Prayer for releasing the Ông Táo carp

Lễ phóng sinh (animal release ceremony). All year round; many households do it on the full moon of the first lunar month, the full moon of the seventh lunar month, and the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month

  • Used across Vietnam
  • Folk practice

Culture and belief A record of custom.

What this prayer says

Prayer for releasing the Táo quân carp, recited on the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month after the family has completed the rite sending Thổ Công and Táo quân to heaven. The tín chủ (the person making the offering) states name and address and asks to release 3 carp so that the journey to heaven of the 3 Táo quân may go smoothly.

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.

How it differs from the common version

Recited when releasing carp after the farewell ceremony for Táo quân on the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month: state one's name, place of residence, report that the offering and farewell have been completed and ask to release the carp; chant A Di Đà at the beginning and end.

The common version: Ritual for phóng sinh at home (addressing the Buddha, dedication of merit, three refuges, words recited when releasing)

Offerings and how the rite is done

Offerings, steps and things to avoid for Lễ phóng sinh (animal release ceremony)

Other texts for Lễ phóng sinh (animal release ceremony)

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

Sources

  • Văn khấn phóng sinh, bài khấn trước khi phóng sanh (hoatieu.vn)

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.