Ông Táo

A long time ago, there was a couple, Trọng Cao and his wife Thị Nhi who were married for many years but had no children.

One day, they quarreled over some trivial matter, and the husband, in a fit of anger, beat and threw his wife out of their home.

The sudden appearance of Trọng Cao deeply moved Thị Nhi, and she invited him inside and gave him a good meal.

As the flames spread out, Trọng Cao accepted his fate to be burnt to death to protect Thị Nhi’s virtue.

Children get red envelopes with money inside, known as "lì xì" (lee-see, 利市) in Vietnamese, as gifts for good luck in the coming year.

Tradition has it that the Kitchen God is too poor to buy new clothes, and so he simply wears a long robe and shorts.

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.