Incense burning is a familiar practice in Vietnamese culture, but the order, timing, and number of incense sticks burned also hold significant spiritual meaning. Let’s explore the proper way to burn incense and its deeper significance.
1 What is the Significance of Burning Incense?
In the spiritual culture of East Asian peoples, the ritual of burning incense is a beautiful and sacred traditional practice. They believe that when incense is lit, it acts as an invisible thread, connecting the living and the spiritual realms.
Burning incense during ancestral worship on occasions such as death anniversaries, festivals, and Lunar New Year has become an integral part of Vietnamese spiritual life. This ritual is also used to express gratitude and emotions towards deities, ancestors, and contributes to preserving the cultural values of the Vietnamese nation.
2 On Which Days Should Incense Be Burned?
Many families have the custom of burning incense in the early morning or evening every day to add warmth and vitality to their homes. This is a commendable practice as it ensures that the ancestral altar always has incense burning, which holds important spiritual significance.
However, this is not mandatory, and if time does not permit, families can burn incense on death anniversaries, festivals, full moon days, and the first day of the lunar month. Don’t forget to prepare some offerings, such as flowers and candles, to show your sincerity and respect to your ancestors.
For reference: Simple altar decorations for the Lunar New Year and taboos to avoid
3 How to Properly Burn Incense?
How Many Incense Sticks Should Be Burned?
According to folk customs, incense should be burned in odd numbers such as 1, 3, 5, or a whole bunch to bring good luck.
Typically, during major events such as festivals, Lunar New Year, death anniversaries, housewarmings, and weddings, or other significant occasions in the lives of Vietnamese people, three incense sticks are burned. However, when visiting temples or pagodas, only one stick should be burned to prevent fire hazards.
What is the Proper Order for Burning Incense?
In Vietnamese families, there are various types of altars, such as the ancestral altar, the altar for the God of Wealth, the Buddha, and the Kitchen God. Therefore, the order of burning incense is essential as it holds spiritual significance. The proper order of burning incense for these altars is as follows:
- Altar for the Buddha or the Goddess of Mercy
- Ancestral altar
- Altar for the God of Wealth and the God of Earth
- Altar for the Kitchen God
- Altar for the recently deceased
- Altar for wandering souls
4 What to Pay Attention to When Burning Incense?
Here are some things to keep in mind when burning incense on the ancestral altar:
- Maintain a calm and respectful mindset when burning incense, free from distractions, and with sincere prayers.
- Choose straight incense sticks and ensure they remain upright when burning, avoiding any tilting or leaning.
- If an incense stick goes out before it finishes burning, do not remove it; simply relight it using a lighter.
- Burn a moderate amount of incense and avoid lighting too many sticks at once, as this can produce excessive smoke, which may be harmful to those in the house.
- When purchasing incense, opt for those made from natural ingredients such as agarwood or sandalwood to ensure a natural fragrance and reduce potential harm.
- Avoid using incense with curved or bent tips as these have likely been soaked in an acidic solution, releasing more toxic smoke when burned.
5 Taboos When Burning Incense
When burning incense, pay attention to the following taboos to avoid any disrespect:
- Do not burn incense in even numbers as these are considered unlucky in feng shui.
- Dress appropriately and maintain a solemn attitude to show respect to your ancestors.
- Do not use plastic fruits or fruits with thorns as offerings when burning incense.
- Avoid using toxic or harmful chemical incense for offerings.
Incense burning has become an integral part of Vietnamese spiritual life, bringing peace and tranquility to the soul. When burning incense, pay attention to the order, quantity, and taboos to ensure you are doing it correctly.
