Buzz
The Significance of Han Thuc Festival in Vietnamese Culture
Han Thuc Festival, an annual traditional holiday in Vietnam, is considered a sacred day dedicated to honoring ancestors and showing respect to deities.
Although Han Thuc Festival exists in Chinese culture, there are some differences compared to Vietnamese customs. Many families in our country still engage in cooking activities as usual on this day, rather than strictly adhering to the tradition of using cold food only.
Read More: What to Eat for Good Luck on Han Thuc Festival?The Most Authentic Han Thuc Festival Prayer
The Han Thuc Festival prayer on the 3rd of March is an essential part of completing the worship ritual. It is also a way to express reverence and gratitude to ancestors and the guardian deities of the family throughout the past year.
Prayer Text 1
Detailed and complete content of the Han Thuc Festival prayer on 3/3:
Namo Amitabha Buddha.
Greetings to the nine directions, ten Buddhas, and all the Buddhas of the ten directions.
I respectfully bow to the celestial and terrestrial deities.
I pay homage to the celestial sovereign, the terrestrial sovereign, and the ancestral spirits along with the divine deities.
I respectfully bow to ancestors, elder siblings, uncles, aunts, cousins within and outside the family.
Our devotion is now directed towards...
Today, on the lunar date 3.3, marks the Han Thuc festival, we express gratitude to the heavens and earth and honor the divine spirits.
We also respectfully invite our ancestors, elder siblings, and all ancestral spirits within and outside the family (the family of the homeowner) to grant us mercy, aid us in witnessing our sincere hearts, and enjoy offerings.
We beseech the gods, the ten Buddhas of the ten directions, to harmonize with us and protect our family to always be healthy, peaceful, and full of blessings.
Prayer Text 2
Concise content of the Han Thuc Festival prayer:
I respectfully greet the nine directions and the Ten Buddhas.
I respectfully bow to the celestial sovereign, terrestrial sovereign, ancestral spirits, and all divine beings.
Our devotion is directed towards...
Today is the 3rd of March, the Han Thuc festival, where our faith expresses gratitude for the merits of our ancestors. We solemnly prepare offerings, select betel leaves, fragrant flowers, and burn incense, offering them before the sacred altar.
We respectfully invite the celestial sovereign, the great earthly spirits, the ancestral guardian, the directions, the dragons, the divine beings, witnessing our sincere hearts and enjoying the offerings.
Our devotion also extends to invite ancestral spirits, household gods, residing within this house, on this land, harmonizing past and future, protecting our family to be healthy, peaceful, prosperous, and harmonious.
When is the Best Time to Offer Han Thuc Festival?
The Han Thuc Festival in the year of Giap Thin falls on the 11th of April, 2024 (Gregorian calendar). The 3rd of March falls on the At Ty, a Void day. Here are the auspicious hours to perform the Han Thuc Festival prayer and rituals.
| Thời gian | Can chi |
| 13-15 giờ | Giờ Mùi: Mọi công việc đều tốt lành, cầu tài nên đi theo hướng Tây Nam. |
| 01 - 03 giờ | Sửu: Mọi công việc đều được tốt lành, cầu tài nên đi theo hướng Tây Nam. Nhà cửa yên lành. |
| 17 -19 giờ | Dậu: Tin vui sắp tới, nếu cầu lộc, cầu tài nên đi hướng Nam. |
| 05 -07 giờ | Mão: Tin vui sắp tới, nếu cầu lộc, cầu tài nên chọn hướng Nam. |
| 21 -23 giờ | Hợi: Giờ rất tốt lành, nếu đi thường gặp may mắn. |
| 09 -11 giờ | Tị: Giờ rất tốt lành, nếu đi thường gặp may mắn. |
Homeowners can flexibly perform worship rituals according to suitable time frames for other activities. However, when arranging the schedule, you should avoid the following unfavorable time frames: Tí (23:00-0:59); Dần (3:00-4:59); Thân (15:00-16:59).
What Should be Prepared for the Han Thuc Festival Altar?
In addition to the Han Thuc Festival prayer on the 3rd of March, it plays a significant role in the ritual. They express reverence and sincerity of the worshipper towards ancestors and divine beings.
| Mô tả | |
| Bánh trôi và bánh chay | Số lượng bánh thường là 3 hoặc 5, theo niềm tin rằng số lẻ mang lại may mắn và phú quý. Bánh trôi truyền thống được chế biến từ bột gạo nếp, đường phên, vừng và đậu xanh, tạo nên hương vị truyền thống đậm chất Việt. Không chỉ giữ nguyên truyền thống, mà ngày nay, gia chủ có thể dùng bánh trôi ngũ sắc, với 5 màu sắc đại diện cho ngũ hành. |
| Mâm ngũ quả | Khi chọn quả, người làm lễ thường lựa chọn 5 loại quả với màu sắc đa dạng, đại diện cho ngũ hành Kim – Mộc – Thủy – Hỏa – Thổ. Hoặc gia chủ có thể thay thế ngũ quả bằng một loại phổ biến với màu sắc hợp mệnh của mình |
| Hoa tươi và trầu cau | Hoa cúc thường được chọn vì mang ý nghĩa cầu mong tài lộc và may mắn. Trầu cau, được sắp xếp theo số lẻ trên đĩa, là biểu tượng của sự viên mãn và trọn vẹn trên mâm cỗ truyền thống. |
| Ly nước sạch | Biểu tượng cho sự tinh khiết và lòng thành kính của gia chủ. |
Considerations When Worshiping Han Thuc
Homeowners should avoid using fake flowers, fake fruits, and stale food on the altar, showing respect and sincerity towards ancestors. Additionally, betel leaves, fruits, and flowers chosen should be the freshest products, expressing profound reverence for our ancestors.
In addition to the offerings on the altar, homeowners should prepare appropriate attire. It's best to wear traditional ao dai for worship, otherwise, opt for formal and modest attire to show respect.
While reciting the prayer, focus and sincerity are crucial. Avoid chanting too loudly or too softly, maintaining the solemnity of the ritual. Those around the altar should maintain a solemn and respectful atmosphere, refrain from speaking loudly, arguing, or crying, to create a dignified and cozy ceremonial space.
Furthermore, a clean and tidy space is essential to create auspiciousness like a stroke of luck. You can consider and equip a new with the following features for better preparation.
Thus, you can choose the most authentic Han Thuc Festival prayer to complete the traditional ritual. Don't forget, besides the Han Thuc Festival prayer on the 3rd of March, you need to prepare necessary offerings to show reverence and express your desires. If you want to learn more about other traditional rituals, continue following the next articles on Mytour.
