The Kitchen God ritual features the release a live carp into a lake or river. VNA/VNA Photo

HÀ NỘI - The Friends of Vietnam Heritage will host a lecture on Ông Tao or The Kitchen God – one of Tết’s most important rituals which signals the start of Tết preparations. The event will take place on February 4, from 6pm to 9.30pm at Arena Lounge, Hanoi Club, 76 Yen Phụ Street.

According to legend, every family has three kitchen gods overseeing the household’s affairs. On the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month, each kitchen god (Ông Tao) returns to the Jade Emperor, the King of Heaven, on the back of a carp fish. The kitchen gods report back to the Jade Emperor on each family’s affairs for that past year. People clean their houses and offer sacrifices to aid the god’s journey and ensure a good report.

Lecturer, Prof Văn Lan, noted author, historian, archaeologist, will explain the origins and rituals of Tết. Attendees will then participate in sending the three kitchen gods together with a set of paper clothes which will be burnt as an offering to them. After the offering of new clothes, everyone will release a live fish into West Lake to carry their family’s report. They will then return to learn about and enjoy a wide range of traditional Tết foods.

Fee: VNĐ250,000/adult, VNĐ180,000/student or children under 12. Includes one drinks voucher, one fish, a quiz with prizes and a traditional Tết buffet. Contact: John Reilly by emailing lefthanded2hanoi@yahoo.com. VNS