Cúng vía Quan Thế Âm Bồ Tát (Quan Thế Âm Bồ Tát's birthday celebration, the 19th of the second, sixth and ninth lunar months)

Used across Vietnam, Buddhist

1. Arrange the vegetarian offerings on the Quan Âm altar
2. Light incense, read the prayer text
3. When one round of incense is finished, light another round and bow three times
4. Take down the sớ (petition) and burn it
5. On the vía day, chant the twelve vows of Quan Thế Âm Bồ Tát

Red River Delta, Chùa Hương, Hà Nội, chùa Bổ Đà, Bắc Giang, Buddhist

1. Chùa Hương, afternoon of the 18th: chant the Kinh Phổ Môn at chùa Thiên Trù; some years a Mông Sơn thí thực altar is set up in the pagoda yard
2. Evening of the 18th: khánh đản commemorative ceremony in the yard of chùa Thiên Trù; around 23 o'clock the procession of monks and nuns carries torches up to Hương Tích cave, chanting sutras and invoking the Buddha as they go
3. Midnight in the cave: preaching about Bà Chúa Ba, chanting the Kinh Ngũ Bách Danh Quán Thế Âm, Buddhists respond with "Nam Mô Quán Thế Âm Bồ Tát" after each name
4. The officiant dips a leafy branch into water symbolizing Cam Lồ water and sprinkles it on the offering table and the attendees
5. Chant the Universal Gateway Chapter or the Amitabha Sutra until the early morning of the 19th, then dedicate the merit; release flower lanterns on Suối Yến
6. Chùa Bổ Đà, morning of the 17th: carry the palanquin in procession from Đền Hạ up to Đền Trung, then up the mountain to offer incense at Đền Thượng and present offerings to the Buddha at chùa Quán Âm and chùa Tứ Ân

Northwest, Fansipan, Lào Cai, Buddhist

1. evening of the 18th: sit in meditation, chant sutras and pray, then offer flower lanterns at Bảo An Thiền Tự
2. the 19th: great ceremony on the summit, monks, nuns and Buddhists walk in procession around the Great Statue of Amitabha Buddha, past the Arhat path, ending with an incense-offering ceremony at Kim Sơn Bảo Thắng Tự

Central Vietnam, Ngũ Hành Sơn, Đà Nẵng, Thừa Thiên Huế, Buddhist

1. the anniversary ceremony at chùa Quán Thế Âm with Buddhist rites
2. release balloons to pray for national peace and public well-being
3. procession with the statue of Quan Thế Âm, together with a costumed re-enactment of Bodhisattva Quan Thế Âm, the Bodhisattvas and heavenly maidens, performed by the Buddhist families of the pagoda

Mekong Delta, Quán Âm Phật Đài, Nhà Mát, Bạc Liêu, Buddhist

1. lay out the offerings, light incense and pray before the statue of Phật Bà
2. many people touch the lotus pedestal at the foot of the statue to pray for luck and health
3. read the prayer text to Mẹ Nam Hải (there are two templates)

• Offer only vegetarian food, do not offer meat
• Do not place much votive paper or money on the Quan Âm altar
• Do not leave spoiled offerings on the altar; the blessed offerings are shared with family members, not thrown away