Dâng sao giải hạn (offering to the ruling star to ward off misfortune)

Used across Vietnam, Folk practice

When

Each star has one lunar day every month: La Hầu the 8th, Thái Bạch the 15th, Kế Đô the 18th, Thổ Tú the 19th, Thủy Diệu the 21st, Mộc Đức the 25th, Thái Âm the 26th, Thái Dương the 27th, Vân Hán the 29th; at the start of the year it is usually done together on the evening of the full moon of the first lunar month

Where the offerings are set

At home or at a pagoda or temple (đền); one source instructs to make the offering outdoors, and if the house has no yard, to set it out on the rooftop or right by the door

Who makes the offering

The head of the household; in some places a master is asked to perform the ceremony

Offerings

Steps

1. Write the tablet with the title of the star, paste it on a stick planted in a glass of rice, and place it in the middle at the innermost side of the offering table
2. Xếp nến theo hình sao, quay mặt về hướng của sao: Thái Dương hướng Đông; Thái Âm, Thổ Tú, Thái Bạch, Kế Đô hướng Tây; Mộc Đức hướng Đông; Vân Hán hướng Nam; Thủy Diệu, La Hầu hướng Bắc
3. Light incense, read the prayer text; as the tablet is written, so is the prayer text read
4. When the ceremony is done, burn the votive paper, and burn the prayer text and the tablet as well

Where the sources differ

• The number of candles for the star Mộc Đức: 20 flames, offered on the 25th (vankhan.vn); 15 flames, offered on the 29th, red tablet, facing South (the book introduction on Báo Pháp luật Việt Nam, matching the figure vankhan.vn gives for the star Vân Hán)
• How the altar is set up: some places set up a three-tier altar (the upper tier offers to Heaven, Buddha, Immortals and Saints; the middle tier offers to the ruling star; the lower tier offers to the hungry spirits), some places offer only to the ruling star (vk-le-dang-sao)
• Offering together once at the start of the year or offering on the exact day of each star: one source notes that whichever star rules one's fate, the offering is made on the full moon of the first lunar month; another source cites the view that each star has its own day and hour, that it is done every month and done at home

Northern Vietnam, Folk practice

When

At the start of the year, around the full moon of the first lunar month

Where the offerings are set

At a pagoda, temple (đền) or phủ (Mother Goddess shrine)

Who makes the offering

The pagoda or a ritual master performs the ceremony together for many families that have registered their names

Steps

1. The family goes to the pagoda or temple (đền) to register the name of the person whose star needs to be resolved
2. The master performs the star offering for many people at one time

Where the sources differ

• Whether the star offering is a matter for the pagoda: one source says the practice of offering to the stars to ward off misfortune at pagodas is common only in the North and is not part of Buddhist doctrine; another source says the rite was originally performed only at temples (đền) and phủ (Mother Goddess shrines), and later pagodas followed the demand of the people, while pagodas have the cầu an (prayer for peace and safety) ceremony

Used across Vietnam, Folk practice

When

The 8th day of the first lunar month, by custom the gathering day of the stars; source guides say the offering is made in the evening, from 21 to 23 o'clock

Where the offerings are set

Outdoors (yard, rooftop, balcony); where there is no outdoor space, the offering is made indoors. Many people hold the rite at a pagoda

Offerings

Steps

1. Prepare the offerings, arrange the candles according to the star
2. Light incense, recite the prayer text or read the sớ (petition)
3. After the rite, burn the votive paper money, the prayer text and the spirit tablet together

Where the sources differ

• Day of the offering: hoatieu.vn notes that the early-year giải hạn (rite to ward off misfortune) is usually held on the 8th day of the first lunar month; Dân trí newspaper notes that most begin from the 8th, some places hold the rite from the 4th or 6th day of Tết, and it may be held monthly on the 8th, 18th and 28th days of the lunar calendar
• Number of candles for the Kế Đô star: the same page notes 20 candles in the section on arranging candles and 21 flames in the section on how to bow

Southeast, TPHCM, Hóc Môn, Folk practice

When

Evening of the 8th day of the first lunar month

Where the offerings are set

At a pagoda (the article describes chùa Đông Linh, Hóc Môn)

Offerings

Steps

1. The person asking for the star rite to be carried out (called nhương chủ in the article) comes to the pagoda on the evening of the 8th
2. Present the petition, wear the sớ cầu an (petition for peace and safety) on the head