What is the Thần Tài prayer and where does it come from?
The Thần Tài prayer is a folk prayer that Vietnamese people recite when they worship the deity believed to bring wealth and fortune to the household. In Vietnamese worship traditions, Thần Tài (the God of Wealth) is not the highest deity but one of several gods worshipped at home, usually placed together with Thổ Địa (the Earth God). Kind of knowledge: Folk beliefFolk belief. What people believe, avoid or pass on by word of mouth, recorded as a belief, not as a checked fact. The five labelsIn folk belief, Thần Tài is the deity who brings wealth to the family, and whenever they undertake anything, the household head usually prays to Thần Tài1.
What stands out is that people in the past worshipped Thần Tài all year round, not only on death anniversaries, Tết, the first day of the lunar month or the full moon12. This sets it apart from many other rituals that take place only by season or on specific occasions. On ordinary days, the household head makes a simple offering of betel, water and fruit, and may burn incense every evening1. On death anniversaries, Tết, the first day of the lunar month and the full moon, the household head offers a savoury tray2.
The full Thần Tài prayer according to the book Văn khấn cổ truyền Việt Nam
The prayer below is recorded according to the book Văn khấn cổ truyền Việt Nam, published by Văn hóa Thông tin, and can be used both for daily worship and for worship on the first day of the lunar month and the full moon. The parts in brackets are where the household head fills in their own information.
Nam mô A Di Đà Phật! (3 times)
Con lạy chín phương Trời, mười phương chư Phật, chư Phật mười phương.
Con kính lạy ngài Hoàng thiên, Hậu thổ chư vị Tôn thần.
Con kính lạy ngài Đông Trù Tư mệnh Táo phủ Thần quân.
Con kính lạy Thần Tài vị tiền.
Con kính lạy các ngài thần linh, Thổ địa cai quản trong xứ này.
Tín chủ con là…
Ngụ tại…
Hôm nay là ngày… tháng… năm…
Tín chủ thành sửa biện, hương hoa, lễ vật, kim ngân, trà quả và các thứ cúng dâng, bầy ra trước án kính mời ngài Thần Tài tiền vị.
Cúi xin Thần Tài thương xót tín chủ, giáng lâm trước án, chứng giám lòng thành, thụ hưởng lễ vật phù trì tín chủ chúng con an ninh khang thái, vạn sự tốt lành, gia đạo hưng long thịnh vượng, lộc tài tăng tiến, tâm đạo mở mang, sở cầu tất ứng, sở nguyện tòng tâm.
Chúng con lễ bạc tâm thành, trước án kính lễ cúi xin được phù hộ độ trì.
Nam mô A Di Đà Phật! (3 times)
Why does the Thần Tài prayer open with the names of the Buddha and other deities?
The prayer opens with "Nam mô A Di Đà Phật" three times, then bows in turn to Hoàng thiên Hậu thổ (Heaven and Earth), Đông Trù Tư mệnh Táo phủ Thần quân (the Kitchen God), Thần Tài vị tiền and the local spirits and Thổ địa12. This structure reflects the order of worship in Vietnamese folk belief: the Buddha holds the highest position, followed by the deities who govern heaven and earth, the kitchen, wealth and land.
Notably, Thần Tài is only invited after paying respects to the Buddha, Heaven and Earth and the Kitchen God. This shows that in folk understanding, Thần Tài does not stand alone but belongs to a hierarchy of deities. The household head asks for wealth but still places the wish for peace and well-being first: "an ninh khang thái, vạn sự tốt lành" (security and well-being, all things auspicious), and only then "lộc tài tăng tiến" (wealth and fortune increasing)12.
It is also worth noting that "Thần Tài vị tiền" in the prayer is a way of naming the deity who watches over money and valuables, and does not correspond to any specific historical figure. Kind of knowledge: UnprovenNot enough evidence. Someone has claimed it, but no source or study is strong enough to confirm it. The five labelsThe precise origin and identity of this deity in Vietnamese belief is not made clear by the reference sources, so this article does not claim that this is a real historical figure.
How do the offerings and the way of worshipping Thần Tài daily differ from the first day of the lunar month?
The main difference lies in the scale of the offerings. On ordinary days, the household head makes a simple offering of betel, water and fruit, and may burn incense every evening1. On death anniversaries, Tết, the first day of the lunar month and the full moon, the household head offers a savoury tray2.
| Occasion | Offerings | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary days | Betel, water, fruit | May burn incense every evening1 |
| First day of the lunar month, full moon | Savoury tray | Monthly2 |
| Death anniversaries, Tết | Savoury tray | According to occasions in the year2 |
| When there is a need to pray | As one wishes | At any time one needs to pray2 |
What is worth noting is that people in the past worshipped Thần Tài at any time they needed to pray, not limited to fixed days2. This shows that worshipping Thần Tài is an everyday practice, tied to daily work and business rather than a solemn seasonal ritual.
What date in the solar calendar does the first day of the 11th lunar month of the year Ất Tỵ 2025 fall on?
The first day of the 11th lunar month of the year Ất Tỵ 2025 falls on Saturday, 20 December in the solar calendar2. This is a concrete example showing that looking up lunar dates for worshipping Thần Tài requires checking against a perpetual calendar or a lunar-to-solar conversion table.
Kind of knowledge: CalendarCalendar fact. Computed by calendar arithmetic, and checkable against a printed almanac or an independent calculation. The five labelsFor families who worship Thần Tài on the first day of each lunar month, determining the correct corresponding solar date is a necessary preparation step. The first day of the 11th lunar month of the year Ất Tỵ 2025 falls on 20/12/2025 in the solar calendar2. Other lunar months in the year may have different corresponding solar dates, depending on whether that month is a full month or a short month.
Is Thần Tài only worshipped on the first day of the lunar month and the full moon?
No. According to the book Văn khấn cổ truyền Việt Nam, people in the past worshipped Thần Tài all year round, not only on death anniversaries, Tết, the first day of the lunar month or the full moon, but at any time they needed to pray2. On ordinary days, the household head makes a simple offering of betel, water and fruit, and may burn incense every evening1.
This means that the first day of the lunar month and the full moon are only two among many occasions for worshipping Thần Tài, not the only ones. This understanding also fits the nature of worshipping Thần Tài: this is a deity tied to daily work and trade, so prayers also take place regularly rather than waiting for major festivals.
What should be kept in mind when reciting the Thần Tài prayer?
The most important thing is sincerity. The prayer includes the lines "chứng giám lòng thành" (witness this sincere heart) and "lễ bạc tâm thành" (a modest offering with a sincere heart), showing that folk tradition places sincerity before offerings12. The household head needs to fill in the blanks with personal information: the name of the worshipper, the place of residence, and the date of the offering.
In practice, the household head can recite the prayer when burning incense to worship Thần Tài each day1. The prayer can be used verbatim both for daily worship and for worship on the first day of the lunar month, with only the date changed to suit the occasion2.
A clear distinction is needed: the prayer text is a ritual document of a conventional nature, not a blessing that can guarantee an outcome. Kind of knowledge: Folk beliefFolk belief. What people believe, avoid or pass on by word of mouth, recorded as a belief, not as a checked fact. The five labelsFolk belief holds that worshipping Thần Tài properly will bring protection over wealth and fortune, but this is a matter of religious faith, not a promise about business results. Worship does not replace labour, calculation and practical financial management.
In summary
The Thần Tài prayer is part of the household worship tradition of Vietnamese people, tied to the wish for wealth and well-being. The prayer according to the book Văn khấn cổ truyền Việt Nam has a clear structure: it opens with the name of the Buddha, bows in turn to the deities, then invites Thần Tài to witness and asks for protection. People in the past worshipped Thần Tài all year round, with simple offerings on ordinary days and a savoury tray on major occasions. When reciting the prayer, what matters is sincerity and filling in personal information completely.
