🎋 VietFengShui
Vietnamese feng shui, explained for newcomers
Tube houses, ancestor altars, Tết, the five elements, shop altars to the God of Wealth — the feng shui you meet when you live, rent or do business in Vietnam, explained by people who grew up with it.
40 articles in 10 topics · updated 13 Oct 2026
VatPhamPhongThuy.com · a Vietnamese store, ships within Vietnam
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Frequently asked questions
How do I match a pinyin term to its Vietnamese equivalent?
Look up the Chinese character and find its Sino-Vietnamese reading. Don't guess from the romanisation, because many different characters share the same pinyin syllable.
Read more in “Reading feng shui across languages: Sino-Vietnamese, pinyin, English and the most mistranslated words” →Do I have to light incense at my Vietnamese family's altar?
No. If you are comfortable, it is a warmly received gesture; if your faith rules it out, standing quietly with your head slightly bowed is an accepted sign of respect.
Read more in “Living with a Vietnamese family: unspoken house rules for the altar, meals, bedrooms and ritual days” →Is a broken feng shui object a bad omen?
That is folk belief, and some people believe the opposite, that the object absorbed misfortune for its owner. What is certain is that sharp fragments must be wrapped safely; for a broken devotional statue, ask a pagoda.
Read more in “The life of a feng shui object: choosing the material, placing it with respect, caring for it, letting go” →Where should the director sit in a small office?
Usually in a deep corner with a wall behind and a diagonal view of the entrance. In a small company, a glass or low partition keeps the person in charge approachable.
Read more in “Laying out a small company office in Vietnam: reception, the director's seat, meeting rooms and moving day” →Should I avoid a unit with a road pointing straight at its door?
Not automatically. Check headlights, noise and traffic speed in the evening; the spot is also very visible from afar. If fast traffic heads straight at the door, weigh it seriously for safety reasons.
Read more in “Choosing shop premises in Vietnam: feng shui warnings, footfall counts and the lease, before you pay a deposit” →Do I need to repaint to balance the five elements?
Usually not. You can add a missing element through materials and light, such as plants, wooden furniture, fabric curtains or warm lamps, which are cheaper and easy to undo.
Read more in “The five elements beyond colour: materials, shapes and directions at home, and how to read a room for balance” →When is the year-end offering held?
Usually on the afternoon of the last day of the twelfth lunar month, the 30th or the 29th in a short month. Many families hold it a day or two earlier so relatives can travel.
Read more in “From the year-end meal to hoá vàng: the Tết rituals inside a Vietnamese home, and how to keep them simple” →Can a younger son set up his own ancestor altar?
Many families allow a remote altar, called thờ vọng, while the eldest son keeps the main one. Customs differ between family lines, so ask the parents or the head of the family first.
Read more in “When a Vietnamese ancestor altar changes: a first altar, moving house, mourning and replacing old items” →Looking for the real objects?
VietFengShui is a reading site. Altars, incense burners, bamboo, crystals and lucky charms mentioned in our articles can be bought from VatPhamPhongThuy.com, a Vietnamese shop that delivers within Vietnam. Its pages are in Vietnamese.