Discover The Kitchen God Tradition On Vietnam Customized Tours

The farewell to the Kitchen Gods (Tao Quan) is a cherished Vietnamese tradition that happens before the Lunar New Year. Families prepare offerings and send prayers, creating a warm and festive atmosphere filled with cultural significance. To truly experience this meaningful custom and connect with local life, Vietnam customized tours provide a perfect opportunity. Let’s dive into the heart of this unique tradition and discover the stories behind it!

Who Is The Kitchen God? Why Do Vietnamese People Send The Kitchen God To Heaven?

The Kitchen God holds a special place in Vietnamese culture as the protector of the family and guardian of the home. According to legend, Tao Quan is a trio of deities who live in the kitchen, observing the daily lives of the household. They symbolize warmth, harmony, and prosperity, ensuring that the family stays safe and united.

Each year, just before the Lunar New Year (on the 23rd lunar calendar), Vietnamese families send God to heaven. It’s believed that on this day, God travels to report to the Jade Emperor about all deeds in the family over the last year.
To ensure a favorable report, families prepare offerings like sweet treats, incense, and even paper carp, which are later burned as a symbolic gesture.

Experiencing this ceremony offers a deep understanding of Vietnamese culture, and it’s moments like these that make exploring local traditions through Vietnam customized tours so rewarding. It’s truly a heartwarming glimpse into the soul of this beautiful country!

The Ceremony To Send Off The Kitchen God

Banh Chung

Though this unique cake is an essential part of the Lunar New Year celebration, many families do include it as part of their offerings to the Tao Quan. This traditional sticky rice cake holds deep cultural meaning and is a beautiful way to show respect and gratitude.

The cake symbolizes the Earth and the harmony of life, with its square shape and balanced ingredients like sticky rice, mung beans, and pork. Offering it during the ritual reflects the family’s appreciation for past blessings and their hopes for abundance in the coming year.

Fruits

Common fruits include bananas, representing protection and family unity; pomelos, symbolizing prosperity and fullness; and oranges or tangerines, which signify good luck and wealth.

Other favorites are apples for peace and health and dragon fruits, which symbolize strength and growth. In southern Vietnam, families often create a five-fruit tray, which translates to wishing for prosperity (“pray, fig, coconut, papaya, mango”).

If you’re curious about these traditions, Vietnam customized tours offer a wonderful way to experience this cultural practice firsthand. You’ll discover the deeper meanings behind these rituals while connecting with the heart of Vietnamese culture!

Flower

Flowers are also an important part! Each symbolizes beauty, respect, and hope for the coming year. Common choices include peach blossoms, which represent prosperity and good fortune, and kumquat flowers, symbolizing wealth and harmony. Chrysanthemums are often used for their association with longevity and peace.

These flowers not only add vibrant colors to the altar but also express the family’s gratitude and wishes for a prosperous, healthy year ahead.

Alcohol

Alcohol is often in the offerings, typically in the form of rice wine or spirits. The alcohol is a gesture of respect and hospitality, as it’s believed to honor the Tao Quan and invite blessings into the home.

In local culture, sharing a drink is a way of showing appreciation and building connections. Offering alcohol during this ritual symbolizes the family’s desire for happiness, warmth, and celebration in the new year. It’s a lovely way to reflect the importance of hospitality and togetherness in Vietnamese traditions.

Carp

Many families prepare offerings of paper carp during the Kitchen God ceremony. The carp represents the journey of the Kitchen God as he ascends to heaven. It’s believed that the carp transforms into a dragon to carry the Kitchen God back to the Jade Emperor. The paper carp is burned after the ritual, symbolizing the sending-off of the deity.

Families will buy live carp and release it into rivers or ponds as part of the ritual. The idea is that the carp will carry the Kitchen God to heaven. After the ceremony, the live carp is traditionally released into a river or body of water. Releasing the carp is also seen as an offering of freedom, respect, and good intentions for the coming year.

While paper carp are more commonly used in modern ceremonies, offering a real carp is still practiced in some areas as a more traditional and heartfelt gesture.

Joss paper

Joss paper is offered to ensure that the Kitchen God has all the necessities for his journey back to heaven. The paper is usually burned in the shape of money or items like clothes, representing prosperity and respect.

Burning joss paper is a symbolic gesture of sending blessings and good intentions to the spiritual realm. This custom is deeply rooted in Vietnamese culture, and it’s a fascinating tradition to experience.

Means Of This Custom

The custom of bidding farewell to the Kitchen God is deeply meaningful in Vietnamese culture, representing gratitude, reflection, and hope. It’s not just about honoring a deity; it’s a way for families to reconnect and prepare for the year ahead with a clean slate.

By sending the Kitchen God to heaven with offerings, Vietnamese people believe they are expressing thanks for the protection and blessings their household received throughout the year. It’s also a chance to acknowledge past shortcomings, seek forgiveness, and wish for good fortune in the coming year. The offerings and rituals reflect a desire for harmony, prosperity, and renewal—values that resonate strongly in Vietnamese traditions. What makes this custom truly special is how it brings families together. From preparing symbolic offerings to lighting incense, every step fosters a sense of togetherness and shared purpose.

Summary

The farewell to the Kitchen God is a beautiful, meaningful tradition that reflects Vietnam’s deep cultural values of gratitude, family, and hope for the future. Experiencing these customs firsthand gives you a rich understanding of Vietnamese heritage. If you’re eager to dive deeper into the heart of this tradition, Vietnam customized tours during the Tet holiday provide the perfect opportunity to explore and connect with local culture. It’s a journey you won’t forget!

Vietnam Fast Tours

“Spare your time, Florish your travel”, Vietnam Fast Tours provide fully private personalized holiday packages at highgest quality services. As a local tour operator based in Vietnam, the company offers wide range of travel styles from family hoildays, adventure tours, beach vacation, honeymoon tours to luxury spa & wellness holiday to Southeast Asia. With Vietnam Fast Tours, the clients will experience Southeast Asia in their own way.