Grand Opening Prayer (Variant 1)
Grand opening day of a shop or business location
Meaning
Reporting to the deities to ask permission to do business, requesting protection from the Father King, Mother Goddess, and the deities of this land — that work proceed favorably, free of obstacles, with arriving trade fortune.
Offering preparation
- A chicken, or a roll of pork sausage / boiled lean shoulder pork, sticky rice or bánh chưng.
- Salt, rice, water, wine, cigarettes, tea.
- Set of paper robes for the Spirit Mandarin (red, white sword), gold paper money, red oản cakes, betel and areca, five-fruit tray, 9 red roses.
- Salt, rice, water, wine, cigarettes, tea.
- Set of paper robes for the Spirit Mandarin (red, white sword), gold paper money, red oản cakes, betel and areca, five-fruit tray, 9 red roses.
Content
- Namo Amitābha Buddha (3 times)
- I bow to the Father King, the Jade Emperor (Ngọc Hoàng Thượng Đế).
- I bow to the Mandarin ………… Wang Hành Khiển …………………………. Chi Deity ............... Tào Phán Quan.
- I bow to the Mandarins of the Southern Dipper and Northern Dipper.
- I bow to the Mother Goddess of the Heavens.
- I bow to the Council of Mandarins.
- I bow to the Tutelary Saint of the village and the local Tutelary Spirit.
- I bow to the spirit of the Kitchen God, King of the Hearth.
- I bow to the Mandarin of the Earth, the Mandarin of the Mound.
- I bow to the Great Affairs Mandarin, the Long Thần and Earth Deity.
In the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, ........................... Province, ............................................................. District, ...................................................... Ward, house number ..................................................................................................................................
I am ....................................................., aged .............., with my family.........
Today is the .......... day of the .......... month, year ................................ (lunar)
We have incense, flowers, and offerings. We respectfully present them to the Father King, the Mother Goddess, and the Council of Mandarins to bear witness as we open and begin business so that it be favorable and smooth, that mortal neighbors not cause trouble or complication, that the surrounding waters flow in one course, that all be at ease above and below. We pray that through the three months of summer and the nine months of winter, what we wish for be granted, what is good come and what is harmful depart, that people enjoy ease and goods abound.
We ask to receive wealth, fortune, silver, money, and trading prosperity, that the household (or organization) may always enjoy peace and good health, growing better day by day.
Namo Amitābha Buddha (3 times)