What is the significance of the Day of the God of Wealth? What offerings should be made on the God of Wealth Day 2025 in Vietnam?
What is the significance of the Day of the God of Wealth? What offerings should be made on the God of Wealth Day 2025 in Vietnam?
The God of Wealth Day falls on the 10th day of the first lunar month every year, and in 2025, this day corresponds to February 7, 2025, on the solar calendar. This is an especially important day for those in business and trade, as they believe that if they worship the God of Wealth properly on this day, they will have good fortune and abundant wealth for the entire year.
According to folk beliefs, the God of Wealth is the deity who governs money and wealth, bringing prosperity and affluence. The God of Wealth Day is seen as an opportunity for households to give thanks and ask for blessings for a prosperous and successful year in business.
On the God of Wealth Day, families, especially those engaged in business and trade, will prepare an offering tray to present to the deities. A full offering tray for the God of Wealth typically includes:
- Basic offerings:
Fresh flowers (usually yellow chrysanthemums or marigolds)
Candles, incense, oil lamps
Five-fruit tray
Votive paper, paper money for the God of Wealth
Wine, tea, and sweets
- Savory offerings (depending on regional customs):
Roasted pig or boiled meat
Grilled snakehead fish (particularly favored in the South)
Shrimp, crab, boiled eggs
Gac sticky rice or mung bean sticky rice
- Feng Shui items that may be placed on the God of Wealth altar to enhance prosperity:
Statue of the God of Wealth or Pixiu, Three-legged toad
Gold rings, gold bars for auspicious luck
When offering, the host should sincerely pray for a smooth and prosperous new year in business. Additionally, after the offering, many keep a small amount of gold to place on the God of Wealth altar or wear as a way to retain fortune.
What is the significance of the Day of the God of Wealth? What offerings should be made on the God of Wealth Day 2025 in Vietnam? (Image from the Internet)
What are the fines for burning incense in prohibited areas in Vietnam?
Based on Clause 1 Article 14 of Decree 38/2021/ND-CP regulating violations regarding the organization of festivals:
Article 14. Violations concerning the organization of festivals
- A warning or a fine ranging from 200,000 VND to 500,000 VND shall be imposed for any of the following acts:
a) Burning incense or votive paper in prohibited areas;
b) Swearing, cursing, or offending the spiritual essence, affecting the solemn atmosphere of the festival;
c) Wearing inappropriate or culturally insensitive attire according to Vietnamese traditions.
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Based on Clause 2 Article 5 of Decree 38/2021/ND-CP (amended by Clause 2 Article 1 of Decree 128/2022/ND-CP) regulating the level of fines and authority to impose fines on individuals and organizations:
Article 5. Regulations on the level of fines and authority to impose fines on individuals and organizations
[...]
- The fines stipulated in Chapter II and Chapter III of this Decree are fines applied to individuals, except as prescribed in Clauses 2, 5, 6, and 7 of Article 10; Clauses 4, 5, 6, and 7 of Article 10a; point a Clause 2, Clauses 3, 5, and 6, points a, b, c, and d Clause 7 of Article 14; Clauses 1, 2, 3, 4, and point b Clause 5 of Article 21; Clauses 1, 2, 3, 4, and point b Clause 5 of Article 23; Clause 1 of Article 24; Articles 30, 38, 39, and 40 of this Decree are fines applied to organizations.
[...]
Based on Clause 3 Article 28 of Decree 162/2018/ND-CP regulating violations concerning fire prevention and control at airports and service facilities ensuring flight operations:
Article 28. Violations concerning fire prevention and control at airports and service facilities ensuring flight operations
[...]
- A fine ranging from 5,000,000 VND (five million VND) to 10,000,000 VND (ten million VND) shall be imposed for any of the following violations:
a) Cooking, igniting fires at airports, or service facilities ensuring flight operations without permission or not conforming;
b) Burning incense, candles, or votive paper at airports or service facilities ensuring flight operations;
c) Storing dangerous items or flammable substances at airports or service facilities ensuring flight operations not conforming;
[...]
Based on Clause 1 Article 3 of Decree 162/2018/ND-CP regulating the principles of application:
Article 3. Principles of application
- The fines stipulated in Chapter II of this Decree are fines applied to organizations, except the fines prescribed in Clauses 1, 2, 3, 4 of Article 6; points i, k Clause 1 Article 7; Clauses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 of Article 8; Clauses 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 of Article 9; Clauses 1, 2 and points a, b Clause 5 of Article 10; Clauses 1, 2, 3, 4 and point g Clause 5 of Article 11; Clause 1 of Article 12; points b, c Clause 1 and points a, c Clause 2 of Article 14; Clauses 1, 2 and points a, d, dd Clause 3, Clauses 4, 5 of Article 15; Clauses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 of Article 16; Clauses 1, 2 of Article 17; Clauses 1 and points a, b, d Clause 2 of Article 18; Clauses 1, 2 of Article 19; Clauses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 of Article 21; Clauses 1, 2 of Article 24; Clauses 1, 2, 3 of Article 25; Clauses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 of Article 26; points a, b, dd Clause 1 of Article 27; Clauses 1, 2, 3 and point a Clause 4, point b Clause 5 of Article 28; Clauses 1, 2, 3 of Article 30 of this Decree are fines applied to individuals. For the same administrative violation, the monetary penalty for organizations is twice the penalty for individuals.
[...]
Anyone who burns incense in unauthorized locations during festival organizations will be fined between 200,000 VND and 500,000 VND.
In cases of burning incense at airports and service facilities ensuring flight operations, the fine will be from 5,000,000 VND to 10,000,000 VND.
Note: The above fines are applied to individuals; for organizations with the same violation, the fine is double that of individuals.
Is the God of Wealth Day considered a major holiday in Vietnam?
Based on Article 4 of Decree 145/2013/ND-CP stipulating major holidays:
Article 4. Major holidays
Major domestic holidays include:
- Lunar New Year (1st day of the first lunar month).
- Founding of the Communist Party of Vietnam (February 3, 1930).
- Hung Kings' Commemoration Day (10th day of the third lunar month).
- Liberation of the South and national reunification (April 30, 1975).
- Dien Bien Phu Victory Day (May 7, 1954).
- President Ho Chi Minh’s Birthday (May 19, 1890).
- August Revolution (August 19, 1945) and National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (September 2, 1945).
According to the above regulations, the God of Wealth Day is not officially recognized as one of the major holidays such as Lunar New Year, National Day, or Hung Kings' Commemoration Day in Vietnam.
