Prayer for permission to clean the Thần Tài and Thổ Địa altars (the third text of VTC News)
Bao sái bàn thờ (cleaning and rearranging the altar). In the twelfth lunar month, usually after the offering to Ông Công and Ông Táo on the 23rd and before the year-end offering
- Used across Vietnam
- Folk practice
Culture and belief A record of custom.
What this prayer says
Prayer asking to clean the altars of Thần Tài (God of Wealth) and Thổ Địa (Earth God), recited during the rite of bao sái bàn thờ; the tín chủ (the person making the offering) states name, address, date, asks the deities for permission to clean the altars so they are tidy and asks them to accept.
The prayer below is kept in Vietnamese, the language it is read aloud in during the rite.
Fill in before the rite
Your name and address appear in the prayer below and are kept on this device only.
Showing the version used across Vietnam.
2 more blanks
How it differs from the common version
It addresses "con xin tấu lạy", petitions Ngọc Hoàng thượng đế and the mandarins Thần Tài and Thổ Địa; only one line asking permission to clean "bàn thờ gia các quan", without self-examination and without asking for forgiveness.
The common version: Prayer text for bao sái bàn thờ after the offering to Ông Công and Ông Táo (asking permission before cleaning and trimming the incense sticks)
Offerings and how the rite is done
Offerings, steps and things to avoid for Bao sái bàn thờ (cleaning and rearranging the altar)
Other texts for Bao sái bàn thờ (cleaning and rearranging the altar)
- Folk practicePrayer text for bao sái bàn thờ after the offering to Ông Công and Ông Táo (asking permission before cleaning and trimming the incense sticks)
- Folk practicePrayer for permission to clean the altar and trim the incense sticks (the first text of VTC News)
- Folk practicePrayer for permission to clean the altar with words of repentance (the second text of VTC News)
- Folk practice, Closing thanks and burning of votive paperPrayer text after cleaning the altar (inviting the deities to return to the altar)
More about Bao sái bàn thờ (cleaning and rearranging the altar)
Nhật Nguyệt articles on the rite, the custom and how to prepare.
The wording is kept exactly as published by the source. The dotted italic words are blanks for you to fill in.
Sources
- Bài khấn dọn bàn thờ cuối năm (vtcnews.vn)
- Tỉa chân nhang trước hay sau cúng tất niên (docungtamlinh.com.vn)
Part of the open dataset Vietnamese offering prayers (văn cúng), licensed CC BY 4.0.
More prayer textsDeath anniversaries, Tết, the home, business, life-cycle rites and regional rites.Open