Prayers to deities and spirits at the grave

Culture and belief A record of custom.

About this rite: when it is held and for whom

Also called: Văn khấn thần linh ngoài mộ, Văn khấn vong linh ngoài mộ, Khấn quan thần linh nghĩa trang, Sơn thần, Thổ phủ nơi mộ

By custom, when visiting the grave, one first prays to the deities governing the grave area, asking permission and protection, then prays before the grave of the deceased relative. The prayer to deities can be used for tảo mộ (grave tending at Thanh minh), repairing the grave, and bốc mộ (exhumation and reburial).

When
Whenever visiting the grave: Thanh minh, year-end, death anniversary, when repairing the grave
For whom
Deities and Thổ Địa (Earth God) governing the grave site; then the spirits of deceased relatives at the grave

Prayer text to deities at the grave (for tảo mộ, repairing the grave, bốc mộ)

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

What this prayer says

Prayer to the deities at the grave, used when tidying, repairing or exhuming a grave. The tín chủ (the person making the offering) presents offerings and respectfully reports to the deities, Thổ Công (Earth God of the house), Long Mạch and the other deities governing the area, asking permission to repair the grave and praying for the soul to be at peace and liberated, and for the family to be healthy and safe.

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.

Lines that depend on the occasion

  • Nhân tiết Thanh minh (hoặc là nhân tiết thu, tiết đông, hoặc nhân ngày lành tháng tốt…): State the correct occasion for visiting the grave.
  • nay muốn sửa sang xây đắp (hoặc tảo mộ, bốc mộ…): State the correct action intended at the grave.

Other texts for Prayers to deities and spirits at the grave

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, Address to the deities

When
Whenever visiting the grave: tảo mộ at Thanh minh, year-end grave visit, death anniversary, when repairing the grave, bốc mộ
Where the offerings are set
At the cemetery, before praying at the grave of the deceased relative
Who makes the offering
The tín chủ (the person making the offering) and family members

Offerings

OfferingQuantity
White xôi (steamed sticky rice) and a whole boiled capon1 tray
Betel leaves and areca nuts3 areca nuts, 3 betel leaves
White wine, tea, cigarettes
Red roses, a fruit tray10 flowers, 1 fruit tray
Red cup candles2 cups
Votive paper for the deity officials: clothes, hats, boots, swords, horses, command flags5 sets, 5 five-coloured horses
Vàng mã (votive paper)

Steps

  1. First pray to the deities and Thổ Địa governing the grave site
  2. Then pray to the spirits at the grave of the deceased relative
  3. Wait until two-thirds of the incense stick has burned, then make the farewell offering, burn votive paper, and ask for lộc (blessed offerings)
  4. Return home to make offerings to the household deities and the ancestors

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

Sources

  • Bài khấn thần linh ngoài mộ (hoatieu.vn)
  • Văn khấn vong linh ngoài trời (hoatieu.vn)
  • Văn khấn Tết thanh minh (vankhan.vn)
  • Văn khấn lễ âm phần Long mạch, Sơn thần thổ phủ nơi mộ (tuvi.vn)
  • Văn khấn trong lễ tang (vankhan.vn)

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

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