Today, January 25 (the 23^rd day of the last lunar month), wet markets across Da Nang are packed with shoppers who are busy buying incense, flowers and offerings in preparation for a traditional send-off ceremony for ‘Ong Cong Ong Tao’, or the Kitchen Gods in Vietnamese legend.

On the 23rd day of the last lunar month, wet markets across Da Nang are packed with shoppers who are busy preparing for a tray of offerings to see off the Kitchen Gods. Photo: THANH TINH

As an annual tradition, the first thing Vietnamese people do is to remove old incense sticks from the burners and clean the altar. Then, they prepare a farewell ceremony for the Kitchen Gods to return to the Jade Emperor’s palace on the 23^rd day of the last lunar month, around a week before the Tet holiday.

A tray of offerings for the Kitchen Gods includes such traditional dishes as a plate of sticky rice, 3 cups of tea, 3 sugar cubes, 3 grilled rice paper cakes, betel nuts and leaves, fruits and paper offerings.

Among the offerings of the ritual, a carp serves as a means of transport for the Kitchen Gods to ride to heaven for reporting about what they have witnessed in every family during the past year, according to the Vietnamese folk belief.

However, unlike northern localities, Da Nang people often do not have the custom of releasing carp into rivers and lakes.

The ceremony usually takes place on the night of 22^nd day of the 12^th lunar month, or preferably before noon on 23^rd day of the 12^th lunar month.

After the ceremony finishes, families carry a terracotta statuettes of three Kitchen Gods to shrines in their villages or place them under ancient trees at crossroads.

After bidding farewell to the old statues, they place new ones on their altars to welcome the new lunar year.

Most of market-goers are seen complying with 5K recommendations of the Ministry of Health. Photo: THANH TINH

As the legend goes, the Kitchen Gods will ride carps to Heaven to deliver an annual report on the household’s activities to God. Photo: DAC MANH

All kinds of votive papers, paper shirts, paper carps, etc are on sale at a votive paper stall at the Dong Da Market. Photo: THANH TINH

Stalls selling fresh areca nuts and betel leaves are also crowded with shoppers. Photo: THANH TINH

A stallholder in the Han Market is seen rearranging offerings for sale to see off ‘Ong Cong Ong Tao’. Photo: THANH TINH

A local resident buying fruits at the Han Market. Photo: THANH TINH

A few people, who are born in Northern Viet Nam but are living in Da Nang, still keep the custom of releasing carps into rivers or lakes . Photo: DAC MANH

Reporting by THANH TINH, DAC MANH - Translating by M.DUNG