Discover interesting differences in Vietnamese and Chinese Apple legends

The custom of worshiping Mr. Cong and Mr. Tao is available in many Asian countries but few people know the difference between Vietnamese and Chinese Kitchen Gods.

 

Apple Army in Vietnamese folk beliefs originated from the three gods of Tho Cong, Tho Dia and Tho Ky of the Chinese Taoism but were Vietnameseized into the legend of "2 grandmothers 1" - Gods of earth and gods , the god of the Kitchen. However, people are still used to calling the Kitchen God or the Kitchen God. The kitchen is the original of the house when the primitive man has fire and is based on the foundation of the earth.

In addition, the Vietnamese people also believe that the Kitchen God will go to heaven and say to the Jade Emperor the events that happened in the past year in the world. Therefore, the Vietnamese people are very generous in seeing off Mr. Cong Ong Tao with the hope that the best things will be said to the Jade Emperor.

According to customs and habits, Vietnamese people believe that only 1 apple lives in every house for the whole year, while in China, most believe that there are 3 gods who are in charge of each other.

Differences Vietnamese and Chinese army apples are also expressed through different legends and stories about oral stories related to the gods.

Legend of Chinese Army Apples

In the past, there were two couples who cut firewood living deep in the forest, poor life, not eating enough, wearing not enough clothes but not knowing how to get out of this situation, the husband was depressed at all times. to drink tea. He cut firewood every night back home in a drunken form, no longer mastering his thoughts and actions.

Resentful for his hatred, he poured out all his anger on his poor wife. Painful whips of long-term fights for her became familiar, and the woman loved her husband so patiently from month to month, year after year. Suffering is limited, so when it is impossible to endure, the wife fled the hut in the forest to find a new life, never wanting to return to this dark place again. .

Many days passed, both hungry and thirsty, but the woman still could not get out of the forest but her stomach was hungry, her legs were bloody and painful. Fortunately, while she was exhausted, she saw a hunter's cabin. The good man brought food and gave her a warm sleep. As time passed, the two gradually became emotionally and married.

A new life with the hunter who loves him all the time, the wife has forgotten the past with her ex-husband.

Everything kept calmly until a day near Tet, just as the hunter was away, a beggar knocked on the door to ask for food. The wife lovingly invited the beggar into the house, sympathetic to the ragged look trembling with hunger and cold, she prepared for him a generous meal. While watching the homeless, hungry and devouring one after another, she realized this was her ex-husband.

At this moment, she heard her husband's footsteps about to arrive. She panicked not knowing what to do because she loved her ex-husband and worried about her budding happiness with her new husband. While confused she could only think of a way to hide the beggar into the straw behind the house, waiting for the time to let him go.

Unfortunately, that day the hunter brought a lot of food back after the hunt was successful, so he finished all the straw behind the house to barbecue. Sitting in the straw pile, the man panicked and tried to shout but feared that he would affect the kind woman who gave him a sumptuous meal so he tried to keep quiet.

Knowing her ex-husband died in the big fire, because of the mercy and pain she threw herself into the burning fire. The hunter saw that even though he did not understand anything but tried to stop it but could not. Seeing his beloved wife die before his eyes, he also rushed into the flames because he thought that without his wife his life would no longer be meaningful.

Touched by the story of 3 people, the villagers set up a temple to worship three people to show their respect. Then the people call these three people the Kitchen Gods, or the three Gods of the Kitchen.

 

In the old days, the couple Trong Cao - Thi Nhi married for a long time, looking forward to many years but still could not have a child acne. Too bored because of the current situation, the two people have conflicts, often quarreling. One day, in a fit of anger, unable to control himself, Trong Cao's husband slapped his wife like a god, causing his wife, Thi Nhi, to leave.

In difficult circumstances, Thi Nhi met and was cared for by the man named Pham Lang, so the two of them lived together as husband and wife.

Talking about his ex-husband Trong Cao when the anger passed, he was extremely sorry and quit his job to find his wife. As the days passed, he still could not find his wife whose money was empty, so he had to beg.

Once he was begging for food, he happened to be in Thi Nhi's house. Two people recognize each other and sit together to talk about old stories, the wife realizes that she still has feelings and sympathy for Trong Cao. She expressed her regret for having trapped Pham Lang as her husband.

Knowing that her husband was about to go home, too worried about her husband catching Trong Cao in the house would bring about bad things that made the family atmosphere tense, so Thi Nhi told Trong Cao to crawl into the straw pile in the garden.

In time to escape, this time Pham Lang took the straw and brought it to burn to get the ashes. Trong Cao did not dare to go out and feared to contact Thi Nhi, so he died burned. From Thi Nhi's house, she saw her ex-husband being burned to death and panicked and jumped into the burning straw to die together.

Pham Lang surprised with what happened before his eyes, he jumped into the burning straw to save his wife but unfortunately both of them burned.

The high-class Jade Emperor was moved by the feeling that 3 people who live in love have the meaning to be a Kitchen God, or a God of Appreciation for each one. Pham Lang worked as Earthman - overseeing the kitchen, Trong Cao worked as a Earth Locator - looking after the house, Thi Nhi made Tho Ky - looking after the market.

Basically, and eating the traditional Tet are the traditional activities of the Eastern people and the difference is that Vietnamese and Chinese Army apples are not too much, they all have in common:

The last days of the year are the right time for the family members to spend time, those who are away from home can return home. The adults all cook and worship, clean the altar of the house from December 23, preparing for the Lunar New Year before the whole month. Children are anxious to eat banh chung, to celebrate the red lucky year, to be dressed in nice clothes.

The beauty of this traditional culture has been and will be Vietnamese, Chinese in particular and Asian people in general to preserve and promote the proud tradition of ancestors.