar New Year (Tet) for Vietnamese people. According to legend, on this day, the three Kitchen Gods ride carps to heaven to report to the Jade Emperor on the family's affairs over the past year. Despite sharing the same spiritual significance, the customs across the North, Central, and South regions have fascinating differences.
Northern Region
Northerners often worship Kitchen Gods quite early, with many families preparing offerings from around the 20th day of the last lunar month, and no later than noon on the 23rd day. It is believed that after 12 noon, the Gods have already departed, so offerings must be completed before then.
The offerings typically include three sets of votive paper: two for the male Gods (hats with two fins) and one for the female God (hat without fins). The feast features traditional dishes like sticky rice, chicken, pork roll, spring rolls, and bamboo shoot soup. Some localities also offer sweet soup made from glutinous rice and ginger.
The most distinctive feature is the use of carp. Families offer either live carp or paper carps. After the ceremony, live carps are released into ponds, lakes, or rivers, symbolizing the carp transforming into a dragon to carry the Gods to heaven.
Central Region
The custom in the Central region is considered the most elaborate. The ceremony is held exactly on the 23rd day. Before that, families replace sand in the incense burner and clean the Kitchen Gods altar. Instead of carp, they offer a paper horse with a full saddle and bridle. The feast includes mackerel or tuna, fresh flowers, and fruits. A unique feature is placing the old and new sets of Kitchen Gods statues side by side. After the ceremony, the old terracotta statues are removed and new ones are installed. Old statues are placed near village shrines or under old trees at crossroads. In some areas like Hue and Hoi An, people erect a Neu tree (bamboo pole) on the morning of the 23rd day to ward off evil spirits while the Gods are away.
Southern Region
According to old customs, Southerners worshipped the Kitchen Gods in the evening, between 8 PM and 11 PM on the 23rd day. The belief is that the ceremony should be held after the family has finished dinner and no longer needs the kitchen, avoiding disturbance to the Gods. Today, due to cultural exchange, many families now perform the ritual early in the morning.
The feast includes savory dishes such as spring rolls, pork roll, Chung cake, pickled onions, and boiled chicken, along with sweet soup balls and candies made from black sesame and peanuts.
The most distinctive feature is the "flying stork, running horse" votive paper set. This set consists of paper printed with a galloping horse and a stork with spread wings, without bamboo frames. It has two parts: one for the send-off ceremony and one for welcoming the Gods back on the 30th day of Tet. According to the book "Special Study on Family Deity Worship Beliefs," Southerners use this set because the horse carries the Gods by land, then the stork carries them flying to heaven. This custom originates from the "horse releasing, stork releasing" ritual in Taoism and Buddhism.
Summary Table
| Criteria | North | Central | South |
|---|---|---|---|
| Worship time | From around 20th day, latest by noon of the 23rd day. | Exactly on the 23rd day. | Traditionally in the evening (8-11 PM); now many do it early morning. |
| Distinctive offerings | Live carp or paper carp (for release). | Paper horse with saddle, mackerel or tuna. | "Flying stork, running horse" votive paper set. |
| Typical ritual | Burning votive paper, releasing carp into water. | Replacing altar sand, installing new statues, placing old statues at shrines. | Worshipping after dinner; using the stork-horse set for send-off and welcome. |
Conclusion
Despite differences in timing, offerings, and rituals among the three regions, the common thread remains the sincere reverence of homeowners toward the deities who oversee the family's fortune. These variations in the Kitchen Gods worship custom reflect the richness of Vietnamese culture, where each region has its own way of expressing gratitude and wishing for a peaceful and lucky new year.
