The God of Wealth Day, celebrated on the 10th day of the first lunar month, is one of the important occasions for business people to pray for fortune, prosperity, and luck.
Guide to Worshiping the God of Wealth
God of Wealth Day 2024
According to folk tradition, the God of Wealth Day is celebrated on the 10th day of the first lunar month each year. Therefore, based on the Lunar Calendar, the God of Wealth Day in 2024 will fall on Monday, February 19, 2024. On this day, people will clean and decorate their homes, prepare offerings to express gratitude for the blessings that the God of Wealth has brought in the previous year, and pray for good fortune in the coming year.
The worship of the God of Wealth on the 10th day of the first lunar month, as well as the monthly worship on the 10th day, is considered very important in the spiritual culture of the Vietnamese people. The purpose of praying to the God of Wealth is to seek prosperity, wealth, and business success.
The term “day of worship” refers to days associated with spirituality, the transformation of a person’s soul. This day can be a birthday, a day of death, or a day of enlightenment… For example, “The Day of Worship for Buddha Amitabha’s Birth on the 17th of the 11th lunar month” is a birthday, and “the day of worship for Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara’s enlightenment” is a day of enlightenment… As for the God of Wealth, the earliest record related to his birth is found in the “Jade Records” by Hứa Chân Quân during the Jin Dynasty, which notes that it falls on the 22nd of the 7th lunar month. Many places in China still celebrate the God of Wealth on this date.
Worshiping the God of Wealth is a very important act in the spiritual culture of the Vietnamese people.
The most well-known God of Wealth in folklore is Triệu Công Minh. There are various theories about the birth date of Triệu Công Minh, with the most common being two dates: the 15th of the 3rd lunar month (according to Nan Shan scholar during the Qin Dynasty) and the 22nd of the 7th lunar month (which coincides with Hứa Chân Quân’s theory mentioned above). Ancient astronomers also believed this was the day of the “brightest sun.” Therefore, if there is a God of Wealth Day, it will be celebrated annually on the 22nd of the 7th lunar month.
In recent years, there has been a trend where people rush to buy gold on the God of Wealth Day on the 10th of the first lunar month, hoping to gain financial luck for the new year. In fact, this day is primarily promoted by some business owners to boost sales at the beginning of the year, with no documented tradition or folklore supporting this custom. People can engage in buying and selling, but there is no need to push and pay high prices on this day.
At the start of the year, most Vietnamese families hold a ceremony to welcome the God of Wealth, based on the folk tradition that it is necessary to welcome the God of Wealth from the heavenly realm to the earthly realm. The specific schedule is as follows: on the 2nd day, they welcome the God of Happiness (the God of luck and happiness), on the 3rd day, they welcome the God of Wealth, on the 4th day, they receive other deities from the heavenly realm, and on the 5th day, they remove the offerings. As for businesses, they typically worship the God of Wealth daily.
People crowd to buy gold on “God of Wealth Day”. (Photo: Anh Quan)
How to Worship the God of Wealth includes:
Place of Worship
The ceremony to welcome the God of Wealth is considered very important because, according to folklore, it is only by welcoming the God of Wealth that one can attract more fortune for the year. Both business owners and non-business individuals perform similar ceremonies, but the location differs. Business owners should conduct the ceremony at their place of business rather than at temples or pagodas. Non-business individuals can worship at home or at temples, as the “land deity” worshipped at home also serves the function of the God of Wealth.
Many people who worship at home often place the offerings in front of the door, in the yard, or on the balcony. In practice, worshiping outside the yard or door can invite “wandering spirits”, which folklore describes as spirits that may disrupt the ceremony. It is best to place the offerings inside the house.
How Many Deities to Worship?
If a household already has an altar for deities and ancestors, they should not create an additional altar for the God of Wealth, as explained in the article about the offerings for the Kitchen Gods. Worshipping many deities in one home can lead to family discord, make children difficult to manage, or cause other disruptions. Many households mistakenly place Buddha Maitreya on the God of Wealth altar or place the land deity separately on the God of Wealth altar… this is unnecessary and disrespectful in spiritual practice. Scientific measurements have also shown that these arrangements can create a chaotic and unstable spiritual environment. If there are multiple altars or incense bowls, it is advisable to perform a ceremony to consolidate them.
Offerings
The offerings should be simple and moderate, avoiding excess and wastefulness to attract the attention of the God of Wealth. Generally, fresh flowers, fresh fruits, and clean water are sufficient. In many places, having a more elaborate offering setup than the year-end ceremony is unnecessary. Some reminders include:
- Incense: Some believe it should be lit in the morning, while others think it is better to do so in the evening. In reality, there are no strict rules regarding this; you can choose a favorable time for the ceremony during the day or select an auspicious day and time to enhance the spiritual atmosphere.
- Water: The bowl for water needs to be cleaned before adding fresh water. Only one bowl of water is necessary, not three or five. The water should not be too full, leaving about 1 cm from the rim of the bowl. Be careful not to spill or overflow water onto the table.
- Flowers: The vase can be made of glass, ceramics, etc. It is best to choose fresh flowers, preferably with buds and fragrance. For the God of Wealth, it is essential to use fresh flowers and avoid artificial ones.
- Fruits: Choose fresh, good-quality fruits that look intact, typically apples, pears, bananas, oranges, tangerines, etc. Like flowers, avoid using plastic or inedible artificial fruits.
- Candles and Lights: The candles used for worship should be real, such as oil lamps or candles. Avoid using flashing lights or electric lamps as they create negative energy, affecting the worship process.
What Does the God of Wealth Altar Include?
Tam Sinh Offering (Three Species)
The Tam Sinh offering represents the three forms of offerings of Earth – Water – Heaven, carrying sacred meanings in the worship rituals. The Tam Sinh offering typically includes a piece of fatty pork – a symbol of life on land (a terrestrial creature), alongside three boiled shrimp or crabs – creatures reflecting life underwater (an aquatic creature), and one or three eggs – representing flying creatures in the sky (an oviparous creature).
In the wealthy southern region, it is common to include grilled snakehead fish on the God of Wealth altar, which is fragrant and embodies the essence of the homeland, traditionally cooked whole without scales or tail cut off.
In the poetic ancient capital of Hue, the traditional offerings are enhanced with pig’s tongue or beef cheek, adding diversity and richness. Some fortunate families with ample conditions may choose to offer royal crabs or lobsters, enriching the Tam Sinh offering while still preserving the traditional essence of Earth – Water – Heaven.
(Photo: Gia Hân Flower).
The Tam Sinh offering is not only used on the God of Wealth Day but is also presented during other ceremonial occasions such as grand openings, groundbreaking ceremonies, and offerings to land and water deities.
Lucky-Shaped Buns
On God of Wealth Day, the offerings must include lucky-shaped buns, such as money bags, gold bars, peach-shaped buns, etc., primarily in red, gold, and pink colors.
Additionally, as the God of Wealth Day approaches, numerous shops sell various types of lucky cakes for worship, such as cakes shaped like peaches, gold bars, jars of gold, the God of Wealth cat, money bags, jade sets, and more, which are very popular among customers.
Not only that, the offering tray also includes sweet sticky rice balls, red gac sticky rice, or mung bean sticky rice shaped into the characters for Happiness, Wealth, and Longevity. Many women also prepare five-colored sticky rice for added luck and beauty. If there is no time to prepare these items from scratch, people can conveniently purchase pre-made offerings that only need to be steamed or arranged attractively on the altar.
Best Times to Make Offerings to the God of Wealth 2024
According to feng shui experts, the best time to perform the offering ceremony is in the morning, specifically from 09:00 – 11:00, or 11:00 – 13:00. Additionally, 15:00 – 17:00 is also a good time to pray to the deities.
Prayer for the God of Wealth Offering Day
We respectfully bow to the Heavenly Emperor, Earth Deity, and all deities.
– I respectfully bow to the Kitchen God, the God of Wealth.
– I respectfully bow to the God of Wealth in front.
– I respectfully bow to all deities and local gods governing this land.
The faithful servant is……………………………..Age…………………………………….
Residing at……………………………………………………………………………………….
Today is the……..day of……..month……..year…………..(lunar calendar).
The faithful servant sincerely prepares incense, flowers, offerings, gold, tea, and other offerings, displayed before the altar to respectfully invite the God of Wealth and the esteemed deities.
We humbly ask the God of Wealth to show mercy, descend before the altar, witness our sincere heart, accept the offerings to protect us, ensuring our safety and prosperity, all matters go smoothly, and our family thrives, wealth increases, and our spiritual aspirations are fulfilled.
We offer our humble devotion before the altar, respectfully requesting your blessings and support.
We humbly submit this!
Daily Offering Prayer to the God of Wealth
We bow to the Guardian Deity of the Land, the Earth Deity – God of Wealth, the landowners, all spirits of the ancestors, and the previous and current patrons.
My name is… year of the cycle… , …. years old.
Residing at the house, number… street… district… province (city)… Vietnam.
I humbly ask the Guardian Deity of the Land, the Earth Deity – God of Wealth to witness my sincere prayer and grant me… (state your wish).
May everything go smoothly, and I promise to repay… (commit to a form of gratitude).
I respectfully ask the Guardian Deity of the Land, the Earth Deity – God of Wealth, landowners, all spirits, and the previous and current patrons to witness my sincere prayer. I bow in reverence.
After praying, bow or kneel three times.
Nguyễn Mạnh Linh
Head of Feng Shui Architecture Department
Institute of Urban Planning & Architecture – University of Civil Engineering
What to Buy and Do on the God of Wealth Day 2024 for a Year of Good Fortune?
Buying Gold
Traditionally, people often buy gold on the God of Wealth offering day because they believe this action will bring them much luck, wealth, and prosperity. Since the God of Wealth is believed to help businesses flourish, and bring good fortune in trade, many will also buy gold as offerings to the God of Wealth on this day.
Purchasing Feng Shui Items
On the God of Wealth day, many families also choose to buy additional feng shui items such as gemstones, toad statues, etc., hoping for a prosperous year filled with abundance and good luck.
In addition to buying gold, people also purchase God of Wealth cats on this day, especially business owners, hoping to attract wealth and good fortune in their work and business ventures.
