Tet Tao Quan – Kitchen’s God

Apr 10, 2018

Vietnam is a country well-known for rich cultures. Festivals and festivities, one home festivity day that no any Vietnamese cannot miss, is 23rd December of Lunar Calendar. It is called in Vietnamese “Tet Tao Quan” or “Tet Ong Cong – Ong Tao” where all are busy and even rush to prepare things to farewell the Kitchen’s God up to the Heaven.

The tale behind the story about the apparence of Kitchen’s God is very interesting and it seems that the legend is alive. However, even in the legend or in daily life, Viet’s kitchen for long time is always a very important part in the house which shows all soul and happiness of all members in the family. From the past til’ now, Vietnameses go home after the work for dinner. The cooking is as well as the happiness they are. Otherwise, the happier they are, the usually they return for the dinner with their family. All emotions are showed up behind the cooking. They can share together about the work, school and other relations when they are eating.

So, the Stove God can hear and know their mood and soul. In the ends of the year, before 24h00 on 23rd December, he should come back to the Heaven and report all to the God (Ngoc Hoang) and return to the family before the Tet’s Eve.

To prepare for the journey of Kitchen God to the Heaven, the family buys some votive, snacks, sweet cakes, fruít….. and also paper votives carps, horses and clothing. Small fish is considered as a horse that takes him to the heaven, is dropped back in the river after the praying.