Lễ khai trương (opening ceremony)
Also called: Khai trương đầu năm, Mở hàng, Cúng mở hàng đầu năm, Khai trương hồng phát
- Work and trade
Culture and belief A record of custom.
According to old belief, a shop or workshop stands on land governed by the Thổ thần (Earth God), so when opening for business the owner sets out an offering to present to the deities and asks for trade to go smoothly. At the start of the year, many places choose a day to reopen for business and also perform this ceremony.
At a glance
- When it is held
- The day of opening a new shop, company, or workshop; the day of reopening for business after Tết
- For whom
- Quan Đương niên Hành khiển (the presiding officer deity of the year), Thành hoàng bản cảnh (the village tutelary deity of the locality), Ngũ phương Ngũ thổ (the Five Directions and Five Earths), Long mạch (the dragon vein), Tài thần (God of Wealth), Táo quân (Kitchen Gods), Thổ địa (Earth God); tiền chủ (former owner), hậu chủ (later owner)
- Where
- Place of work, Courtyard or outdoors
Each family and each region may do it differently.
The offering tray
Incense, lamps, candles
- Hương (incense sticks)
- Nến (candles)
Flowers
- Hoa tươi (fresh flowers)
Tea, rice wine, water
- Nước sạch (clean water)
Fruit
- Trái cây (fruit)
Xôi (steamed sticky rice) and cakes
- Oản (molded sticky rice offering cake)
- Bánh kẹo (cakes and sweets)
- Xôi (sticky rice)
- Cơm (cooked rice)
- Chè (sweet dessert soup)
Meat and savoury dishes
- Gà (chicken, preparation unspecified)
- Canh (soup)
- Bộ tam sên (the three offerings): boiled pork, eggs, boiled shrimp or crab
- Roast suckling pig or boiled chicken
Betel leaves and areca nuts
- Trầu cau (betel leaf and areca nut)
Rice and salt
- Muối (salt)
- Gạo (rice)
Votive paper
- Vàng mã (votive paper offerings)
Folk practice
- When
- The day of opening a new shop or company; or the day of reopening for business after Tết, with the day and hour chosen in advance
- Where the offerings are set
- In front of the shop, with the offering tray facing the main door or the large road (according to some guides); if also invoking the Quan Hành khiển, an additional altar is set up outdoors (according to another guide)
- Who makes the offering
- The shop owner, the director
| Offering | Quantity | Vegetarian or not | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Incense, lamps, candles | |||
| Incense, flowers | Required | ||
| Đèn cầy (candles) | 2 sticks | ||
| Fruit | |||
| Fruit, phẩm oản (steamed rice cakes) | Vegetarian | Thế giới và Việt Nam newspaper: at least 5 kinds of fruit | |
| Votive paper | |||
| Vàng mã (votive paper) | |||
| Betel leaves and areca nuts | |||
| Betel leaves and areca nuts | Vegetarian | ||
| Xôi (steamed sticky rice) and cakes | |||
| Cakes and candies | Vegetarian | ||
| Savory offering tray: xôi (steamed sticky rice), chicken, rice, soup | Meat or fish | Optional. One guide gives: "if you have it, prepare a savory feast; if not, incense, flowers, and fruit offerings" | |
| Water, tea, xôi (steamed sticky rice) | 3 cups of each | Vegetarian | |
| Meat and savoury dishes | |||
| Bộ tam sên (the three offerings): boiled pork, eggs, boiled shrimp or crab | Meat or fish | According to Thế giới và Việt Nam newspaper and some guides | |
| Roast suckling pig or boiled chicken | Meat or fish | ||
| Rice and salt | |||
| Salt, rice | 1 plate of each | Vegetarian | |
Buddhist
- When
- The opening day at the start of the year
- Where the offerings are set
- The incense table is placed in the middle of the company's or house's frontage, facing outward
- Who makes the offering
- The head of the household or the head of the company
| Offering | Quantity | Vegetarian or not | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flowers | |||
| Flower vase | 1 vase | Placed on the right | |
| Fruit | |||
| A plate of five-colored fruit | 1 plate | Vegetarian | Placed on the left |
| Incense, lamps, candles | |||
| Incense, lamps | |||
| Tea, rice wine, water | |||
| Teapot and cups | 1 pot, 5 cups | Vegetarian | |
| Xôi (steamed sticky rice) and cakes | |||
| Chè (sweet soup) | 5 cups | Vegetarian | |
| xôi (steamed sticky rice) | 5 plates | Vegetarian | |
| Tray of rice, cakes, candied fruit | 1 tray | Vegetarian | |
| Plain rice porridge | 1 bowl | Vegetarian | |
| Rice and salt | |||
| Rice and salt | 1 plate | Vegetarian | |
Steps of the rite
Used across Vietnam, Folk practice
- Laying out the offeringsSet out the offering tray, offer a cup of water
- Reciting the prayerLight three or five incense sticks, bow three times, read the prayer text
- Burning votive paperWhen the incense has burned about two thirds, bow in thanks, burn votive paper, scatter rice and salt
- Invite someone to make the first purchase to open the business
Used across Vietnam, Buddhist
- Reciting the prayerLight 3 incense sticks, hold both hands up level with the forehead, and pray
- Pour tea 3 times, each time reciting one title and bowing once
- Read the dedication of merit
What is avoided
- On the opening day, by custom avoid sweeping rubbish outward, avoid breaking things, avoid quarreling (according to some guides)
The custom
Phan Kế Bính's Việt Nam phong tục (1915) records that opening a shop, like building a house or a wedding, required choosing the day and hour; from the second day of Tết onward, merchants chose a day to reopen their shops.
One guide notes that when opening a shop or workshop at the start of the year, the owner makes an offering to Quan Hành khiển (the presiding deity of the year), the deities and the ancestors; the offering is up to the owner: a savoury feast if possible, otherwise incense, flowers and fruit.
Questions
What is prepared for a business-opening offering?
One guide notes that the offering is up to the owner: a savoury feast if possible, otherwise incense, flowers and fruit. Thế giới và Việt Nam newspaper says the tray usually has at least 5 kinds of fruit, a tam sên set (boiled pork, boiled egg and boiled shrimp), salt, rice, votive paper and two candles.
Does the opening offering tray face outward or inward?
Many guides describe it facing outward: one places it in front of the shop facing the main door or the main road; Buddhist guidance sets the incense table in the middle of the company's or house's frontage, facing out. One guide notes that when Quan Hành khiển is also invoked, an extra outdoor altar is set up.
What is offered at a post-Tết reopening, and when?
One guide notes that when a shop or workshop opens at the start of the year an offering is made to Quan Hành khiển, the deities and the ancestors; it is up to the owner: a savoury feast if possible, otherwise incense, flowers and fruit. Việt Nam phong tục (1915) records that from the second day of Tết merchants chose a day to reopen their shops.
Communities and regions
More about Lễ khai trương (opening ceremony)
- Tet and seasonal ritesChoosing an opening day for the Đinh Mùi 2027 Lunar New Year: where the custom comes from and what people weigh up
- Folk taboosFolk taboos when opening a business: What you need to know
- Date and hour selectionChoosing Year-End Dates: Year-End Gathering, Altar Cleaning, Debt Repayment, and New Year Opening
- Life-cycle ritesHow to perform a proper opening ceremony offering for shops and companies
Sources
- Văn khấn lễ khai trương cửa hàng (vankhan.vn)
- Văn khấn lễ khai trương cửa hàng (tuvi.vn)
- Bài cúng khai trương (docungtamlinh.com.vn)
- Văn khấn khai trương (baoquocte.vn)
- Văn khấn lễ động thổ hoặc khánh thành nhà ở, cửa hàng cửa hiệu (vankhan.vn)
- Việt Nam phong tục, Phan Kế Bính (1915), thiên III, mục XXXI: Xem ngày kén giờ (vi.wikisource.org)
- Việt Nam phong tục, mục XII Tứ thời tiết lạp, Phan Kế Bính, 1915 (vi.wikisource.org)
Part of the open datasets Types of Vietnamese offering rites and Vietnamese offering procedures, licensed CC BY 4.0.
More ritesDeath anniversaries, Tết, the home, business, the life cycle, village and ethnic rites.Open