Cúng tiên thường (cáo giỗ) (offering on the day before the death anniversary, announcing the giỗ)

Culture and belief A record of custom.

About this rite: when it is held and for whom

Also called: Cáo giỗ, Cúng tiên thường, Lễ Tiên Thường, Cúng báo giỗ, Lễ mời giỗ

By custom, tiên thường is the offering announcing the giỗ, held on the day before the giỗ: the head of the household goes to the grave to tidy it and invite the deceased, then at home announces to Thổ thần and prays to invite the ancestors to come and enjoy the giỗ. From the time of the cáo giỗ until the end of the main giỗ day, incense is kept burning on the altar.

When
Afternoon of the day before the main giỗ (death anniversary); by custom only performed before major giỗ (giỗ of grandparents, parents, spouses)
For whom
Thổ thần (Earth God), Táo quân (Kitchen Gods), Long mạch (Dragon Vein) are announced first; then the spirit of the deceased of the giỗ together with ancestors on both sides; some households go to the grave to invite

Prayer text to Thổ Thần, Táo Quân, Long Mạch and the deities on the day of Tiên Thường

  • Used across Vietnam
  • Folk practice
  • Address to the deities

What this prayer says

Prayer to the deities in the tiên thường rite, announcing to Thổ Công (Earth God of the house), Táo quân (Kitchen Gods), Long mạch and the deities governing the area, presenting offerings and asking for protection so the whole household may be safe and well; recited at the altar on the afternoon before the giỗ (death anniversary).

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

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Other texts for Cúng tiên thường (cáo giỗ) (offering on the day before the death anniversary, announcing the giỗ)

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
Afternoon of the day before the main giỗ
Where the offerings are set
The family altar; before that, at the grave of the deceased of the giỗ
Who makes the offering
The head of the household who stands for the giỗ

Offerings

OfferingNotes
Incense, flowers, fruitRequired
Betel leaves and areca nuts, wine
Votive paper, phẩm oản (steamed rice cakes)
Rice and soup, tea and water

Steps

  1. Go to the grave of the deceased of the giỗ to clear grass, tidy it, burn incense and invite them back to enjoy the giỗ
  2. Return home, clean the altar, arrange the offerings
  3. First perform the yết cáo rite announcing to Thổ thần (Thổ Công, Táo quân, Long mạch)
  4. Pray to announce to the ancestors, inviting the deceased of the giỗ and the spirits of kin on both sides to come and enjoy the giỗ the next day
  5. Keep incense on the altar from the time of the cáo giỗ until the end of the main giỗ day

Mekong Delta, Folk practice

When
The giỗ is held over three days: tiên thường, chánh giỗ, hậu thường
Where the offerings are set
The ancestors' altar in the house

Offerings

OfferingQuantityNotes
Bánh ít (small sticky rice cakes)some households wrap several hundred cakes for each giỗoffered to the ancestors first, then given to relatives and neighbours
Savory dishes, sweet dishes, fruit, fresh flowers

Steps

  1. More than a week before the giỗ, the whole family prepares cakes and fruit, the offering tray, and invites relatives and neighbours
  2. Neighbours come to help cook, in the manner of rotating labour through the neighbourhood
  3. Offer tiên thường, chánh giỗ, hậu thường
  4. Guests who come to the giỗ are given a portion on leaving by the head of the household: bánh ít, xôi (steamed sticky rice), fruit

Things to avoid

  • Children and grandchildren in the family must remember the giỗ day themselves, not wait to be invited

More about Cúng tiên thường (cáo giỗ) (offering on the day before the death anniversary, announcing the giỗ)

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

  • Văn khấn ngày Giỗ Thường (vankhan.vn)
  • Đám giỗ quê nhà (sggp.org.vn)
  • Vì sao đi ăn đám giỗ miền Tây, khách được gói phần mang về? (znews.vn)

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

More prayer textsDeath anniversaries, Tết, the home, business, life-cycle rites and regional rites.