The God of Wealth is one of the gods worshiped by Asians. According to folk beliefs, those who sincerely worship will be blessed by the God of Wealth, and their fortune will be smooth.
During the Binh Ngo Lunar New Year 2026, the God of Wealth welcoming ceremony is an important custom, along with a reunion meal and visiting relatives. Everyone believes that with the blessings of the God of Wealth, the new year will be full of luck and prosperity.
According to the 2026 feng shui calendar, the God of Wealth descends on the 1st day of the first lunar month (ie February 17, 2026), from the south. The best time to perform the God of Wealth welcoming ceremony is 1:40 am on February 17.
People born in the years of the Dragon and Dog are said to conflict with the day the God of Wealth descends, so they should not participate in the welcoming ceremony.
Welcoming the God of Wealth according to traditional rituals
Banknotes, votive paper and God of Wealth paintings can be bought at worship stores. God of Wealth paintings should be pasted in a solemn place; avoid pasting on bathroom doors, near trash cans or where women's clothes are hung.
The ideal location to welcome the God of Wealth is outside the main door or balcony. It can be done indoors, but you need to tidy up your clothes first.
You should use long incense sticks. After praying, stick incense sticks into incense bowls in the house. If there are no incense bowls, leave incense sticks burned in the living room.
The person performing the ritual to welcome the God of Wealth should bathe thoroughly to show sincerity. The altar table needs to be wiped with clean water and dried. The table should be placed about 30cm, 60cm, 90cm, 2.4m or 2.7m from the main door. If worshiping is on the balcony or corridor of the apartment (window must be open), the table seating distance should not be limited. The table should be facing the airy space.
When praying to the God of Wealth, you should prepare a petition to pray to the God of Wealth, clearly stating your full name, age, address and wishes. The petition is then burned with votive paper, preferably burned outside the house.
After completing the ritual, when entering the house, you should walk backwards. When pasting God of Wealth paintings, you should take 3 or 8 steps. Other options include 13, 23, 33 or 18, 28, 38 steps, symbolizing lucky numbers.
Whether other gods are worshiped in the house or not, the God of Wealth paintings of the previous year should be burned along with votive paper before welcoming the new God of Wealth.
Time and order of the God of Wealth welcome ceremony
1:00 AM: Pure bathing.
1:15 AM: Praying to the gods being worshiped in the house.
1:30 AM: Displaying offerings.
1:40 AM: Praying to God of Wealth, praying (family members can participate, except for people with conflicting ages).
2:15 AM: Hanging God of Wealth paintings, sticking incense in incense bowls or burning in the living room.
2:40 AM: Burning votive paper in front of the house.
Offerings to welcome the God of Wealth
3 types of cakes; 6 types of fruits including bananas, oranges, pears, snow pears, pineapple, peach; 6 vegetarian dishes (optional); 5 cups of tea; 5 cups of white wine. In addition, it is necessary to prepare a set of God of Wealth votive paper and God of Wealth paintings, usually sold at worship shops.
Welcoming the God of Wealth in a modern way
Offerings and preparation are similar to traditional methods. The location of the ceremony is still prioritized outside the main door or balcony. The performer needs to wash thoroughly, and the altar needs to be dried before worshiping.
Another modern way to welcome the God of Wealth is by mobile phone. At 1:40 am on February 17, download the God of Wealth image and set it as a phone wallpaper. Place the phone facing south (180 degrees) in the living room and pray. If the south direction is blocked by a wall, you can go down to the ground floor to perform the ritual.
