The market for paper votive offerings is hotting up as Vietnamese prepare for a traditional ritual on Kitchen God’s Day on January 26, the 23rd of the last lunar month this year.
Vietnamese believe that Ông Táo (Kitchen God) takes care of the kitchen and protects the family, and a week before Tet, the Lunar New Year, each family holds a farewell ceremony for Him. He then ascends to heaven to make an annual report to Ngọc Hoàng (the Jade Emperor) on the activities of the household during the year.
Many set free a carp in a lake or river in the belief the god will use it as a vehicle to travel to heaven.
Instead, some burn a paper carp, which is believed to be transformed into a spirit the god can use.
Other paper items like robes, hats, and boots are also burned as part of the ceremony.
A set of three robes, pairs of boots, hats, and carps each costs up to VND120,000 ($6.15).
As the Kitchen God’s Day approaches, the votive objects become more expensive but it is considered bad form to bargain or complain about their prices.
Forget carps, use a motorbike … or a car
These days, people no longer offer just paper carps to the Kitchen God but also fancy vehicles for a faster and easier trip to heaven. In case of motorbikes, it is a Honda SH or Dylan – costing VND90,000-150,000 – and if it is a car, it will be an Audi, Mercedes, BMW, or Lexus. A paper car costs slightly more than a motorcycle unless it is a Rolls-Royce or a Maybach. Then, it costs several million dong.
People also offer fake money to the Kitchen God for His use on the way to heaven. A bunch of polymer notes of all denominations costs VND3000-5000.
Other paper items like gold, paddy, and fruits are also bought and cost VND70,000-150,000. Vietnamese burn them to invoke luck, happiness, and prosperity in the New Year.
Calling the Jade Emperor? Use our Iphone
Votive objects in the shape of TV sets, computers, and cell phones are also burnt on the occasion.
High-end mobile phones like Nokia, Samsung, and even the Apple Iphone are among the most popular tributes to the Kitchen God.
Thu, who runs a shop selling the votive objects, says: “It takes a lot of time, skill, and effort to make these special votive objects. So we only supply them on request.”
The demand for pictures of the Kitchen God is also rising.
“Orders have increased fourfold this year. There is demand for 100,000 pictures but we can only supply 40 percent of that,” Phuoc, the oldest craftsman in a village that makes these pictures in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue, says.
The village not only caters to local demand but also supplies the pictures across the country. Trucks full of pictures are now ready to go for other provinces like Quang Tri, Quang Binh, Ha Tinh, Danang, Quang Nam, and Khanh Hoa.
Modern Kitchen God * According to tradition, the Kitchen God reports to the Jade Emperor on every action of each household throughout the year. Based on that, the Jade Emperor will either punish or reward families. But the tradition has undergone a slight change and the Kitchen God is now considered to keep a watch on the country’s activities. So it is common to see TV shows featuring Kitchen Gods reporting to the Jade Emperor on transportation, communications, education, electricity, water supply, and others. * After the Kitchen God leaves for heaven, a bamboo plant called cây nêu will be placed in the family courtyard and decorated with red streamers and flowers. It is believed to bring good luck to the family and ward off evil spirits during the god’s absence. |
