In addition to carp, many residents in Ho Chi Minh City released birds, eels and frogs today at pagodas, lakes, rivers and canals to mark Kitchen Gods Day.
At Dieu Phap Pagoda, Ms. Tran Thi Suong from Binh Loi Trung Ward bought 20 birds for 200,000 VND to release, praying for peace and happiness for her family. She chose the pagoda area so she could both offer incense and perform the release nearby.Before the animals were released, monks at Dieu Phap Pagoda conducted chanting rituals for them.Ms. Le Thi Ngoc Van from Hoa Hung Ward said she has maintained the practice of animal release for seven years.Previously, she scattered her late husband’s ashes at this site. This year, she came to remember him and revisit shared memories.Alongside birds, many people also released yellow eels. According to folk beliefs, releasing eels represents compassion and saving sentient beings from confinement, bringing merit such as health, good luck and the reduction of negative karma.This year, in addition to carp, many Ho Chi Minh City residents chose to release frogs during the Kitchen Gods ritual, believing the animals adapt easily to natural environments. Frog prices ranged from 50,000 to 110,000 VND per kilogram.Ms. Nguyen Ngoc Yen from Binh Loi Ward said she has released carp on the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month for more than 20 years. She usually buys the fish in advance and waits until the ritual is completed early in the day before releasing them.According to traditional belief, carp are prepared in odd numbers such as one, three or five to send the Kitchen Gods back to heaven. Folk belief also holds that carp transform into dragons after being released, becoming the vehicle that carries the Kitchen Gods to the Heavenly Court. Concerned that the fish might be caught again after release, some residents hired boats for around 50,000 VND to take the carp to the middle of the river.Ms. Lan from Gia Dinh Ward regularly releases fish on full-moon days.This Kitchen Gods Day, she released two carp, praying for a fortunate Tet and a peaceful new year for her family.Nearby, many residents gathered beneath An Phu Dong Bridge to release carp into the Vam Thuat River as part of the ritual sending the Kitchen Gods to heaven.
Vietnamnet.vn
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