Prayer text for the rite of offering to the stars to ward off misfortune on the full moon of the first lunar month (version "Kính lạy... Cẩn cáo")
Dâng sao giải hạn (offering to the ruling star to ward off misfortune). The day of each star every month according to the lunar calendar; at the start of the year it is usually done together on the full moon of the first lunar month
- Used across Vietnam
- Folk practice
Culture and belief A record of custom.
What this prayer says
Prayer text for the star offering and giải hạn (rite to ward off misfortune) recited at the full moon of the first lunar month, paying homage to Ngọc Hoàng Thượng đế, the tinh quân of the star to be honoured, Nam Tào, Bắc Đẩu and the Thành hoàng (village tutelary deity) of the locality; the tín chủ (the person making the offering) follows the old custom, presents offerings to ask for the removal of misfortune, to bring good things and push away bad things, and prays for a peaceful dwelling and good health. It is recited during the whole rite.
The prayer below is kept in Vietnamese, the language it is read aloud in during the rite.
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Showing the version used across Vietnam.
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How it differs from the common version
This text is used for all stars on the full moon of the first lunar month: it leaves a blank to fill in the name of the star lord, adds invocations to Thành hoàng bản thổ and Long mạch Chính Thần, the petition is a rhymed four-character text, and it ends with "Cẩn cáo"; it does not have the line "Con lạy chín phương Trời".
The common version: Prayer text for the rite to ward off misfortune of the Thái Dương star
Offerings and how the rite is done
Other texts for Dâng sao giải hạn (offering to the ruling star to ward off misfortune)
- Folk practicePrayer text for the rite to ward off misfortune of the Thái Dương star
- Folk practicePrayer text for the offering to the stars to ward off misfortune on the occasion of the full moon of the first lunar month (version inviting the star lords)
- Folk practicePrayer text for the offering to the stars to ward off misfortune on the full moon of the first lunar month (version "Cẩn tấu")
- Folk practicePrayer for the rite to ward off misfortune at home, used for all the stars of the whole family
- Folk practiceTemplate of the sớ (petition) for the rite to ward off misfortune (in Sino-Vietnamese pronunciation)
- Folk practiceVăn khấn cúng sao Hội mùng 8 tháng Giêng (prayer text for the star worship gathering on the 8th day of the first lunar month)
More about Dâng sao giải hạn (offering to the ruling star to ward off misfortune)
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
- Lễ dâng sao giải hạn đầu năm vào ngày tết Nguyên tiêu (vankhan.vn)
Part of the open dataset Vietnamese offering prayers (văn cúng), licensed CC BY 4.0.
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