Văn khấn lễ mừng thọ tại nhà (prayer text for the longevity celebration at home)

Lễ mừng thọ (longevity celebration). Usually on the occasion of Tết Nguyên đán (Lunar New Year), around the second day of Tết; also held on the birthday of the elderly person

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

Culture and belief A record of custom.

What this prayer says

The prayer text for the longevity celebration at home, in which the tín chủ (the person making the offering) together with the children and grandchildren respectfully announces to the deities, Táo quân (Kitchen Gods), Thổ Công (Earth God of the house), Thổ Địa (Earth God) and ancestors on both sides, offers the offerings, and asks for protection so that the grandparents and parents may be at peace and the children and grandchildren may live in harmony. It is read during the ancestor worship part of the ceremony.

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

Fill in before the rite

Your name and address appear in the prayer below and are kept on this device only.

Your regional custom

Showing the version used across Vietnam.

4 more blanks

How it differs from the common version

Văn xuôi đời nay; kính lạy Hoàng Thiên Hậu Thổ, Táo quân, Thổ công rồi tổ tiên; nêu tên, năm sinh, tuổi của người được mừng thọ; có lời con cháu tự nhắc việc phụng dưỡng; kết 'Chúng con kính lễ, kính cáo'. Không có lời xin 'tăng niên kỷ' như bản văn tế.

The common version: Văn tế yết cáo tổ tiên trong lễ Thượng thọ

Lines that depend on the occasion

  • ông/bà/cha/mẹ: Chosen according to the role of the person being celebrated for longevity in relation to the one praying

Offerings and how the rite is done

Offerings, steps and things to avoid for Lễ mừng thọ (longevity celebration)

Other texts for Lễ mừng thọ (longevity celebration)

More about Lễ mừng thọ (longevity celebration)

Nhật Nguyệt articles on the rite, the custom and how to prepare.

Collected text. The dotted italic words are blanks for you to fill in.

Part of the open dataset Vietnamese offering prayers (văn cúng), licensed CC BY 4.0.

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