Daily offering to Thần Tài (God of Wealth) and Thổ Địa (Earth God)
- Household deities
- 9 prayer texts
- Offerings and steps
Culture and belief A record of custom.
About this rite: when it is held and for whom
Also called: Cúng ông Địa, Xin lộc buôn bán, Thần Tài Ông Địa, Cúng Thần Tài mùng 1, ngày rằm
According to folk belief, Thần Tài (God of Wealth) is associated with money and business, while Ông Địa (Earth God) is associated with land and houses, so the two are worshipped together, especially in business households. The worship cabinet is placed low, close to the ground, in a corner of the house near the door, unlike the ancestors' altar which is placed high.
- When
- Daily when opening the shop for business; the first day of the lunar month, the fifteenth day of the lunar month, and the 10th of every month; the major ceremony is the vía Thần Tài (God of Wealth's feast day) on the 10th of the first lunar month
- For whom
- Thần Tài (God of Wealth) and Thổ Địa (Earth God, Ông Địa) are worshipped together in one cabinet; the prayer text also pays respect to Táo quân (Kitchen Gods), Tiền chủ (former owner), and Hậu chủ (later owner)
Prayer text to Thần Tài and Thổ Địa for the first day of the lunar month (Văn Hóa newspaper)
- Used across Vietnam
- Folk practice
What this prayer says
Prayer text to Thần Tài (God of Wealth) and Thổ Địa (Earth God) recited on the first day of the lunar month, addressing Hoàng Thiên Hậu Thổ, Táo quân (Kitchen Gods), Thần Tài, Thổ Địa, Thổ Công (Earth God of the house) along with former and later house owners; the tín chủ (the person making the offering) presents incense, flowers, betel leaves and areca nuts and asks for blessings so that work goes smoothly, business prospers and the household is peaceful.
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.
Showing the version used across Vietnam.
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How it differs from the common version
Pays respect to "Ngài Tài Bạch Thần Tài", "Ngài Bản cảnh Thổ Địa, Thổ Công" and "các Ngài Tiền chủ, Hậu chủ"; no line "Con lạy chín phương Trời"; the petitions are four bullet points; preprinted "ngày mùng 1 tháng 8".
The common version: Traditional prayer text to Thần Tài and Thổ Địa (according to Văn khấn cổ truyền Việt Nam)
Other texts for Daily offering to Thần Tài (God of Wealth) and Thổ Địa (Earth God)
Versions by region, by tradition and for each part of the rite.
- Folk practiceDaily prayer text to Thần Tài and Thổ Địa
- Folk practiceDaily prayer text to Thần Tài and Thổ Địa
- Folk practice, At the altar of the God of Wealth and the Earth GodPrayer text for the first shop opening of the year at the Thần Tài altar
- Folk practice, At the altar of the God of Wealth and the Earth GodPrayer text for offering to Thần Tài on the 2nd day of Tết
- Folk practice, At the altar of the God of Wealth and the Earth GodPrayer text for Thần Tài on the 3rd day of Tết
- Folk practicePrayer text to Thần Tài for the 1st, the fifteenth day of the lunar month, and the 10th day
- Folk practiceTraditional prayer text to Thần Tài and Thổ Địa (according to Văn khấn cổ truyền Việt Nam)
- Folk practicePrayer text to Thần Tài (Sino-Vietnamese text, with a translation of the meaning)
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
- Every morning before working or doing business; the first day of the lunar month (lễ Sóc) and the evening of the fifteenth day of the lunar month (lễ Vọng)
- Where the offerings are set
- The worship cabinet is placed low, close to the ground, in a corner of the house near the entrance
Offerings
| Offering | Quantity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Daily: incense, a cup of clean water | may add flowers, fruit, cakes and candies | |
| Sóc vọng (first and fifteenth days of the lunar month), vegetarian offering: incense, flowers, betel leaves and areca nuts, fruit, votive paper | ||
| Sóc vọng (first and fifteenth days of the lunar month), savory offering: wine, boiled chicken, boiled meat, roasted meat, bánh chưng (square sticky rice cake), xôi (steamed sticky rice) | Optional. may offer additionally | |
| Three jars of rice, salt, water | placed between the two statues, replaced only at the end of the year | |
| Five cups of water | 5 | arranged in a cross or a horizontal row in front of the incense bowl, water changed daily |
| A bowl of water with scattered flower petals | placed at the very front |
Steps
- The Thần Tài statue is placed on the left, the Thổ Địa statue on the right, the tablet close to the central wall, the incense bowl in front of the tablet
- Flower vase on the right, fruit plate on the left (from the outside looking in)
- Change the water, light incense, pray
Things to avoid
- Do not move the incense bowl when cleaning
- Do not use artificial fruit or wilted flowers
More about Daily offering to Thần Tài (God of Wealth) and Thổ Địa (Earth God)
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
- Bài văn khấn Thần Tài, Thổ Địa ngày mùng 1 tháng 8 âm lịch (baovanhoa.vn)
- Văn khấn Thần Tài, Thổ Địa hàng tháng (hoatieu.vn)
- Cách sắp xếp bàn thờ Thần Tài Thổ Địa (docungtamlinh.com.vn)
- Tại sao bàn thờ Thần Tài, Ông Địa thường đặt sát mặt đất? (cafef.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.Open