According to the book Vietnamese Traditional Prayer (Culture and Information Publishing House), on the 1st day of the 7th lunar month, families often hold ceremonies to worship family gods and ancestors to pray for peace, health and luck.
On this day, families prepare offerings to offer to grandparents, ancestors and gods, expressing sincerity. Some families also prepare offering trays for sentient beings.
Offerings for ancestors on the 1st day of the 7th lunar month
Depending on the conditions, each family arranges a different offering tray for the 1st day of the 7th lunar month. The ancestral and divine offering tray can include vegetarian or savory offerings. For vegetarian offerings, families often prepare incense, flowers, betel and areca, fruits, water and gold coins. Depending on the conditions, the offering tray can also include sticky rice, sweet soup or some vegetarian dishes.
The savory feast usually includes chicken, wine, spring rolls, soup and other traditional dishes. Depending on the region, the dishes on the feast are also different.
Northern families can prepare spring rolls, ball soup, bamboo shoot soup, stir-fried vegetables. In the Central region, the feast can include fish, shrimp, steamed goat meat or stewed beef. Meanwhile, braised pork with eggs, bitter melon stuffed soup, and banh tet are dishes that often appear in the feast of many Southern families.
Offerings are prepared depending on customs and conditions of each family. It is important to maintain solemnity and cleanliness during the process of preparing and performing rituals.
Offering tray for worshiping sentient beings on the 1st day of the 7th lunar month
The offering tray for sentient beings is usually prepared more simply, with offerings such as rice paper, popcorn, corn, boiled sweet potatoes, boiled eggs, thin porridge, salt, rice, cakes, candies, sticky rice, sweet soup, incense, flowers, fruits and water.
Depending on customs, some families prepare additional votive paper, banknotes, and paper clothes. Offerings can be adjusted according to each family's conditions.
