One of Vietnam’s most ancient and enduring traditions is ancestor worship, deeply rooted in the values of filial piety and the interconnectedness of past, present, and future generations. Regardless of their primary religion or beliefs, nearly every Vietnamese household—whether Buddhist, Catholic, or even Communist—maintains an ancestral altar. This practice stems from the belief that ancestors continue to exist in another realm, where they can offer guidance and bring blessings to their descendants. In return, the living must show respect, perform rituals, and care for their ancestors’ spiritual needs.

At funerals and on significant anniversaries, families make votive offerings, which often include symbolic items like paper money, luxury goods, and even representations of modern objects such as cars or electronics. These offerings are burned as a way to provide for the ancestors in the afterlife. Food offerings, often the finest portions of a meal, are placed on the altar regularly. Traditionally, these rituals were supported by income from a specific plot of land. Responsibility for these ceremonies typically falls to the eldest family member, usually a man, who also keeps the ancestors informed about major family events. Neglecting these duties is believed to risk angering the ancestors, who may bring misfortune in return.

The ancestral altar is a central and sacred part of the home, often displaying wooden tablets for ancestors going back up to five generations. After a hundred days following a funeral, the deceased’s spirit is believed to reside permanently in their tablet. Those who pass away without children to maintain these rituals are thought to wander aimlessly in search of a home. To avoid this fate, some childless individuals make arrangements with temples or pagodas to carry out the necessary ceremonies, while others might find their spirits honored at roadside shrines or small field shrines (known as cuong).

Key times for ancestor worship include Tet, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, and Thanh Minh (the “Festival of Pure Brightness”), which occurs on the fifth day of the third lunar month. These occasions are marked by special ceremonies and acts of remembrance, reinforcing the connection between generations and ensuring the continuity of this deeply ingrained cultural tradition.

Ancestor worship remains a cornerstone of Vietnamese identity, blending spirituality, family bonds, and cultural heritage into one of the country’s most revered practices.