Ancestral worship is a long-standing cultural tradition among Vietnamese people. However, many are unaware of the proper rules for setting up an altar, and some essential items are often missing, affecting the efficacy of prayers. Feng shui masters have revealed the must-have altar items to ensure prosperity and blessings.
Essential Altar Items: Not to Be Missed
While ancestral worship is a time-honored tradition, knowing what to place on the altar is not common knowledge. There are five indispensable items for an ancestral altar, and one of them is often missing from many households.
+ Incense Urn (Bát Hương):
The incense urn is considered the gathering place for all celestial spirits and serves as a connection between the descendants and the spiritual realm. It is a vital component, usually present in most families.
+ Oil Lamp or Candle Holder:
This item is lit whenever the homeowner offers incense. It also symbolizes the fire element, bringing warmth and connection to the family.
Essential Altar Items: Not to Be Missed
+ Bowl, Plate, or Jar of Water:
Water is essential for sustaining life and represents the sincerity of the descendants’ offerings to the spiritual realm. However, many families overlook this item, affecting their prayers.
+ Rice Jar:
In addition to the above three crucial items, a jar of rice and a jar of salt are also placed on the altar, symbolizing the family’s wish for wealth, luck, and peace. Placing these jars demonstrates the homeowners’ sincerity and their aspirations toward the mystical spiritual realm, hoping for blessings and protection for their descendants.
+ Salt Jar: The salt jar is made of ceramic or porcelain, crafted in a chubby shape with a smaller opening. The shape may vary depending on the region.
Optimal Placement for Rice, Salt, and Water Jars
Arranging the rice, salt, and water jars on the altar is quite simple. Homeowners can place these three jars in a straight line, usually in front of the incense urn and behind the fruit tray. The water jar should be in the middle. On regular days, the fruit tray can be replaced with a set of three or five cups (a water set), and the rice, salt, and water jars are placed behind this set.
Depending on the size of the altar, homeowners can choose jars of corresponding proportions. If the altar is narrow and cannot accommodate all three jars, homeowners can opt to place the rice and salt jars while forgoing the water jar, as the altar usually has a water set to hold water.
For a Buddhist altar, a single water jar is sufficient. For a God of Wealth altar, all three jars can be placed in a triangle formation behind the incense urn, between the God of Wealth and the Earth Deity.
Notes on Placing Rice, Salt, and Water Jars
Simple Arrangement for Rice, Salt, and Water Jars
+ The size of the jars should be proportional to the altar to maintain balance.
+ Use clean, new, and pest-free rice for offerings. Salt should also be clean and dry. The water offered should be clean as well.
+ Replace the rice, salt, and water every two weeks. When replacing, you can use the old rice, salt, and water, and then refill the jars with new ones.
+ There is no need to fill the jars entirely. Filling them halfway or two-thirds full and then mixing with new ingredients is sufficient.
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