Buzz
The items for the worship of Ong Tao Ong Cong include:
- Three ceremonial hats for Ong Tao (2 hats) and Ba Tao (1 hat). The color of the hats varies depending on the chosen five elements.
- One robe and a pair of paper-made shoes.
- A paper fish symbol.
- Gold coins.
These worship items are widely available for purchase. You can visit the sellers, request the necessary items for the worship of Ong Tao Ong Cong, and they will provide you with all the required offerings. In the northern regions, to bid farewell to Ong Cong and Ong Tao, people release live carps into rivers or lakes. After the worship ceremony, the carps are set free with the belief that they will transform into dragons, aiding Ong Tao's journey back to the heavens. Meanwhile, in the southern regions, people prefer offering paper-made carps.
The offering feast for Ong Tao Ong Cong on the 23rd day of the lunar twelfth month includes:
* Savory Offering Feast for Ong Tao Ong Cong
- 1 plate of salt and rice.
- 1 plate of Vietnamese pork sausage.
- 1 plate of sautéed pork liver.
- 1 bowl of bamboo shoot or mushroom soup.
- 1 live carp.
- 5 ounces of boiled pork shoulder or optionally, boiled chicken with a mouth holding a rose.
- 1 plate of red sticky rice. If you have traditional square sticky rice cake (banh chung), you can use it instead of the red sticky rice plate.
- 1 plate of candied fruit soup.
- 1 pomelo.
- 1 areca nut and betel leaves.
- 3 cups of rice wine.
- 1 teapot of tea.
- 1 plate of fresh fruit.
- 1 small vase of peach blossoms.
- 1 vase of chrysanthemum flowers.
* Vegetarian Offering Feast for Ong Tao Ong Cong
- Vegetarian spring rolls.
- Vegetarian sweet soup.
- Fried or sautéed vegetarian chicken.
- Stir-fried winter melon with vegetarian bean sprouts.
- Vegetarian sausage.
- Mixed vegetarian soup.
Offering table for Ong Tao Ong Cong on the 23rd day of the lunar twelfth month
2. Ritual Prayer for Ong Cong Ong Tao in 2024
Apart from preparing offerings and the feast, it's essential to craft a suitable ritual prayer for Ong Tao Ong Cong in 2024. This will elevate the ceremony, expressing sincerity, respect, and gratitude towards the divine. Here are some suggestions for the ritual prayer for Ong Tao Ong Cong in the Year of the Wood Dragon 2024.
- Explore more: Ritual for Ong Cong Ong Tao on the 23rd day of the lunar twelfth month
3. Where to Place the Offering Table for Ong Cong Ong Tao?
Whether the offering feast for Ong Cong Ong Tao is vegetarian or savory, it comes in various vibrant colors. As Ong Cong Ong Tao is closely associated with the kitchen, the altar for the ritual is usually positioned next to or on the stove. This signifies the reverence for the deity overseeing the kitchen, with the hope of keeping the kitchen warm and the family prosperous and harmonious.
As for the offering table, if there is a dedicated altar for Kitchen Gods adjacent to the kitchen, you can place it there. Otherwise, you can position it on the ancestral altar.
4. When to Conduct the Ritual for Ong Cong Ong Tao?
Worshiping Ong Cong Ong Tao is one of the significant festive occasions in a year. Hence, besides preparing a lavish and complete offering feast, most families are also concerned about the timing of the ritual. They aim to usher in the new year with abundant luck and peace.
According to Vietnamese traditions passed down through generations, the ritual for Ong Cong Ong Tao takes place on the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month. However, depending on each family's circumstances, especially those busy with work, the ritual might be conducted 1 - 2 days earlier. Nevertheless, as per our ancestors' wisdom, Ong Cong Ong Tao ascends to the heavens before noon. After that, he cannot ascend to the celestial court, so it's advisable to perform the ritual before the 23rd day of the twelfth month.
5. What to Avoid During the Ritual for Ong Cong Ong Tao?
In addition to the aforementioned advice, you should also take note of some taboos during the ritual for Ong Cong Ong Tao below to avoid violating these restrictions.
- Perform the ritual on the correct day, not beyond the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month.
- Do not prepare the offering feast for Ong Cong Ong Tao with exotic dishes.
- Ensure the ritual is conducted in the right location.
- Avoid seeking romantic relationships and wealth during the ceremony.
- Refrain from frying carp for the offering to Ong Tao.
Above are suggestions for the offering feast for Ong Cong Ong Tao. Alongside preparing the items mentioned, remember to place a cup of rice and light candles beside the offering table for Ong Cong Ong Tao and then proceed with the ritual.
