The First Full Moon of the Lunar New Year, known as Ram thang Gieng in Vietnamese, is also called Tet Nguyen Tieu or the Shang Yuan Festival. According to Taoism, a year comprises three "yuan" festivals: Shang Yuan (first lunar month), Zhong Yuan (seventh lunar month), and Xia Yuan (tenth lunar month).
Thien Quan dai de, the Heavenly Official Emperor, presides over the Shang Yuan Festival. This period is characterized by abundant yang energy, when all things begin to flourish. Thien Quan dai de is believed to have a joyful disposition, often bestowing blessings upon humanity (Thien Quan tu phuc, meaning "Heavenly Official grants four blessings"). Therefore, people consider this a significant occasion to pray for good fortune and prosperity.
Furthermore, Buddhist tradition states that on this day, monks and nuns often contemplate relics and light lamps and candles to make offerings to Buddhas. Consequently, on the night of Nguyen Tieu, temples commonly organize rituals and light lamps to pray for peace, a practice deeply integrated into the spiritual life of Vietnamese people.
Auspicious times for first full moon rituals in 2026
In 2026, the year of Binh Ngo, the First Full Moon falls on a Binh Ty day, which is a Thanh Long Hoang Dao day (a very auspicious day).
Regarding the ritual times, families should note:
The most auspicious period is from 15h to 19h, with the time between 17h and 19h having no taboos. If the family is busy, they can perform the ritual earlier, from 5h to 7h.
However, similar to other Tet holidays, sincerity remains the most important aspect. Experts suggest that families can perform the ritual on the exact Full Moon day without being overly strict about choosing the exact hour if circumstances do not allow.
Preparing offerings and rituals
Unlike Tet Nguyen Dan (Lunar New Year), which typically features elaborate feasts, offerings for the First Full Moon should prioritize purity and simplicity:
Offerings: Display fresh fruits, sweet cakes, and sticky rice desserts. It is especially recommended to light additional lamps and candles to symbolize light and wisdom (the custom of lighting lanterns for Nguyen Tieu).
Rituals: The altar space should be solemn and clean. During the ritual, family members should maintain a cheerful and harmonious attitude, avoiding arguments or careless speech to preserve purity.
Given that the significance of this day is "Thien Quan tu phuc," popular Nom (Vietnamese demotic script) prayers today focus on praising the virtues and divine power of Thien Quan dai de. These prayers ask him to bestow blessings, protect the family for a prosperous new year, and ensure all wishes come true.
Prayer for the First Full Moon - Thien Quan dai de:
"Respectfully offering this ritual, we invite 'Thuong Nguyen tu phuc Thien Quan Nhat Pham Tu Vi dai de' to witness it. Thien Quan dai de, whose power extends through the three realms, whose divine might is silent and awe-inspiring, whose sacred eyes shine upon all. The Shang Yuan bestows boundless blessings, and the mortal world yearns for his grace.
Today, on the occasion of the Lantern Festival, when Thien Quan bestows blessings everywhere, the supplicant, [name], residing at [address], sincerely cleans the house, prepares incense, flowers, lamps, candles, and offerings to present before the altar. We pray to the deity to dispel past grievances, increase blessings, and grant peace and happiness to all.
We also invite the household deities, the local earth god (than hoang ban tho), the Kitchen God (Dong tru tu menh Tao phu than quan), the respected deities in charge of the household, the five-direction earth gods (Ngu phuong ngu tho Phuc duc chinh than), the five-direction wealth gods (Ngu phuong ngu lo Long mach tai than), and the ancestral council of the family lineage... to witness this.
(If performing the ritual at home, one should invite the deities, Kitchen God, local earth god, five-direction earth gods, five-direction wealth-attracting dragon vein gods, the respected deities of the household, and the ancestral spirits to be present and bear witness to the merits).
Respectfully inform. May you accept our offerings! (Three bows)."
Cultural researcher Pham Dinh Hai
