Year-End Grave Thanksgiving Rite (Lễ Chạp / Lễ Tạ Mộ on the 30th of Tết)
The 30th day of the 12th lunar month (or 29th if the month is short)
Meaning
The Lễ Chạp grave thanksgiving expresses filial piety and the descendants' deep gratitude. It invites ancestral spirits home for the new-year reunion and gives thanks to the local deities for overseeing and protecting the gravesite.
Offering preparation
- Incense, flowers, fruit, betel and areca (1 to 3 areca nuts with stems and 1 betel leaf), candles, wine...
- Votive paper.
- A meat offering tray (or sweets, depending on the family). Arrange carefully and bring to the grave or place on the family ancestral altar.
- Votive paper.
- A meat offering tray (or sweets, depending on the family). Arrange carefully and bring to the grave or place on the family ancestral altar.
Content
Namo Amitābha Buddha! (3 times)
- I respectfully bow to the nine directions of Heaven, the ten directions of all Buddhas, the Buddhas of the ten directions.
- I respectfully bow to the Reigning Grand Duke (Thái Tuế) of the current year of supreme virtue, the year's Hành binh deity, and the Public Affairs Judge (Công Tào Phán Quan).
- I respectfully bow to the local Tutelary Deities and Great Sovereigns.
- I respectfully bow to the Earth Deity of this place.
- I respectfully bow to the Five-Direction, Five-Earth, and Long Mạch venerable deities; to the Vermilion Bird of the South, the Black Tortoise of the North, the Azure Dragon of the East, and the White Tiger of the West, together with all the venerable deities overseeing this region.
- I respectfully bow to the spirit of: ...........................................................
Today is the 30th of the 12th lunar month — the old year about to pass and the new year about to arrive.
The faithful (we) are: ………………………….........................................…
Residing at: …………………….............................................................………….
We prepare offerings, incense, flowers, and wine; we present gold and silver votive paper to report to the venerable deities and respectfully escort home the spirits of our ancestors:........................................................................................................................................
with their grave at: …………………………..................................................……
to come home to the family and welcome the new year, that the descendants may serve them in this spring season, repay deep kindness, and show filial reverence. We humbly ask the venerable deities to consent.
Though the worlds of yin and yang are separated, this bowl of water and stick of incense show the heart's sincerity; we humbly ask you to bear witness.
Namo Amitābha Buddha! (3 times)