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Winter Solstice (Tiet Dong Chi) Prayer: Household Ancestral Rite and Clan Hall Liturgy on the Day of Returning Yang

Winter Solstice Rebirth of the First Yang · I Ching Hexagram 24 (Fu) & Clan Winter Sacrifice · 3D Altar & A4 Scroll

Three complete liturgical scrolls for the Winter Solstice solar term in the Eleventh Lunar Month: the traditional household scroll welcoming the rebirth of Yang Qi, the Clan Ancestral Hall Winter Sacrifice (Te Dong) scroll, and a concise warm family edition, complete with 2026-2027 astronomical timing.

Occasion
Winter Solstice Solar Term (Dec 21 or 22)
Winter Solstice 2026: Tue, Dec 22, 2026 (14th of 11th Lunar Month)
Auspicious timing
Mao (05-07), Wu (11-13), Shen (15-17)
Best performed in the morning or at midday (Wu Hour) to welcome rising Yang
Altar setting
Household Ancestral Altar or Clan Ancestral Hall (Tu Duong)
Offer steaming glutinous rice balls in ginger syrup, red sticky rice & hot tea
Variants & A4 scroll
3 variants · A4 Scroll
Household Ancestral Rite, Clan Hall Winter Rite (Te Dong) & Concise Edition

IPersonalize Your Scroll, Select Ritual Date and Read Prayer

All 55 Rites ›

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)

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Enter solar birth year to auto-calculate Sexagenary stem-branch and lunar age

3. Choose Prayer Variant, Enter Altar Mode or Print A4 Scroll

Recited at the family altar on the day of the Winter Solstice: honoring the cosmic turning point where the First Yang Qi is reborn beneath the earth (I Ching Hexagram 24, Fu / Return), and offering warm glutinous rice balls in ginger syrup, crimson sticky rice and a steaming reunion meal.

HALL OF MYRIAD PATHS · TRADITIONAL RITUAL SCROLL

Winter Solstice (Tiet Dong Chi) Prayer: Household Ancestral Rite and Clan Hall Liturgy on the Day of Returning Yang

1. Traditional Household Deities & Ancestors Scroll for the Winter Solstice (Tiet Dong Chi)

Namo Amitabha Buddha! (Three recitations, accompanied by three reverent bows)

Humbly bowing before the Nine Directions of Heaven, the Ten Directions of all Buddhas, and all Buddhas throughout the Ten Directions. Humbly bowing before Sovereign Heaven, Empress Earth and all Venerable Deities.

Humbly bowing before the Reigning Year Commissioner and Grand Duke Jupiter Spirit governing the ………… Year, and the Local Tutelary Guardian Deities of this district.

Humbly bowing before the Kitchen Deity of the Eastern Hearth, the Local Earth Deity of Righteous Blessing, the Deities of the Five Directions, Five Lands and Dragon Veins, and all Guardian Spirits watching over this residence.

Humbly bowing before our High Ancestors, Paternal and Maternal Grandparents, Uncles, Aunts, Brothers, Sisters and all departed spirits of the ………… lineages.

Today is ……………………, marking the Winter Solstice solar term of the ………… Year, the auspicious turning point when the First Yang Qi returns.

………… ………………………………, residing at: ………….

Contemplating the cyclic harmony of Heaven and Earth, when Yin reaches its deepest winter stillness, the First Yang is reborn. On this shortest day and longest night of the Eleventh Lunar Month, a warm current of generative Yang Qi quietly awakens beneath the soil, heralding the coming renewal of spring for all living things.

Remembering with gratitude the sheltering grace of the Venerable Deities and the boundless love of our Forebears, ………… have wiped the altar with warm water, kindled bright lamps, and prepared fragrant incense, fresh blossoms, five seasonal fruits, crimson sticky rice, steaming glutinous rice balls in ginger syrup and a nourishing winter meal.

We respectfully invite the Venerable Deities and the departed Ancestors of ………… to descend before this warm hearth, witness our filial devotion, and partake of these offerings.

May our Ancestors and Household Deities infuse our family ………… with rising Yang vitality: keeping our elders warm, supple and healthy through the winter cold, our adults clear-minded and resilient in their work, and our children joyful and strong. May all shadows and weariness of the departing year recede with the winter night, opening a bright path toward the approaching New Year.

With modest offerings and sincere hearts, ………… bow before the altar and pray for your steadfast protection!

Namo Amitabha Buddha! (Three recitations, accompanied by three reverent bows)

IICeremonial Offerings and Preparation Checklist

Offerings for the Winter Solstice Ceremony (Tiet Dong Chi) follow the classical metaphysics of nourishing newborn Yang Qi and dispelling winter cold. Because the Winter Solstice marks the deepest Yin cold alongside the birth of the First Yang, the altar features round, warming, vermilion-and-gold foods infused with fresh ginger: glutinous rice balls in hot ginger syrup (che troi nuoc), crimson gac sticky rice, hot ginger or lotus tea, and a steaming family meal.

Prepared 0 of 11 items

Group 1: Ginger Glutinous Rice Balls, Crimson Sticky Rice & Traditional Cakes

Group 2: Warming Sandalwood Incense, Red Lamps, Golden Blossoms & Five Fruits

Group 3: Steaming Tea, Betel-Areca & Nourishing Winter Reunion Meal

Offering Photograph Credits (Wikimedia Commons · Open Licenses): 1. Round glutinous rice balls in hot molasses and fresh ginger syrup: Conbo (Public domain · Source) · 2. Plate of crimson gac sticky rice or lotus-seed sticky rice: Phuong Huy (Public domain · Source) · 3. Square green sticky-rice cake (Banh Chung) or round rice cake: Viethavvh (Public domain · Source) · 4. Warm lotus-seed and longan sweet soup or red-bean sweet soup: Phuong Huy (CC0 · Source) · 5. Natural sandalwood or cinnamon-bark herbal incense: Trantuanviet (CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source) · 6. Pair of red altar candles or warm lamps: Aliva Sahoo (CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source) · 7. Vase of fresh yellow chrysanthemums or red gladiolus: Phuong Huy (CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source) · 8. Winter Five-Fruit Platter: Rachel41Ng (CC0 · Source) · 9. Freshly brewed hot tea (or ginger-lotus tea) and warm rice wine: Phuong Huy (Public domain · Source) · 10. Fresh betel leaves and green areca nuts: Phuong Huy (CC0 · Source) · 11. Steaming family meal: Phuong Huy (Public domain · Source)

IIIInteractive 3D Altar, Layout Diagram and Ritual Protocol

Drag to rotate 360° · Click numbered pins 1 to 7 or cards below to inspect each offering
Rendering crimson-and-gold 3D ritual altar…
On the Winter Solstice (the day with the shortest sunlight and longest night of the year), the guiding principle of altar arrangement is Preserving Warmth and Yang Light: kindle both altar lamps early, wipe the altar with warm water, place golden or red blossoms on the right (East Vase), citrus fruits on the left (West Fruit), and steaming bowls of ginger glutinous rice balls directly before the incense bowl.
1
Ancestral Shrine, Spirit Tablet (Cuu Huyen That To) & PortraitsKept sheltered from cold drafts and wiped gently with warm herbal water before the rite.
2
Pair of Lit Altar Lamps or Red CandlesKept glowing throughout the Winter Solstice to support the rebirth of the First Yang.
3
Three Incense Bowls for Deities, Ancestors & Clan AuntLight 3 or 5 sticks of warming sandalwood or cinnamon incense.
4
Golden Chrysanthemum or Red Blossom Vase (East Vase, Officiant Right)Positioned on the right side from the officiant's view, radiating vital warmth.
5
Winter Citrus & Five-Fruit Platter (West Fruit, Officiant Left)Positioned on the left side from the officiant's view in balanced harmony.
6
Steaming Tea Cups, Warm Rice Wine & Betel-Areca DishSet neatly before the central incense bowl; pour hot tea immediately before lighting incense.
7
Steaming Bowls of Ginger Glutinous Rice Balls, Crimson Sticky Rice & Hot MealArranged on the front offering table and shared by the family while still warm.

Real-world reference photographs of traditional altars and offering trays

Open-license documentary photographs via Wikimedia Commons (click any photo for source file)
Red gac sticky rice, lotus-seed mung-bean sweet soup and banh chung. Auspicious sweet offering tray with crimson gac sticky rice, whipped mung-bean sweet soup topped with lotus seeds, a pair of green banh chung cakes, oil lamp and yellow chrysanthemums.
Red gac sticky rice, lotus-seed mung-bean sweet soup and banh chung. Auspicious sweet offering tray with crimson gac sticky rice, whipped mung-bean sweet soup topped with lotus seeds, a pair of green banh chung cakes, oil lamp and yellow chrysanthemums.
Photograph: Phuong Huy · License: CC0 · Source: Wikimedia Commons
Traditional Vietnamese household altar with bronze trio. Balanced Vietnamese domestic altar displaying a bronze incense urn and candlesticks at the rear, a blue-and-white ceramic incense bowl centered on a wooden stand, red gladiolus vases and fresh fruit.
Traditional Vietnamese household altar with bronze trio. Balanced Vietnamese domestic altar displaying a bronze incense urn and candlesticks at the rear, a blue-and-white ceramic incense bowl centered on a wooden stand, red gladiolus vases and fresh fruit.
Photograph: Phuong Huy · License: Public domain · Source: Wikimedia Commons

Step-by-step ceremonial sequence before the altar

Whether observed at the home altar or at a Clan Ancestral Hall, the Winter Solstice Rite emphasizes warmth, family solidarity and the quiet preservation of vital energy.

  1. Step 1
    Note the exact solar date of the Winter Solstice (December 21 or 22)

    Because the Winter Solstice is an astronomical solar term (when the Sun reaches 270 degrees ecliptic longitude), it always falls on December 21 or 22 on the solar calendar (in both 2026 and 2027, it falls on December 22).

  2. Step 2
    Kindle the altar lamps early and prepare hot ginger rice balls and crimson sticky rice

    On Winter Solstice morning, turn on the altar lamps to warm the room. Simmer round glutinous rice balls in molasses and crushed fresh ginger, and steam crimson gac sticky rice or a nourishing winter soup.

  3. Step 3
    Arrange the offerings in East-Vase West-Fruit order while steaming hot

    Place the flower vase on the right, winter fruit tray on the left, pour 3 or 5 cups of hot tea, and set the steaming bowls of ginger rice balls and sticky rice in front of the incense vessel.

  4. Step 4
    Light 3 or 5 incense sticks during a daytime Auspicious Hour and recite the Scroll

    During a morning or midday Auspicious Hour (ideally the Mao morning hour or the Wu midday hour when solar Yang peaks), light the incense, bow three times, and read Variant 1 (home), Variant 2 (Clan Hall) or Variant 3.

  5. Step 5
    Pour a second round of hot tea and reflect on the rebirth of light

    When the incense has burned halfway, replenish the hot tea and stand in quiet mindfulness, releasing old worries and welcoming the steady return of longer days.

  6. Step 6
    Bow in thanksgiving, burn the scroll and serve warm rice balls to Elders first

    Once the incense finishes burning, bow three times, burn the A4 petition scroll safely, and present the warmest bowls of ginger glutinous rice balls to grandparents and parents first with wishes for longevity.

  7. Step 7
    Share the warm winter reunion meal and rest early to conserve newborn Yang Qi

    Gather the family for the hot meal. Following classical winter longevity lore, avoid staying out late in cold night winds on the Winter Solstice, soak feet in warm ginger water, and rest early to nurture the body's vital spark.

IVI Ching Philosophy of the Winter Solstice: Rebirth of the First Yang and Hexagram 24 (Fu / Return)

Within the East Asian system of the Twenty-Four Solar Terms (Nhi Thap Tu Tiet Khi), the Winter Solstice (Tiet Dong Chi) is not merely a midwinter weather marker: it is the very origin point of the astronomical calendar. Astronomically, when the Sun reaches 270 degrees ecliptic longitude around December 21 or 22, the Northern Hemisphere experiences its shortest day and longest night of the entire year.

Through the lens of the I Ching (Book of Changes) and the Twelve Sovereign Hexagrams of the months, classical sages looked past the surface cold of midwinter to perceive a profound cosmic law: When Yin reaches its extreme, Yang is reborn (Dong Chi Nhat Duong Sinh). Whereas the Tenth Lunar Month corresponds to Hexagram 2 (Kun / The Receptive, six pure Yin lines), the arrival of the Winter Solstice in the Eleventh Lunar Month awakens a single unbroken Yang line at the very bottom beneath five Yin lines, forming Hexagram 24: Earth Thunder Return (Dia Loi Phuc).

According to the tradition

The name Phuc (Fu / Return) signifies the return of light, vitality and hope. From the day after the Winter Solstice onward, daylight lengthens minute by minute and subterranean warmth rises to nourish roots for spring. For human life and household resilience, the Winter Solstice teaches that even in the coldest, most challenging season, as long as a family guards its inner integrity and kindness, renewal has already begun beneath the surface.

According to the historical record

As the Commentary on the Decision (Thoan Truyen) for Hexagram 24 states: In Return (Fu), do we not behold the very heart of Heaven and Earth? The heart of Heaven and Earth is ceaseless life-giving renewal, which Vietnamese families honor by lighting lamps and offering warm tributes to their Ancestors on the Winter Solstice.

VWhy Classical Tradition Calls the Winter Solstice 'As Great as New Year' and Clan Hall Winter Rites (Te Dong)

Classical manuals preserve the proverb Winter Solstice is as great as the New Year (Dong Chi dai nhu nien), reflecting both ancient calendar history and Vietnamese lineage ritual.

Ancient Zhou Calendar Roots: The Zi Month as the Astronomical New Year

In antiquity during the Zhou dynasty, the calendar began with the Eleventh Lunar Month (the Zi Rat Month containing the Winter Solstice) because the rebirth of the First Yang marked the true astronomical start of the solar cycle.

The Clan Ancestral Hall Winter Sacrifice (Le Te Dong) in Vietnam

Across Northern and Central Vietnam, ancestral lineages observe the Four-Season Sacrifices or the paired Spring and Winter Rites. On the Winter Solstice, clan branches gather at the Lineage Hall (Tu Duong) to recite Variant 2, honor the Founding Ancestor, award scholarships to youth and congratulate elders.

Household Thanksgiving Six Weeks Before Tet Nguyen Dan

Falling roughly six weeks before Lunar New Year, the Winter Solstice serves as a calm, intimate family milestone to thank Household Deities and Ancestors for guiding the home safely through the year before the busy Twelfth Month begins.

Filial Care for Living Parents During Deep Winter

Vietnamese sons and daughters traditionally visit parents and grandparents on the Winter Solstice bearing warm clothing, herbal tea, honey or ginseng alongside steaming sweet soup.

VISymbolism of Steaming Glutinous Rice Balls in Ginger Syrup and Winter Yang-Nourishing Foods

Why do families across East Asia and Vietnam prepare steaming bowls of glutinous rice balls in fresh ginger syrup (Che Troi Nuoc / Banh Troi Tau) specifically for the Winter Solstice altar?

According to the tradition

In both ritual symbolism and Traditional Eastern Medicine, a bowl of ginger glutinous rice balls unites three restorative qualities: First, the round white and pink rice spheres symbolize the returning solar orb and unbroken family unity. Second, glutinous rice is warm and sweet in nature, strengthening Spleen and Stomach Qi, while mung-bean or black-sesame fillings nourish Kidney essence. Third, the golden syrup simmered with crushed aged ginger (Zingiber officinale) imparts pure warming Yang energy that dispels winter cold, stimulates circulation and protects internal warmth on the year's longest night.

According to the historical record

Alongside ginger rice balls and crimson gac sticky rice, the Winter Solstice ancestral meal traditionally features warming, slow-braised dishes such as chicken stewed with lotus seeds and red dates, lotus-root rib soup, braised fish with ginger and turmeric, or vegetarian mushroom and goji-berry broth.

VIIExact Astronomical Timing and Auspicious Hours for the Winter Solstice in 2026 and 2027

Because the Winter Solstice is defined by solar longitude (270 degrees), its solar date remains fixed on December 21 or 22, while its lunar date shifts each year. Below is the exact schedule for Vietnam Standard Time (UTC+7) in 2026 and 2027.

Astronomical Winter Solstice transition times and Auspicious Hours for 2026 and 2027 (UTC+7).
Winter Solstice YearSolar Date & Exact TransitionLunar Date & Day Stem-BranchBest Auspicious Hours for Offering Incense
Winter Solstice 2026 (Binh Ngo Year)Tuesday, Dec 22, 2026 (Solstice at 03:50 AM)14th of 11th Lunar Month · Canh Ngo Day (Roadside Earth) · Golden-Star Day.Mao (05:00-07:00), Wu (11:00-13:00), Shen (15:00-17:00), You (17:00-19:00).
11th Full Moon 2026 (One day after Winter Solstice)Wednesday, Dec 23, 202615th of 11th Lunar Month · Tan Mui Day (Roadside Earth) · Mid-Winter Full Moon.Yin (03:00-05:00), Mao (05:00-07:00), Si (09:00-11:00), Shen (15:00-17:00).
Winter Solstice 2027 (Dinh Mui Year)Wednesday, Dec 22, 2027 (Solstice at 09:42 AM)25th of 11th Lunar Month · At Hoi Day (Mountain-Top Fire) · Close Officer (Be).Chou (01:00-03:00), Chen (07:00-09:00), Wu (11:00-13:00), Wei (13:00-15:00).

VIIIFive Classical Guidelines for Preserving Newborn Yang Qi and Keeping the Altar Warm

A common misunderstanding

Five essential guidelines for observing the Winter Solstice with wisdom and care:

First, follow the I Ching counsel of Hexagram 24 (Fu): nurture quiet stillness to protect the newborn Yang spark. In the Great Image Commentary on Hexagram Fu, the ancient kings closed the mountain passes on the Winter Solstice so travelers rested quietly. Avoid overexertion, late-night exposure to freezing wind, or heated arguments on this day.

Second, keep the household altar warm, draft-free and brightly lit. On the longest night of the year, keep the pair of warm altar lamps glowing, close windows that blow cold air directly onto the incense bowl, and use warm water when wiping altar surfaces.

Third, present offerings while steaming warm rather than cold. Glutinous rice balls in ginger syrup, sticky rice, soup and tea offered on the Winter Solstice should be freshly prepared and warm to cultivate rising Yang energy.

Fourth, in 2026 you may seamlessly combine the Winter Solstice Rite and the Eleventh Full Moon Rite on Tuesday, December 22, 2026. Because December 22, 2026 falls on the 14th day of the Eleventh Lunar Month, performing the ceremony on that day honors both the Winter Solstice and the mid-month Full Moon together.

Fifth, pay special attention to cardiovascular warmth for elderly parents. Deep midwinter temperature drops around the Solstice require keeping elders' feet, neck and chest warm, offering warm ginger water in the morning, and avoiding sudden exposure to early-morning cold.

?Quick Questions

When does the Winter Solstice (Tiet Dong Chi) fall in 2026, and what is the best hour to perform the prayer?

In 2026, the Winter Solstice falls on Tuesday, December 22, 2026, which corresponds to the 14th day of the Eleventh Lunar Month in the Binh Ngo Year (a Canh Ngo Day blessed by the Life-Guardian Golden Star). The exact astronomical solstice occurs at 03:50 AM (UTC+7). The best Auspicious Hours to offer incense are Mao (05:00-07:00), Wu (11:00-13:00, when midday Yang peaks), or Shen (15:00-17:00).

What is the deeper meaning of the classical phrase 'At the Winter Solstice, the First Yang Is Born' (Dong Chi Nhat Duong Sinh)?

On the Winter Solstice, the Northern Hemisphere tilts farthest from the Sun, creating the shortest day and longest night (peak Yin). Yet from that exact turning point, the Sun begins its northward return, daylight grows longer each day, and the first warm current of generative Yang Qi stirs beneath the earth (represented by the single solid Yang line at the bottom of I Ching Hexagram 24, Fu / Return). The Winter Solstice is therefore celebrated as the festival of returning light and resilience.

Since the 2026 Winter Solstice falls on the 14th of the 11th Lunar Month, can we combine it with the Full Moon offering?

Yes, combining them is completely natural and auspicious. Vietnamese households customarily perform Full Moon offerings on either the 14th or 15th lunar day. Because Tuesday, December 22, 2026 is the 14th day of the Eleventh Lunar Month, offering warm ginger glutinous rice balls, crimson sticky rice and fresh fruit with Variant 1 (or Variant 3) fulfills both the Winter Solstice Rite and the Eleventh Full Moon observance.

Why do many Vietnamese lineages hold their annual Clan Ancestral Sacrifice (Le Te Dong) on the Winter Solstice?

Following the classical canon of Four-Season Ancestral Rites (Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter), the Winter Sacrifice (Te Dong) on the Winter Solstice gathers all clan branches at the Lineage Hall (Tu Duong) before the busy Twelfth Month begins: thanking the Founding Ancestor for a year of protection, honoring newlyweds and scholars, and strengthening kinship bonds.

If we do not have time to make glutinous rice balls, what offerings are appropriate for the Winter Solstice?

If you cannot prepare homemade glutinous rice balls, you may offer crimson gac sticky rice, banh chung, lotus-seed sweet soup, a platter of five warm-toned winter fruits (oranges, tangerines, pomelo), fresh flowers, and three cups of steaming ginger or lotus tea. Warmth and sincere filial remembrance are what matter most.

Why does traditional wellness lore advise resting early and keeping the feet warm on the Winter Solstice?

According to the Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine and I Ching Hexagram 24, the newborn Yang Qi at the Winter Solstice is delicate like a newly kindled flame. Soaking the feet in warm ginger water (warming the Kidney meridian's Yongquan point), eating warm foods, maintaining calm emotions and sleeping early conserves this vital spark, building strong immunity for the coming year.

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Compiled, textually collated and diagrammed by Master Ưng Khiêm and UK MASTER ACADEMY. Last updated: 30 October 2026. Sources: Collated from Classical Vietnamese Liturgical Manuals, the I Ching (Commentaries on Hexagram 24, Fu / Return), Tho Mai Gia Le (Four-Season Ancestral Sacrifice canons), Viet Nam Phong Tuc, and UK Master Academy household liturgy standards.