Ceremony to welcome a newborn home

Culture and belief A record of custom.

About this rite: when it is held and for whom

Also called: Trình gia tiên khi đón bé về, Lễ đón bé từ viện về

By custom, when welcoming a newborn home, the parents burn incense to report to the deities and the ancestors that the family has a new member, and pray for the baby to eat well and grow quickly. The ceremony is simpler than the đầy tháng (first-month ceremony) and not every household performs it.

When
The day the baby is brought home from the place of birth
For whom
The household deities (Thổ Công (Earth God of the house), Táo quân (Kitchen Gods), Thành hoàng (village tutelary deity) of the locality) and the ancestors; households that follow Buddhism also report to the Buddha

Prayer text for welcoming a newborn home

  • Used across Vietnam
  • Folk practice

What this prayer says

Prayer text read when bringing a newborn home from the place of birth, addressing the Buddhas, Thành hoàng (village tutelary deity), Táo quân (Kitchen Gods), Thổ Địa (Earth God) and ancestors to report the birth and ask for protection so the baby eats and sleeps well, grows quickly, and stays safe.

The prayer below is kept in Vietnamese, the language it is read aloud in during the rite.

Fill in before the rite

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Your regional custom

Showing the version used across Vietnam.

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Other texts for Ceremony to welcome a newborn home

Versions by region, by tradition and for each part of the rite.

Offerings and how the rite is done

As commonly practised and recorded by the sources. Each family and each region may do it differently.

Used across Vietnam, Folk practice

When
The day the baby is brought home from the place of birth; some households choose an auspicious date and hour
Where the offerings are set
Ancestor altar
Who makes the offering
The baby's parents

Offerings

OfferingNotes
Fresh flowers, a tray of five fruitsOptional. the offering tray for this day is not mandatory, and is much simpler than the full đầy tháng (first-month ceremony) tray
Incense, lamps or candlesOptional
Betel leaves and areca nutsOptional
Xôi (steamed sticky rice), chè (sweet soup)Optional. offered to the Bà Mụ (Midwife Goddesses) and the ancestors
Clean water, tea or wineOptional
Votive paper moneyOptional. by local custom

Steps

  1. Ask a person with a lucky hand and a light spirit to carry the baby into the house for the first time
  2. Some households warm bồ kết (soap pod) and burn a little charcoal in front of the door before bringing the baby in
  3. Set out the offerings, the parents burn incense and read the prayer text to report to the ancestors and deities that there is a new member
  4. Some households put a dot of son (vermilion) or pot soot on the baby's forehead, and hang garlic or a mulberry branch where the baby lies

Things to avoid

  • In folk belief, avoid bringing the baby home at midday and in the evening
  • A person in mourning should avoid visiting the baby during the first month
  • Avoid praising the baby too much

Used across Vietnam, Buddhist

When
The day the baby is brought home and the đầy tháng (first-month ceremony) day

Offerings

OfferingNotes
Pure food offerings
The offering to the Bà Mụ (Midwife Goddesses) by custom: 12 pairs of tiny shoes, 12 pieces of betel, cakes and fruits in the full number of 12Optional. phatgiao.org.vn notes that this is a folk custom, and Buddhists may still perform it

Steps

  1. The ritual with sutra chanting: nguyện hương (incense offering), prayer text, lễ tán Phật (praise of the Buddha), tán Pháp (praise of the Dharma), chanting the Kinh Ngày Lành Tháng Tốt (Sutra of Auspicious Days and Months), cúng thực (offering of food), phục nguyện (renewing the vow), hồi hướng (dedication of merit), tam tự quy (taking the three refuges)
  2. If one has prepared offerings for thí thực (food offering to wandering spirits) or phóng sinh (releasing living beings), report that part as well, then report the conclusion of the ceremony
  3. According to the Q&A article of phatgiao.org.vn: on the occasion of childbirth, đầy tháng (first-month ceremony), thôi nôi (first-birthday ceremony), one should chant the Kinh Địa Tạng (Earth Store Sutra), make offerings, release living beings, and do good deeds to dedicate the merit to the child

Things to avoid

  • Do not kill animals to prepare the feast
  • Do not set out elaborate decorations

The wording is kept exactly as published by the source. The dotted italic words are blanks for you to fill in.

Sources

  • Hướng dẫn thủ tục, văn khấn đón trẻ sơ sinh về nhà (docungtamlinh.com.vn)
  • Làm thế nào để trẻ mới sinh được bình an? (phatgiao.org.vn)

Part of the open dataset Types of Vietnamese offering rites and Vietnamese offering procedures, licensed CC BY 4.0.

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