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Rằm tháng 7 holds significant cultural importance in Vietnam. It marks the Vu Lan Festival, a day to express gratitude to parents and ancestors, as well as to pray for lost souls. Wondering about the ideal time for the Rằm tháng 7 ritual? Find out below.
1. When is the best day to perform the Rằm tháng 7 ritual?
It is advisable to conduct the Rằm tháng 7 ritual from the 2nd day until noon on the 15th day of the 7th lunar month. According to folk beliefs, the 15th day marks the deadline for ancestral spirits to receive offerings.
Alternatively, some believe that on Rằm tháng 7, wandering spirits abound, making it difficult for ancestors to receive offerings. Hence, people often start the ritual earlier, as early as the 2nd day of the 7th lunar month.
Moreover, the 7th lunar month also hosts the Vu Lan Festival. Therefore, families should conduct rituals for Buddhas, deities, and ancestors before proceeding with the Rằm tháng 7 ritual.
When is the proper time to perform the Mid-July Offering ceremony?
For the Mid-July Offering ritual, it is best to conduct it in the late afternoon, preferably during the hours of Dậu (5 PM - 7 PM). This period marks the transition between day and night, allowing the spirits to partake in the offerings.
During daytime, the sunlight is abundant, and spirits returning from the underworld are quite fragile. If the ceremony is held during the day, the spirits may fear the light and might not accept the offerings presented by the host.
As for ancestral and deity worship ceremonies, it is advisable for the host to conduct them between 11 AM to 12 PM to ensure that the ancestors receive the offerings more favorably.
How to conduct the Mid-July Offering ceremony in the most accurate manner in the lunar July of 2023?
The Ritual of Offering to Buddha
If your family follows Buddhism and has a Buddhist altar at home, you cannot overlook the ritual of offering to Buddha on the Mid-July day. The offering table does not need to be elaborate; what matters is the sincere heart of the host. Simply prepare a vegetarian offering or arrange a plate of fresh fruits to present to the Buddhist altar.
The best time to conduct the Buddha offering ceremony is in the morning.
The Ancestral Worship Ceremony
Families can prepare either vegetarian or non-vegetarian offerings for ancestral worship depending on their circumstances. However, most people tend to prepare non-vegetarian offerings on this day.
In addition to the offering table, you also need to prepare other ritual items such as betel leaves, incense, tea, wine, gold paper, fruits, etc., to perform the ancestral worship ceremony.
The steps to perform the ancestral worship ceremony are as follows:
- Prepare the offering table and ceremonial script.
- Wear formal and neat attire.
- Arrange the ritual items and offering table on/in front of the ancestral altar.
- Light incense and candles to prepare for inviting the ancestral spirits.
- Recite clearly and loudly the content of the ancestral worship ceremony on the Mid-July day.
- Perform bows to invite the ancestral spirits to enjoy the offerings and report on the Mid-July day.
- Once the incense has burned out, lower the offering table and take the gold and incense to convert and express gratitude for blessings.
The Ritual of Offering to Wandering Souls
The ritual of offering to wandering souls is typically conducted in the evening and is performed outdoors, in the courtyard or at the entrance, rather than indoors. The items to prepare for the Mid-July wandering souls offering table include:
- 1 plate of white salt
- 1 plate of rice
- Water, incense, oil lamps or candles, fresh flowers.
- 5 types of fruits (the more variety, the better)
- Paper clothes, gold paper
- Sugarcane (whole or chopped into small pieces about 15 cm long)
- Thin rice porridge
- Popcorn, boiled sweet potatoes, boiled corn, boiled cassava, cakes, candies, etc.,
Note:
- The wandering souls offering table should not include salty dishes as they may arouse the greed and attachment of the wandering souls.
- The ritual should be completed before noon on the 15th day of the lunar July.
Above is the article on when and what time to perform the Mid-July Offering ceremony? Mytour hopes that the information provided will assist you in conducting the Mid-July Offering ritual accurately to bring about good fortune.
