The practice of ancestor worship is relatively straightforward. Nearly every house, office, and business in Viet Nam has a small altar which is used to commune with ancestors. Incense sticks are burned frequently. Offerings are made fruit, sweets, and gifts. The latter items are paper replicas of dollar notes (ghost money), motorbikes, cars, houses and so on. After worship, the paper gifts are burnt so that the spirits of the gifts can ascend to heaven for the ancestors to use. In the past, the income from a plot of land was used to maintain the altar and arrange the rituals, but this tradition has now faded away. However, the custom that the eldest son will arrange the ceremonial and inherit the family house upon the death of his parents is still generally observed. Another traditional element is the placing of wooden tablets on the altar for each of the ancestors over recent generations. This is less rigorously observed today, and tablets are often replaced by photographs. Some pagodas house commemorative tablets for ancestors on behalf of regular worshippers.
1. how vietnamese people commune with their ancestors nowadays ?
They commune with their ancestors through a small altar
2. what are two items frequently burned ?
Incense sticks and paper gifts
3. are offerings often fruit,sweets and gifs ?
Yes, they are
4. why do people burn votive papers ?
Because the spirits of the gifts can ascend to heaven for the ancestors to use
5. will the oldest son arrange the ceremonial and inherit the family house upon the death of his parents?
Yes, he will
