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Ông Táo also known as Mandarin Tao (Táo quân, 灶君) or the Kitchen God is regarded in Vietnamese culture as the advocate of the Vietnamese family with the gods and the emissary between heaven to earth.
Description
In Vietnamese culture, the Vietnamese New Year (Tết) is a time to make a new start. Children get Red envelopes with money inside, known as "lỳ-xì" in Vietnamese, as gifts for good luck in the coming. Vietnamese families prepare their houses for the coming of a prosperous new year by cleaning up and polishing their silver. It is during this cultural event that Ông táo comes in to serve as the Kitchen God for Vietnamese families. As the old year ends, he goes to heaven to discuss the family's situation with the Jade Emperor, the King of Heaven.
Tradition has it that the Kitchen God is too poor to buy new clothes, and so he simply wears a long robe and shorts. Other accounts say that because he was in such a hurry to go back to earth, he forgot to put his trousers over his underwear shorts before leaving heaven.
Due to his presence in Vietnamese culture, Ông Táo is a prominent character in many folk plays. Considering his position as a messenger from heaven, the writers often depict the living conditions, problems, and solutions that need to be addressed by a family, to the audience.
Vietnamese people regard Ông Táo as a family member, and various prayers and offerings are brought to him at the family altar.