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As the deity overseeing all household activities, from kitchen affairs to the overall fortune and well-being of each family, worshiping the Kitchen God (known as Tao Quan, Ong Cong, or Ong Tao) is a deeply rooted tradition in Vietnamese culture.
In addition to the ritual of offering to the Kitchen God with goldfish on the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month every year, when moving to a new house, most families will set up ancestral altars and altars for the Kitchen Gods in the kitchen with the hope of receiving protection, blessings, dispelling misfortunes, and bestowing wealth.
If you are currently constructing, preparing to move into a new home, you cannot overlook the rituals and procedures for welcoming the Kitchen Gods to the new home below.
How to Welcome the Kitchen Gods to a New Home
1. Why is it necessary to welcome the Kitchen Gods to a new home?
In Vietnamese culture, it is believed that Ong Tao is the deity protecting the fortune, blessings, and prosperity of family members. Therefore, when moving to a new home, families need to perform ritual ceremonies to inform their ancestors, Ong Cong, Ong Tao, that their family has moved to a different location and invite them to continue protecting and caring for the family.
2. How to Welcome Ong Tao to the New Home
Usually, the ritual of welcoming Ong Tao to a new home is often conducted simultaneously with the housewarming ceremony. Specific items and rituals needed when welcoming Ong Tao to the home include:
* Checking the Date for Setting up the Altar for Ong Tao Worship
Typically, when moving to a new house, people have a habit of checking auspicious dates, auspicious hours, and the compatibility of the homeowner's age to perform ritual ceremonies. To find the auspicious time for worship, you can check online, on the internet, or ask a priest or monk for assistance.
* Prepare the Ritual for Welcoming the New Kitchen
To welcome Ong Tao to the new home, you need to prepare the following ceremonial items:
- Incense, fresh flowers, fruits, and a table of savory dishes
- Attire for Ong Cong and Ong Tao (2 sets for men, 1 set for women), gold or paper money. (If unfamiliar with these items, visit a gold shop, they'll arrange the necessary offerings for you).
Images of ceremonial items, the offering table for welcoming Ong Tao to the new home
* Rituals and Methods for Welcoming Ong Tao to the New Home
- Step 1: Upon moving into the new home, you need to prepare and bring in essential items such as a mattress, a used mat, dishes, a gas stove, a pot of rice, a broom, matches... (aimed to illuminate the house, keep it warm, and maintain household order)
- Step 2: Arrange the offerings for worshipping Ong Tao on the table, aligning them in a favorable direction according to the homeowner's age.
To ensure a smooth and seamless ritual process without any hiccups, you can download and watch our guide on worshipping Ong Tao when moving into a new home.
- Explore more: Traditional prayers for welcoming Ong Tao into the home
Step 4: The homeowner turns on the stove to boil water, brews tea to invite the spirits, ancestors for the kitchen opening ceremony
3. Tips for worshipping the Kitchen Gods when moving to a new home.
- Worshiping the Kitchen Gods is usually done after the housewarming ceremony and is performed by the head of the household. Other family members should play supporting roles, following behind, carrying some loose change to perform the ancestral ritual for the Kitchen Gods and other spirits after the homeowner.
- When moving to a new home, you may request to move the ancestral altar, the Kitchen God altar from the old house to the new one or set up new altars. However, conducting rituals in the new home is crucial; it's best to consult a priest or feng shui master for the most accurate decision.
- The Kitchen God altar should be placed near the kitchen, in a dry, airy area according to the kitchen's orientation. Avoid placing it near the sink, close to or directly across from the bathroom, or in line with the cooking area,... If the kitchen is too cramped, you can place the Kitchen God altar in the southern corner next to the kitchen.
- In some cases, if not feasible, you may opt not to set up the Kitchen God altar; all ritual activities in the family will be conducted at the ancestral altar.
With the insights on how to offer prayers to the Kitchen God when moving into a new home above, you've likely grasped the sequence of steps to prepare for the ritual, ensuring a smooth and auspicious transition for your family into the new abode. After venerating the Kitchen God, on the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month, you also need to understand the ritual of offering incense and tidying up the altar for the Kitchen God's ascension. These final days of the year are of paramount importance, with families focusing on ceremonial offerings. If you're unfamiliar with these rituals, you can refer to our previous article on offering prayers to the Kitchen God on the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month.
- Explore more: How to offer prayers to the Kitchen God on the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month
