In Vietnam, 23th, annual December of lunar year is a special day for every Vietnamese family. Once upon a time, there was a woman named Thi Nhi and her husband is Trong Cao. In a day, Thi Nhi left her home due to argument with Trong Cao. She lost the way home then she met Pham Lang who was her benefactor and husband later. For Trong Cao, when he realized his fault, he was spending on all his property to find Thi Nhi. However, God didn’t seem to want them stay together, he couldn’t find his wife while he was running out of money. For living, he had to be a beggar. It’s a beautiful day when he came to a village for begging food; he encountered Thi Nhi in her house. They revealed all things which were cause leading the misunderstanding between them. At that moment, Pham Lang came home. Because of fear, Thi Nhi hid Trong Cao into a haystack in a garden. But Pham Lang didn’t know there was a person into the haystack, he burned it for taking ashes to enrich his rice-field. Trong Cao was there, so he was died by burning. Thi Nhi saw her old husband died, due to too hurt, she also jumped into the fire burning out. And, Pham Lang wanted to rescue his wife, thus, he ran into the fire as well. All happened on 23/12 of lunar year. Their affection for each other touched the heart of God, thus he decided to promote them to be “Táo Quân” who look after the kitchen of every Vietnamese family. And annually on 23/12 of lunar year, they stand for every Vietnamese family to present the reality of works in whole year with God and their ancestors. Thus, 23/12 of lunar year is called day of “Ông Công Ông Táo”.
In Vietnamese traditional culture, the kitchen considers to be the warmest place for all to gathers together, and “Táo Quân” seems to be an icon its. Thus, to express the family’s thankfulness to divinities “Táo Quân” who always remain good living behaviors in the family, the family will worship “Táo Quân” with joss papers, fruits, foods and three gold carp fishes. Normally, a person who is the oldest will stand for the family to incense them. Then, he will set three gold carp fishes free. Finally, the family will start to clean and decorate their house for welcoming a new year.