Lễ Chúc thực (the rite of offering rice to the newly deceased)

Used across Vietnam, Folk practice

When

Every day, two times, morning and evening, from after the lễ thành phục (rite of assuming mourning) until the tuần tốt khốc (100 days)

Where the offerings are set

The linh tọa (seat of the soul); in great households the hồn bạch (spirit tablet) is carried from the linh sàng (funeral bed) to the linh tọa

Who makes the offering

The children and grandchildren in the household

Offerings

Steps

1. In the morning, bring a basin of water, a face towel, betel leaves and areca nuts to the place of the bed, cry three times, carry the hồn bạch (spirit tablet) out to the linh tọa, then make the offering
2. In the evening, after the offering is made, carry it back to the linh sàng (funeral bed), lower the curtain and cover with a blanket
3. At the tuần tốt khốc (100th-day ceremony) a feast is held, and then the twice-daily offerings stop

Where the sources differ

• How long rice is offered: the book Việt Nam phong tục and prayer-text pages say until 100 days; the page phatgiao.org.vn answers in the spirit of Buddhism that offerings are needed only until the end of 49 days.

Used across Vietnam, Buddhist

When

Every day, three times before burial; after that until the end of 49 days

Where the offerings are set

The linh altar (bàn vong)

Offerings

Steps

1. In the morning tea is offered, at noon and in the evening rice is offered, following a simple rite called tiến linh
2. Near the day of the funeral there is the lễ triêu điện in the morning (relatives read ai điếu) and the tịch điện in the evening (children and grandchildren of the clan)

Southern Vietnam (Nam Bộ, no finer detail in the source), Folk practice

When

Every day, two or three meals after burial, until the lễ tốt khốc at 100 days

Offerings

Steps

1. The tang chủ (chief mourner) offers rice every day, called the lễ hiến thực
2. On the first day of the lunar month and the fifteenth day of the lunar month a larger feast is prepared (cúng tuần)
3. The hiến thực ends after 100 days, on the occasion of tốt khốc

Southern Vietnam (Nam Bộ, no finer detail in the source), Buddhist

When

Two meals a day, morning and evening, while the coffin is still kept at home (the lễ triêu tịch)

Where the offerings are set

In front of the coffin

Who makes the offering

Family members kneel before the coffin; the monk performs the rite, chanting sutras and reading the Triêu tịch (morning and evening) sacrificial oration.

Offerings

Steps

1. Set out the rice offering
2. Family members come and kneel before the coffin
3. The monk chants sutras and reads the Triêu tịch văn