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Cooking up good luck for the Kitchen God: Ong Tao

Today is an important part of the Vietnamese New Year traditional celebrations. Ong Tao, also known as the Kitchen God, will make his way to the heavens. With the event, the streets will be lit up with the sight of small fires as a symbol of offering and Ong Tao’s journey.

Ong Tao is the god that lives in everyones’ home. He is the one who has watched over the family over the past year. The reason for his journey to the heavens will be to report on each family’s life and experiences throughout the year. It is said that he travels on a magic carp and that he will return to each home at the arrival of the new year.

Offerings such as clothing, shoes, paper money, and even paper cell phones are burned to help Ong Tao on way to the heavens. For the past week streets like Hang Ma in Hanoi‘s Old Quarter have been bustling with families buying all the necessities for today’s celebrations as well as Tet (Vietnamese New Year) decorations for the home.

Not as relevant in Hanoi anymore (because many people have gas burners), but in the countryside new cookers (stoves) will replace old ones. Again, there is much symbolization here. The new cookers represent the return of Ong Tao, as well as the return of good fortune for the family.

So let’s truly begin celebrations for the Year of the Dragon! Today, clean out your house (as well as your oven), burn an offering or two dedicated to Ong Tao, and wish the beloved Kitchen God a pleasant journey as well as a safe return.

For those who are on a Vietnam tour right now, be sure to take a walk this evening to witness some of the small burnings in the streets. Many started yesterday, but there will surely be many tonight.

Footprint Vietnam Travel would also like to wish good luck as well as safe travels to everyone, including Ong Tao, as we come into the year of the Dragon!

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