Top 9 Tips for Visiting Phu Tay Ho Shrine, Offering Rituals, and Prayers for Wealth

Phu Tay Ho consists of four main halls: the Main Hall, Son Trang Hall, Female Pavilion, and Male Pavilion, arranged from the innermost to the outermost. When visiting the shrine, worshippers follow this ritual order:
First, the ceremony at the Main Hall: The hall is divided into three sections, each corresponding to one of the three gates of the shrine.

• The first section honors the Three Phu Gods, the Four Phu Spirits, and the Council of Deities.
• The second section is dedicated to the Three Temples, with a throne but no idols. The Four Phu Spirits do not have a designated altar here.
• The third section hosts the Three Holy Mothers of the Shrine.

The most sacred part of the shrine is the rear hall, where the main altar of the Holy Mother is located. The central figure is the Liễu Hạnh Mother, dressed in red with a red headscarf. On her left is the Thượng Ngàn Mother, in green attire, while on her right is the Thoải Mother in white. These three deities symbolize the forces of creation, the origin of all life, and provide happiness and prosperity. The outer section features altars for the Jade Emperor, the Southern and Northern Stars, as well as the Seven Kings and Ten Kings.

Next, the ritual moves to Son Trang Hall:

• This hall is dedicated to the Thượng Ngàn Holy Mother, the second deity in the Three Holy Mothers. Though she is part of the Three Temples, she has her own special altar here. The hall also houses the offerings to the Six Kings and twelve attendants who accompany the Thượng Ngàn Mother. The Five Tigers are honored at the lower altar.
• The white and green snakes, Lốt, are entwined with beams in the highest part of the hall. Visitors should perform their ritual here after completing the Main Hall ceremony.

Finally, worshippers proceed to the Female and Male Pavilions:

• Located on either side of the Main Hall, these pavilions honor the attendants of the shrine's deities. After completing the ritual at Son Trang Hall, visitors continue their prayers at the Female and Male Pavilions.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when visiting Phu Tay Ho Shrine:

• Light incense and present offerings in the correct sequence of altars.
• Use both hands to carefully place offerings on the altar, lighting incense only after all offerings are made.
• Prepare both vegetarian and meat offerings ahead of time at home.
• For Buddhist altars, do not offer meat or burn joss paper.
• When burning money, start with the main altar and proceed to the other altars in order.
• When collecting offerings, begin with the outermost altar and work your way in.

Visiting Phu Tay Ho is not just an opportunity to seek forgiveness, blessings, and protection but also a chance to pray for good fortune and peace for you and your loved ones.

When worshipping at Phu Tay Ho Shrine, the prayer follows this format:
Nam Mo A Di Da Phat (3 times)

We, the humble worshippers, offer our respects to:

– Saint Mother Lieu Hanh, the Victorious Hòa Diệu, the Great King “The Most Sacred and Divine”

– First Heavenly Mother!

– Second Upper Mountain Mother!

– Third Water Palace Mother!

The worshipper’s name is:
…………………………………………………………………….

Residence:
……………………………………………………………………………….

Today is: ……………………………………………………………………

At: Phu Tay Ho Shrine, Quang Ba Ward, Tay Ho District.

We respectfully offer the following items:
……………………………………………………….

We humbly invite the Three Sacred Mothers, the Jade Emperor, the Three Holy Lords, the Four Great Immortals, the Council of Deities, the Eight Mountain Spirits, the Twelve Royal Lords, the Twelve Spirit Maidens, the Twelve Spirit Princes, the Five Thunder Generals, the Five Tigers, the White Snake God, and all other celestial beings to witness our humble offering and grant us: peace for our family, prosperity, wealth, longevity, and success in all endeavors...

With sincere hearts, we humbly ask for your blessings.

We bow in reverence.

After the incense has burned for a full week, bow three times in front of each altar before lowering the offerings, such as money and gold, to be burned. When burning money and gold, do so in order, starting from the main altar and moving to the other altars, finishing with the altar for the spirit of the girl and boy deities. Once the money and gold have been burned, proceed to remove the offerings. When lowering the offerings, start from the outermost altar and work inward to the main one. However, items such as mirrors and combs at the altars of the girl and boy deities should remain on their respective altars untouched.

Blessings from the deities are endless. To continue receiving their blessings, it is important to share the fortune with others as much as possible. Those who hoard blessings for themselves alone will face misfortune and loneliness. By spreading the blessings, we can bring prosperity and happiness to ourselves and our families.

There are also a few things to keep in mind:

• Avoid running around, talking loudly, or making negative remarks.
• When using offerings at the shrine, such as food or taking blessings, remember to maintain a good karma, no matter how little or much.
• Dress modestly and neatly when visiting the shrine; avoid wearing short skirts, shorts, or inappropriate attire.
• Do not allow children to run amok or touch sacred items, statues, or religious objects.

It is important to know the exact opening hours to avoid arriving and finding the shrine closed for ceremonies.

• On regular days, the shrine opens from 5 AM to 7 PM, allowing ample time for worship and tourism.
• During the two major festivals on the 3rd of March (lunar calendar) and the 13th of August (lunar calendar), the shrine stays open later due to the higher number of visitors.
• During the Lunar New Year, the shrine sees the highest volume of visitors, so it's crucial to plan your visit accordingly to avoid overcrowding.

Offering preparations depend on the sincerity of each individual. The offerings do not need to be extravagant, but they should be correct and complete to ensure the effectiveness of your prayers. Here are the types of offerings you may prepare:
Offerings include the following:

1. Vegetarian offerings: incense, fruit, money, gold paper, hats, sandals...
2. Meat offerings: chicken, pork, sausages, etc., all cleaned and cooked. These are placed on the Community Altar.
3. Living offerings: eggs, rice, salt, or bait meat. This offering is specifically for worshiping the Five Tigers, White Snake, and Green Snake on the lower Community Altar. It is accompanied by money and gold paper.
4. Special meat offerings: items such as crabs, snails, chili noodles, lemon, sticky rice, etc.
5. Offerings for the altars of the Spirits of the Ancestors include cakes, fruits, incense, shoes, hats, mirrors, combs, and items representing children’s toys like flowers, birds, horns, and drums.

Note: Do not offer meat or gold paper to the Buddha. Avoid placing money or gold paper on the Buddha's altar. Genuine money should be placed in the donation box, not on the incense table.

This temple is dedicated to Lady Liễu Hạnh, a revered immortal goddess in Vietnamese folk beliefs. Built in the 17th century, the temple stands on the Tay Ho Peninsula in Nghi Tam Village, Hanoi, and is officially recognized as a Historical and Cultural Monument by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism.

Every year, the temple holds its main festival on the 3rd of March and the 13th of August in the lunar calendar. However, it also attracts many visitors during the early days of the year, the first days of the month, and full moon nights. On these major festival days, the roads leading to the temple around West Lake are crowded with people and traffic.

According to local beliefs, Phu Tay Ho is a sacred place to pray for wealth and good fortune. If you plan to visit during the Lunar New Year, be sure to check the opening and closing times to ensure you don’t miss your chance to make your offerings.