Five delicious and visually appealing fruits are considered inauspicious when used as offerings to ancestors, according to traditional beliefs. These include pineapples, oranges, strongly-scented fruits, bitter or sour fruits, and artificial fruits.
Offering these fruits to ancestral altars, according to custom, might bring misfortune and violate spiritual taboos. This is thought to bring bad luck and financial loss to the family, affecting the homeowner’s peace and prosperity.
1. Pineapple
Characteristics: Pineapple is a tropical fruit known for its sweet taste and distinctive aroma. With its unique shape, rough skin, and eye-catching golden color, pineapple is loved not only for its delicious flavor but also for its high nutritional value. It is rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, offering health benefits such as improved immunity and skin health.
Reason for Taboo: Despite its taste and visual appeal, pineapple is avoided on ancestral altars. This is mainly because the Vietnamese word for pineapple, “dứa,” sounds similar to “điếc” (deaf) or “dứt” (sever), implying misfortune and adversity in life and work. Thus, despite its high regard in terms of flavor and nutrition, pineapple is traditionally not used in ceremonial offerings.
Pineapple, also known as “thơm,” is a tropical fruit renowned for its sweet taste and distinctive aroma.
2. Orange
Characteristics: Orange is a popular fruit with a sweet and refreshing taste and a gentle fragrance. Its round shape, smooth skin, and vibrant orange color often evoke a sense of freshness and appeal. Oranges are not only delicious but also packed with vitamin C, boosting immunity, enhancing health, and fighting fatigue. They are commonly used in meals and festive occasions.
Reason for Taboo: According to folk beliefs, oranges are not placed on altars because the word “orange” in Vietnamese, “cam,” sounds similar to the word for “difficulty” in Chinese. This connotation suggests obstacles and challenges, especially during ceremonies where homeowners seek blessings and prosperity. Using oranges in such contexts may be seen as an ill omen, contradicting the intentions of traditional rituals.
Orange is a popular fruit with a sweet, refreshing taste and a gentle fragrance.
3. Fruits with Overpowering Scents
Fruits like durian and jackfruit, despite their delicious taste, have strong and heavy aromas. This is considered inappropriate for the serene and pure atmosphere of worship. Therefore, these fruits are typically not used as offerings to Buddha, deities, or ancestors, maintaining the sanctity of the worship space.
4. Bitter, Sour, and Spicy Fruits
Homeowners should avoid using bitter, sour, or spicy fruits such as tamarind, bitter melon, chili peppers, green plums, and star fruit in their offerings. These flavors often evoke associations with life’s bitterness and sourness. To prevent bad luck, families should refrain from presenting such negatively connoted fruits to their ancestors.
5. Artificial Fruits
Using artificial fruits for ancestral offerings, regardless of the intention to save money, is discouraged. According to folk beliefs, ancestors and the deceased only “eat the essence” of the offerings. Therefore, fresh and fragrant real fruits are chosen to express reverence. Artificial fruits lack spiritual significance and may even impact the family’s fortune.
Note when choosing fruits for offerings: When selecting fruits for ancestral offerings, homeowners should choose fresh, high-quality fruits with attractive colors and shapes, free from bruises or scars. These offerings demonstrate respect for Buddha, deities, and ancestors.
Fruits to Avoid for Offerings
Bruised or damaged fruits: Fruits showing signs of overripeness or damage are not suitable for worship. While the offerings do not need to be expensive, they must be fresh and of good quality. Presenting inferior fruits indicates carelessness and disrespect.
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