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The problem of throwing old worship items into rivers and lakes

TH (according to VnExpress) January 25, 2025 18:26

Thu Huong and her husband had to wait until midnight to go to West Lake to release 5 incense bowls and a set of used worshiping items.

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A resident throws an old incense bowl into West Lake, January 2025

The house is near the Nhue River, but the 45-year-old woman in Bac Tu Liem, Hanoi, did not release the fish there because she thought that "the river water was so black that it would pollute the worship items". "The master told me that even if the items are old, we must choose a place with clear water and a strong flow to wash away the dust of the world, so that the homeowner can have a smooth life", Thu Huong said.

The first time, the couple tried to release it but were stopped by the people around. The next time, they went in the middle of the night. Seeing the plastic bag containing 5 incense bowls, chopsticks, betel tray, and old teapot sinking into the water, Thu Huong breathed a sigh of relief. For her, anything spiritual must be absolutely intact.

Mr. Hoang The Hung, Director of Drainage Enterprise No. 1, Hanoi Drainage One Member Co., Ltd., said that people's lives are improving day by day, and the situation of people throwing worship objects into rivers and lakes is increasing rapidly. This action is harmful to the capital's environment, burdening the drainage system and increasing the workload of workers.

"The workers had not yet cleared this place, but people had already thrown it somewhere else. Not only were there incense bowls and worship items, but there were also beds, wardrobes, and personal belongings of the deceased," said Mr. Hung.

At the end of 2024, there was little rain and the water level was low, causing many incense bowls, altars, and offerings to float along the banks of the Red River, To Lich River, and West Lake, causing unsightliness. These items were thrown into the river, and over time, they collided, broke, and drifted to the shore, creating dangerous "spikes" that could easily cause injury if someone bumped into them.

"Since November 2024, we have collected thousands of sacks containing bronze and porcelain incense bowls and many other worship items floating in West Lake and To Lich River," said the director of Drainage Enterprise No. 1. After being salvaged, these items will be transported to Nam Son landfill in Soc Son district for treatment.

Explaining the reason why people throw old worship items into rivers and lakes, cultural expert Nguyen Hung Vi, former lecturer at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, said that it originated from the custom of cleaning the altar before Tet, which means cleaning the place of worship so that ancestors have a clean and pure "new place to live".

Accordingly, the things that need to be replaced at the end of the year are mainly incense bowls, incense burners, and oil lamps that have deteriorated. Previously, according to the old village convention, people were forbidden from throwing hard objects into fields, ponds, and wells. Banyan trees and temple gardens were also not allowed because that was the place of the lime pot god (considered the guardian of wealth, when not in use, people often hung them at the banyan tree or next to temples and pagodas).

"With no place to throw them, many people throw them in the river, a place they think is not reserved for anyone," Mr. Vi explained. "From that convenience, people come up with the fallacy that it is to keep the souls of their ancestors cool."

Folklore researcher Pham Dinh Hai of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations also said that according to ancient customs, when replacing an altar, wooden objects are often burned along with incense sticks and ashes and then dumped in a corner of the garden or bamboo grove at the end of the village - remote places, far from the house. If incense bowls, teapots, bowls and plates are broken, they are also thrown away. If there is a need to replace them, the new items are washed clean and stored for use when needed or for others, because worship objects and ceramics are all precious items.

Mr. Hai believes that ancestor worship is a precious thing that needs to be preserved and promoted, but it must be civilized and scientific. Throwing worship objects into rivers and lakes is a habit that negatively affects many aspects of society, pollutes the living environment, and causes waste while some objects still have value.

"In the long run, it will distort the cultural beauty and humanistic spirit in the traditional customs and practices of the nation," said Mr. Hai.

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Sign prohibiting dumping offerings into Dinh Phu Gia wharf, Phu Thuong ward, Tay Ho district, Hanoi

Tu Anh in Duc Tu, Dong Anh, Hanoi intended to chop up the old altar and throw it in the trash, but her mother-in-law objected. She considered her daughter-in-law's actions unfilial and blasphemous to her ancestors, and requested that it be thrown into the river.

"The old altar is like an old house. Throwing hundreds of thousands of dirty, foul-smelling things into the trash can will bring reprimand from the ancestors," the 84-year-old mother-in-law explained.

However, expert Pham Dinh Hai said that what Tu Anh's mother-in-law said was unfounded, because it was natural to throw away old, broken things. In the past, our ancestors often burned old worship items to "return them to the earth" or buried them under bamboo bushes or in the corner of the garden to avoid debris that could cause accidents to humans and animals. But today's generation is doing the opposite, affecting the environment.

Sharing the same view, Director of Drainage Enterprise No. 1 Hoang The Hung said that throwing worship objects into the river is thought to be clean and pure, but in the end, they are still collected and taken to the landfill. Therefore, people need to raise awareness to protect rivers and lakes, avoid causing pollution or obstructing the flow of water.

"Everyone must know how to preserve a green, clean, and beautiful environment for themselves and future generations to enjoy," said the director.

Although her mother-in-law asked her to let the old altar float down the river, Tu Anh still chopped it up and took it to a waste collection site. Previously, the 33-year-old woman had witnessed a volunteer team cleaning up trash along the Red River carrying all the salvaged worship items onto a garbage truck.

"Trash will always be trash, so don't cause trouble for others," Tu Anh said. She also said that old ceramic worship items will be cleaned and stored in a cupboard, and only used when needed.

TH (according to VnExpress)
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The problem of throwing old worship items into rivers and lakes