Performed between the 23rd and 28th of the Twelfth Lunar Month after sending off the Kitchen Gods (ideally Sunday, January 31, 2027): includes the pre-cleansing permission prayer, the re-invitation thanksgiving prayer and five-herb purification steps.
Occasion
23rd to 28th of the 12th Lunar Month
Prime dates: Sun Jan 31 (24th), Tue Feb 2 (26th) or Thu Feb 4, 2027
Auspicious timing
Bright daytime hours filled with warm Yang energy
Jan 31 (Canh Tuat Day): Thin (07:00 to 09:00), Ti (09:00 to 11:00), Than (15:00 to 17:00)
Altar setting
Household Buddhist, Deity and Ancestral Altars
Keep incense bowls anchored; use brand-new cloths & warm herb water
Variants & A4 scroll
3 scrolls · Permission, Thanksgiving & Apartment
Personalize family lineage & print with SVG diagram
IPersonalize Your Scroll, Select Ritual Date and Read Prayer
1. Select Solar Date (Auto-converts to Lunar Date, Sexagenary Cycle & Auspicious Hours)
Pick the actual solar date on which your household performs the rite
2. Officiant and Household Details (Live Scroll Personalization)
Stored privately in your browser localStorage only; never sent to any server
Enter solar birth year to auto-calculate Sexagenary stem-branch and lunar age
3. Choose Prayer Variant, Enter Altar Mode or Print A4 Scroll
Recite before touching any worship vessel: light 3 incense sticks to request that the Tutelary Deities and Ancestors step aside momentarily, and wait until the incense burns down completely before wiping or trimming.
HALL OF MYRIAD PATHS · TRADITIONAL RITUAL SCROLL
Year-End Altar Cleansing and Incense-Trimming Prayer: Permission Rite, Bowl Anchoring and Re-Invitation
1. Pre-Cleansing Permission Prayer (Read Before Touching the Altar)
Nam mo A Di Da Phat! (Recite 3 times, with 3 bows)
Reverently bowing to the Nine Directions of Heaven, the Ten Directions of all Buddhas, and all Buddhas throughout the Ten Directions.
Reverently bowing to Sovereign Heaven, Mother Earth and all Venerable Tutelary Spirits: the Local City God (Ban Canh Thanh Hoang), the Household Earth Deity (Ban Gia Tho Dia), the Sovereign of the Eastern Hearth (Dong Tru Tu Menh Tao Phu Than Quan), and the Spirits of the Five Directions, Dragon Veins and Wealth.
Reverently bowing to all departed forebears, High and Great-Grandparents, uncles, aunts and kindred spirits of ………….
…………………………………………, residing at: ………….
Today, on ……………………, as the Twelfth Lunar Month closes the ………… Year and prepares to welcome the new ………… Spring, ………… observe that a year of incense smoke has settled dust upon the sanctuary and filled the incense bowls with stems. With sincere reverence, ………… have steeped warm five-herb infusion and prepared brand-new cloths to purify the altar.
Presenting clear tea, fresh fruit, seasonal blossoms and three sticks of heartfelt incense, ………… humbly request that the Venerable Deities and Ancestors of ………… graciously step aside for a brief interval so ………… may trim excess incense stems, bathe the sacred vessels and restore spotless dignity to this sanctuary.
While mortal hands wipe the tablets and arrange the vessels, should any unintended clumsiness or slight disturbance occur, ………… earnestly pray for Your generous forbearance and pardon.
Once these sticks of incense finish burning, ………… shall respectfully commence the cleansing and immediately offer fresh incense to invite Your return upon completion.
Nam mo A Di Da Phat! (Recite 3 times, with 3 bows)
IICeremonial Offerings and Preparation Checklist
Altar purification rests on immaculate dedicated implements and natural botanical fragrance rather than elaborate banquets. Every towel, brush and basin used for Bao Sai must be brand-new or reserved exclusively for sacred vessels, never shared with everyday kitchen or floor cleaning.
Prepared 0 of 10 items
Group 1: Natural Botanicals for Sacred Cleansing Water
Group 2: Dedicated Implements Preserving Sanctuary Purity
Group 3: Offerings for Permission & Re-Invitation
IIIAltar Arrangement Diagram and Step-by-Step Protocol
The golden rule throughout Bao Sai is Stillness of the Incense Bowl: while flower vases, water cups and candlesticks may be lifted onto a clean side table for washing, the incense bowls themselves remain firmly anchored on their exact spots on the altar, never lifted upside down or shifted off-center.
1
Light Incense First to Request Permission Before TouchingOffer 3 incense sticks asking Tutelary Deities and Ancestors to step aside briefly; wait patiently until all three sticks burn out completely before beginning.
2
Brace the Incense Bowl Steady & Trim Stems to an Odd Yang CountHold the base of the incense bowl firmly with one hand so it never shifts; with the other hand, gently pull stems from the outer edge inward, leaving 3, 5, 7 or 9 straight central stems.
3
Wipe Tablets, Censers & Vessels Top-to-Bottom by HierarchyUsing a well-wrung cloth dampened in warm herb water, clean Buddhist and Deity vessels first, then switch to a separate clean cloth for Ancestral tablets and portraits.
4
Basin of Warm Five-Herb Infusion or Ginger Rice SpiritPrepared on a dedicated side table; always use comfortably warm botanical water, avoiding icy tap water or harsh chemical glass cleaners.
5
New Cotton Cloths & Clean Red Paper for Removed StemsLay every pulled incense stem neatly onto clean red paper rather than dropping stems on the floor or into household trash; burn to clean ash afterward.
6
Arrange Fresh Water, Fruit & Flowers for the Re-Invitation PrayerBuff every vessel dry, return cups filled with fresh water alongside East-Vase flowers and West-Fruit, then light 3 incense sticks to recite Prayer 2.
Step-by-step ceremonial sequence before the altar
Perform altar cleansing during bright daytime hours; air the room gently while avoiding strong drafts that scatter ash, and entrust the task to a calm, attentive adult member of the household.
Step 1
Simmer the five-herb infusion and prepare a clean side table
Simmer whole cinnamon, star anise, cloves and pomelo peel or infuse crushed fresh ginger in warm rice spirit; strain into a clean basin and spread a clean red cloth or paper on an adjacent table.
Step 2
Light three incense sticks and recite the Permission Prayer
Bathe and dress in neat modest attire, light 3 incense sticks, recite Variant 1 (Pre-Cleansing Permission Prayer), and wait until the incense burns out completely.
Step 3
Lower auxiliary vessels onto the cloth-lined side table
Carefully lift flower vases, fruit plates, water-cup trays and candlesticks down to the side table for washing, leaving spirit tablets and incense bowls undisturbed on the main altar.
Step 4
Trim incense stems gently while bracing the bowl base
Steady the Deity incense bowl first (then Ancestral bowls) with one hand while gently drawing out old stems onto red paper, keeping 3, 5, 7 or 9 straight stems; if ash is overflowing, scoop excess lightly from the top with a clean spoon.
Step 5
Dust and wipe tablets, portraits and altar wood top-to-bottom
Brush away dry ash first, wring out the herbal cloth thoroughly so it is barely damp, wipe higher tiers before lower tiers (Buddhist and Deity before Ancestral), and buff dry immediately.
Step 6
Restore vessels, present fresh offerings and recite the Re-Invitation Prayer
Return dried vessels to their East-Vase West-Fruit positions, refill cups with pure water, arrange fresh flowers and fruit, light the lamps and 3 incense sticks, and recite Variant 2.
Step 7
Reduce removed stems to clean ash and return to water or soil
Burn the wrapped incense stems and any scooped excess ash completely in a clean brazier; once cool, scatter the pure ash into a gentle river or tuck it beneath clean garden trees.
IVPhilosophy of Releasing the Old, Welcoming the New, and Stillness of the Incense Bowl
According to the tradition
In classical Vietnamese liturgical vocabulary, bao sai carries a far deeper reverence than ordinary housekeeping: bao signifies cherishing and cradling with care, while sai denotes sprinkling pure aromatic water to bathe away worldly dust (akin to the monastic rite of moc duc for sacred statues and tablets). Across twelve months of prayer, fragrant smoke mingles with household life while hundreds of bamboo incense stems accumulate inside the bowl, obscuring spirit tablets and creating a fire hazard during the continuous incense burning of Tet.
In traditional Vietnamese spatial philosophy, whereas the front gate and kitchen embody dynamic Movement (Dong) to circulate living energy, the ancestral sanctuary and above all the center of the incense bowl embody serene Stillness (Tinh) to anchor spiritual blessing. Consequently, households reserve one dedicated annual window at the close of the Twelfth Lunar Month, right after sending off the Kitchen Gods on the 23rd, to request permission, bathe the sanctuary in herbal warmth and welcome vernal renewal (tong cuu nghenh tan). Leaving an odd Yang number of stems (3, 5, 7 or 9) preserves the living ember of lineage continuity bridging the departing year into the new spring.
According to the historical record
Classical Vietnamese family manuals including Ho Si Tan's Tho Mai Gia Le and Phan Ke Binh's Viet Nam Phong Tuc (1915) describe a cohesive three-part year-end rhythm: on the 23rd of the Twelfth Month the household sends off the Kitchen Gods; between the 24th and 28th families tend ancestral graves in the fields (le Chap Ma) while purifying altars indoors; so that by the afternoon of the final lunar day (the 29th in a short month or 30th in a full month), a spotless, fragrant sanctuary awaits the Year-End Reunion (Tat Nien).
Traditional Northern apothecaries prepare dried Five-Herb bundles (ngu vi huong) combining five warming botanicals: cassia cinnamon bark, star anise, cloves, fragrant eucalyptus or sandalwood leaf, and sappanwood shavings that tint the warm water an auspicious ruby hue. In Central and Southern Vietnam, households also polish brass five-piece altar sets (bo lu dong) to a mirror gleam and steep fresh pomelo leaves, lemongrass stalks or aged ginger in clear rice spirit. Across all three regions, pure gifts of the plant kingdom cleanse the most sacred threshold of the home.
Looking specifically at the astronomical calendar closing the Binh Ngo Year (2026) ahead of Tet Dinh Mui (2027), because the Twelfth Lunar Month of Binh Ngo is a 29-day short month ending on Friday, February 5, 2027, households should complete altar cleansing no later than Thursday, the 28th of the Twelfth Month (February 4, 2027) so the final day remains unhurried for the Tat Nien reunion and midnight Giao Thua.
Within this golden six-day window (January 30 to February 4, 2027), four auspicious times stand out: first, Saturday afternoon, January 30, 2027 (23rd of the 12th Month, Ky Dau Day, Success Officer Thanh) right after the Kitchen Gods rite, during the Auspicious Hours of Mui (13:00 to 15:00) or Dau (17:00 to 19:00); second, Sunday, January 31, 2027 (24th of the 12th Month, Canh Tuat Day, Receive Officer Thu, Joy Spirit Northwest, Wealth Spirit East) during Thin (07:00 to 09:00), Ti (09:00 to 11:00) or Than (15:00 to 17:00); third, Tuesday, February 2, 2027 (26th, Nham Ty Day, Close Officer Be) during Mao (05:00 to 07:00), Ngo (11:00 to 13:00) or Than (15:00 to 17:00); and fourth, Thursday, February 4, 2027 (28th, Giap Dan Day, Remove Officer Tru, ideal for sweeping away old dust, Joy Spirit Northeast, Wealth Spirit Southeast) during Thin (07:00 to 09:00), Ti (09:00 to 11:00) or Mui (13:00 to 15:00).
VKey Liturgical Terms in the Altar Cleansing and Re-Invitation Scrolls
Nine core ritual terms and practical principles governing respectful year-end altar care
Liturgical Concept
Meaning & Proper Household Practice
Bao sai (Sacred Bathing)
Respectful year-end purification of spirit tablets, worship vessels and altar woodwork using warm botanical water and dedicated new cloths.
Tong cuu nghenh tan
Classical maxim meaning releasing the dust and burdens of the departing year to welcome the fresh, auspicious Qi of the new spring.
Tam lanh (Stepping Aside)
Courteous petition asking Tutelary Deities and Ancestors to withdraw momentarily while mortal hands clean and rearrange sacred objects.
Botanical Ngu Vi Huong
Warm herbal infusion brewed from whole dried cinnamon, star anise, cloves, sandalwood leaf and sappanwood; never confuse with salted culinary five-spice cooking powder.
Dong bat huong (Disturbing the Bowl)
Lifting an incense bowl off its seat, twisting its alignment or dumping its core ash carelessly, traditionally avoided to preserve spatial stillness.
Retaining Odd Stems (3, 5, 7, 9)
Odd numbers carry generative Yang energy: families commonly keep 5 or 9 stems in the central Deity bowl and 3, 5 or 7 stems in Ancestral bowls.
Tai ngu bao toa (Re-Anchoring)
Formal re-invitation welcoming Deities and Ancestors back to their seats once the altar is dry, fragrant and graced with fresh water and flowers.
Top-Down Liturgical Hierarchy
Always clean highest tiers first: Buddhist shrine first, Household Deities second, and Ancestral tablets and portraits third, using separate cloths.
Returning Ash to Water & Earth
Burning removed incense stems into clean ash and releasing cooled ash into flowing water or beneath clean garden trees rather than household garbage.
VIRegional Altar-Care Traditions and Six Common Mistakes to Avoid
Northern Vietnam: Herbal Five-Spice Infusions & Golden Glutinous-Straw Ash
Northern families purchase aromatic bundles of bark, buds and leaves at traditional herbalists so warm woody fragrance fills the home against late-winter mist. Whenever an incense bowl requires fresh ash, fine sifted ash from golden glutinous rice straw (tro rom nep) is prized for its airy purity.
Central Vietnam: Ancestral Hall Order & Polishing Five-Piece Brass Sets
Across Central Vietnam, alongside steady-handed stem trimming, families lower their bronze incense burner, cranes-on-turtles and candlesticks (bo tam su, ngu su) to polish them until they gleam like sunlight before the 28th, believing radiant brass gathers bright Fire Qi for the clan.
Southern Vietnam: Pomelo-Leaf Water, Ginger Wine & Polishing the Censer
Known affectionately in the South as the Censer-Polishing Rite (le chui lu), families steep fresh pomelo leaves and lemongrass or crush aged ginger into rice spirit to wipe mother-of-pearl inlaid ancestral cabinets, followed by bathing the floor-level God of Wealth and Earth Deity shrine.
A common misunderstanding
Mistake 1: Using culinary five-spice powder from the grocery aisle. Supermarket five-spice seasoning packets often contain salt, garlic, msg or savory spices meant for marinating meat. Always simmer whole dried herbs (cinnamon stick, star anise, cloves, lemongrass, pomelo peel) or infuse fresh ginger in clear rice wine.
Mistake 2: Lifting the incense bowl to dump all its ash into the trash and refilling it with sand. Emptying an established bowl discards the hearth-like continuity of the altar, while heavy construction sand traps moisture, extinguishes incense roots and can crack porcelain. Keep the bowl seated on the altar, pull stems gently, and if ash reaches the rim, scoop excess lightly from the top with a clean spoon.
Mistake 3: Fearful anxiety if a hand accidentally nudges an incense bowl slightly. Sensationalist online posts often frighten families into believing a slight shift brings misfortune. Authentic Vietnamese liturgy rests on reverence and sincerity, not superstition: if a bowl shifts slightly during cleaning, calmly realign it squarely with both hands, wipe it clean with warm herbal water, and recite the sincere pardon clause in the Re-Invitation Prayer with complete peace of mind.
?Quick Questions
Which days are best for cleansing the altar before Tet Dinh Mui 2027?
The ideal window runs from Saturday afternoon, January 30, 2027 (23rd of the 12th Month, right after sending off the Kitchen Gods) through Thursday, February 4, 2027 (28th of the 12th Month), leaving Friday, February 5 (the 29th and final day of this short lunar month) free for the Year-End Reunion. For working households, Sunday, January 31, 2027 (24th of the 12th Month, Canh Tuat Day, Receive Officer Thu) during Thin (07:00 to 09:00), Ti (09:00 to 11:00) or Than (15:00 to 17:00), or Thursday, February 4, 2027 (28th, Giap Dan Day, Remove Officer Tru) during Thin (07:00 to 09:00) or Ti (09:00 to 11:00), is especially convenient and auspicious.
Who in the family should trim the incense stems and wipe the altar?
Either the head of household or whichever adult family member most regularly tends the altar with care and devotion, male or female, may perform Bao Sai. What matters is bathing beforehand, wearing neat modest clothing, moving gently without haste, and holding sincere respect.
How many incense stems should remain in each bowl after trimming?
Classical tradition retains an odd Yang number of the straightest, cleanest stems at the center: typically 5 or 9 stems in the central Tutelary Deity bowl, and 3, 5 or 7 stems in the Clan Ancestors bowl (viewer's right) and Lineage Maiden Aunt bowl (viewer's left). For compact wall-mounted apartment altars with a single bowl, keeping 3 or 5 stems looks clean, balanced and safe.
What can overseas families use if dried Vietnamese five-herb packets are hard to find?
You can easily prepare an authentic, fragrant purification water from whole spices found in any kitchen: simmer one cinnamon stick, three star anise pods, five whole cloves and fresh orange or pomelo peel in clean water, or steep freshly crushed ginger root in clear rice wine or vodka diluted with warm water.
How do we clean gilded wooden tablets and glass-framed ancestral portraits safely?
Never spray chemical glass cleaner directly onto the altar or scrub gilded lacquerwork with soaking-wet hot towels, which can lift gold leaf or seep behind photographs. First whisk away dry dust with a soft brush; next wring out a soft cotton cloth dipped in warm diluted herbal water until barely damp, wipe gently, and buff dry right away with a second clean dry cloth.
Can we cleanse the floor-level God of Wealth shrine on the same day?
Yes, cleansing all household shrines on the same auspicious day is widely practiced. Simply follow top-down order and keep basins separate: finish the upper Buddhist, Deity and Ancestral altars first, then prepare a fresh bowl of warm ginger wine or herbal water and use dedicated cloths reserved solely for the God of Wealth and Earth Deity statues.
Compiled, textually collated and diagrammed by Master Ưng Khiêm and UK MASTER ACADEMY. Last updated: 26 October 2026. Sources: Textually collated from Van Khan Co Truyen Viet Nam (Culture and Information Publishing House), Tho Mai Gia Le (Ho Si Tan), Viet Nam Phong Tuc (Phan Ke Binh, 1915), and household liturgical guidelines compiled by UK MASTER ACADEMY.
