This year, Ong Cong Ong Tao Festival (23rd day of the 12th lunar month) falls on Wednesday, January 22, 2025 (solar calendar).
On this day, the homeowner will hold a ceremony to send the Kitchen Gods to the Jade Emperor and report on the events that happened in the past year in the lower world, including the homeowner's family's affairs.
According to feng shui expert Nguyen Song Ha, the best time to worship Ong Cong Ong Tao on December 23 is from 5:10 to 6:50. After that, the homeowner will clean and trim the incense sticks from 7:10 to 8:50 or from 13:10 to 14:50. This day is suitable for people born in the years of Dan, Than, Ty, Hoi, Thin, Tuat, Suu, Mui.
However, depending on the time conditions of each family, the Kitchen Gods can be worshiped in the morning, before 12:00 on the 23rd of December. Because people believe that after 12:00, the Kitchen Gods have gone to Heaven.
After setting up the ceremony, burning incense and praying, wait for the incense to burn out, light another round of incense and burn the votive paper. Next, the family takes the carp to a pond, lake, river, stream... to release so that the fish can carry the Kitchen God to Heaven.
Suggested full offering tray for the Kitchen Gods:
- 1 plate of rice
- 1 plate of salt
- 500g boiled meat (or chicken)
- 1 bowl of soup
- 1 stir-fry plate
- 1 plate of ham
- 1 plate of sticky rice with gac fruit
- 1 fruit plate
- 1 lotus teapot
- 3 cups of wine
- Areca nut, betel leaf
- 1 vase
- 1 set of paper money, votive paper, mandarin's hat...
- 3-5 live carp (or paper carp)
