Lễ đổ móng, đổ mái, cất nóc (foundation-pouring, roof-pouring, and roof-raising ceremonies)
Also called: Thượng lương, Lễ gác đòn dông, Cúng đổ mái, Cúng cất nóc
- House and land
Culture and belief A record of custom.
By custom, when the house is built to the stage of pouring the foundation, pouring the roof or raising the roof, the head of the household sets out an offering at the construction site, reports to the deities governing that land and asks that the construction work, the owner and the workers be safe and settled. The roof-raising ceremony is also called lễ Thượng Lương (the ceremony of raising the ridge beam).
At a glance
- When it is held
- Before pouring the foundation; on the day of pouring the roof or placing the ridge beam on the roof
- For whom
- Thổ thần (Earth God), quan Đương niên (the deity in charge of the year), Thành hoàng bản cảnh (the village tutelary deity of the locality), Táo quân (Kitchen Gods), Long mạch (Dragon Vein) and the deities of the construction site; tiền chủ, hậu chủ (former and later owners)
- Who makes the offering
- The head of the household; if a person's age falls under Kim Lâu or Hoang Ốc, someone else is asked to stand for the offering (according to some guides)
Each family and each region may do it differently.
The offering tray
Folk practice
- When
- The day of pouring the concrete roof (for a built house) or the day of placing the ridge beam on the roof; the head of the household chooses the day and hour in advance
- Where the offerings are set
- At the construction site
| Offering | Quantity | Vegetarian or not | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meat and savoury dishes | |||
| Boiled chicken | 1 | Meat or fish | |
| Xôi (steamed sticky rice) and cakes | |||
| xôi (steamed sticky rice) or bánh chưng (square sticky rice cake) | 1 plate | Meat or fish | |
| Red oản (round glutinous rice cakes) | 5 pieces | Vegetarian | |
| Rice and salt | |||
| Salt | 1 plate | Vegetarian | |
| Rice | 1 bowl | Vegetarian | |
| Tea, rice wine, water | |||
| water | 1 bowl | Vegetarian | |
| White wine | half a litre | ||
| Cigarettes | 1 pack | ||
| Dried tea | 1 lạng | Vegetarian | |
| Votive paper | |||
| A set of clothes for the deities, hat, boots in red and a white sword (votive paper items) | 1 set | ||
| Đinh vàng hoa (votive paper items) | 1 set | ||
| Vàng tiền (votive paper money) | 5 offerings | ||
| Betel leaves and areca nuts | |||
| betel leaves and areca nuts | 5 betel leaves, 5 areca nuts | Vegetarian | |
| Fruit | |||
| Round fruit | 5 fruits | Vegetarian | Of the same kind or different kinds |
| Flowers | |||
| Yellow chrysanthemums | 9 flowers | ||
Buddhist
- When
- One day before or right before pouring the foundation or the roof slab
- Where the offerings are set
- On the land of the construction site; for đổ mái, the ceremony is held on the ground, no need to go up to the roof; the direction of the offering table depends on each family
| Offering | Vegetarian or not | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Vegetarian dishes | ||
| Pure food offerings | Vegetarian | The text has a separate passage for the case where there is food from animals killed by oneself or by someone one has asked to kill: that part is not offered |
Steps of the rite
Used across Vietnam, Folk practice
- The head of the household bathes, washes his hair, and dresses neatly
- Set up the offerings, light the lamps and incense, bow to the four directions and eight compass points, then turn back to the offering tray
- Read the prayer text, stating clearly the work being done (cất nóc, đổ mái)
- Burn votive paper, then let the workers proceed
Used across Vietnam, Buddhist
- Insert incense, kneel, join hands, the chanter recites
- Invite the heavenly beings, the spirits, and the souls of the deceased
- Perform the offering of food to the four ranks
- Recite three mantras and a verse
- Dedication of merit
- Take down the offerings
What is avoided
- Avoid holding the ceremony on rainy or windy days (according to VOH)
- Do not talk or laugh loudly during the ceremony
Communities and regions
Sources
- Gợi ý mâm cúng và văn khấn cất nóc nhà, đổ mái nhà (voh.com.vn)
- Văn khấn lễ động thổ, cất nóc, chuyển nhà, sửa nhà (tuvi.vn)
- Các nghi lễ trong xây dựng (docungtamlinh.com.vn)
Part of the open datasets Types of Vietnamese offering rites and Vietnamese offering procedures, licensed CC BY 4.0.
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