Crowds of people offering sacrifices and pouring oil to pay respect to the Jade Emperor on the first day of the year

TPO - Many people crowded into the main hall of Ngoc Hoang Pagoda, District 1 to make offerings and pour oil on the first day of the new year.

January 29, 2025 | 15:53

TPO - Many people crowded into the main hall of Ngoc Hoang Pagoda, District 1 to make offerings and pour oil on the first day of the new year.

Phuoc Hai Pagoda, also known as the ancient Jade Emperor Pagoda, is located on Mai Thi Luu Street, Da Kao Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. This place has been recognized by the state as a national architectural and artistic heritage.

On the morning of the first day of Tet, the temple yard and the entrance to the main hall were packed with people coming to pay their respects to the Jade Emperor. The temple had to assign people to direct pilgrims in the aisles to avoid congestion.

Pouring oil is the most important ritual when the Jade Emperor is dead.

Bottles of cooking oil are poured into the altar lamps in front of the Jade Emperor's shrine and there is always someone standing there to pour it into the offering lamps.

The oil is pre-filled in plastic bottles. Pilgrims can buy a bottle of oil and then pour it into the oil lamps in front of the shrine, along with prayers for health, smooth work, and prosperity.

Everyone tries to ask for blessings including fruits, rice... to bring home after visiting the pagoda. "I asked for a tangerine from the Jade Emperor's shrine, I will bring it home and give each person a segment for good luck at the beginning of the year," said Mr. Huu Viet (living in Binh Thanh).

Other shrines were also packed with people. Temple security forces repeatedly used loudspeakers to encourage people not to burn incense to avoid smoke inhalation.

Not only a place to pray for love or children, Ngoc Hoang Pagoda is a destination chosen by many people when they want to pray for peace, fortune or health in life.

After worshiping all the shrines, people ask for numbers, amulets, and pray to the stars to ward off bad luck... with the belief that they will receive protection and blessings from the gods.

The pond in the middle of the yard is also crowded with people sightseeing, worshiping statues, and watching schools of fish.

Many children are tired when they go to the temple with their parents on the first day of the year.

Souvenir stalls are also crowded with tourists.

According to locals, from now until the third day of Tet, Ngoc Hoang Pagoda will welcome a lot of visitors.

Going to the pagoda at the beginning of the new year has become a beautiful traditional culture of Vietnamese people for generations.

Many foreign tourists also come to the temple to worship.

The number of people coming to offer incense grew larger as the afternoon progressed, causing the walkways from the yard to inside the temples to be packed with people.

Security guards on duty at four corners reminded pilgrims to be orderly, line up, not go the wrong way and not worship for too long.

To ensure security and order in the area in front of the temple gate, security units were present to arrange parking and traffic flow to ensure the movement of people passing through this area.

Duy Anh

Source: https://tienphong.vn/chen-nhau-dang-le-rot-dau-via-ngoc-hoang-ngay-dau-nam-post1713194.tpo