Cửu Huyền Thất Tổ Tradition in Vietnam: Worship Across Generations

The film Nhà Gia Tiên (The Ancestor Home), directed by and starring Huỳnh Lập, was released in February 2025 and vividly portrays the ancestral altar dedicated to the Nine Generations and Seven Ancestors. This has helped many people gain a deeper understanding of this significant cultural practice in Vietnamese ancestor worship. More than just a ritual, it is a spiritual connection between generations, expressing gratitude and respect for one’s roots.

So, what exactly is Nine Generations, Seven Ancestors worship? How many generations does it span? Let’s explore this special belief system with Chus.

Nine Generations, Seven Ancestor altar

What is the Worship of Nine Generations, Seven Ancestors?

This ancestral worship tradition has been passed down through generations as a way to express gratitude and honor deceased ancestors. It reflects filial piety and seeks blessings and protection for the family.

Vietnamese people believe that ancestors, even after passing away, continue to watch over and protect their descendants. Worshiping them is not only about maintaining family traditions but also about strengthening the bond between past and future generations.

The purposes of this ritual include:

• Remembering and paying tribute to ancestors across multiple generations.
• Seeking the blessings and protection of ancestors for their descendants.
• Preserving family traditions and helping younger generations understand their heritage.
• Creating a spiritual connection and reinforcing the belief in divine protection.

How Many Generations are Included?

Many people wonder how many generations are honored in this form of ancestor worship. There are different interpretations of the Nine Generations, Seven Ancestors concept, and no single definition has been universally accepted. Below are some common explanations:

Nine Generations, Seven Ancestor is a Vietnamese tradition

Interpretation 1: Nine Generations as Descendants, Seven Ancestors as Forebears

According to this perspective, Nine Generations represents nine generations of descendants, while Seven Ancestors refers to seven generations of forebears. This interpretation emphasizes an unbroken lineage, symbolizing an endless future of family continuity.

In this explanation, the Nine Generations include:

1. Tử (children)
2. Tôn (grandchildren)
3. Tằng (great-grandchildren)
4. Huyền (great-great-grandchildren)
5. Lai (fifth-generation descendants)
6. Côn (sixth-generation descendants)
7. Nhưng (seventh-generation descendants)
8. Vân (eighth-generation descendants)
9. Nhĩ (ninth-generation descendants)

Meanwhile, the Seven Ancestors consist of:

1. Phụ (father)
2. Tổ (grandfather)
3. Tằng (great-grandfather)
4. Cao (great-great-grandfather)
5. Thái (fifth-generation ancestor)
6. Huyền (sixth-generation ancestor)
7. Hiển (seventh-generation ancestor)

This interpretation highlights the importance of remembering both ancestors and future generations while preserving family traditions.

Interpretation 2: Seven Ancestors Start from Grandparents, Nine Generations Include Parents

Another viewpoint suggests that Seven Ancestors begins from one’s paternal grandparents, who are considered the “First Ancestors” (Nhất tổ). This is because the title of “ancestor” only applies from the grandparental generation onward. Following this pattern:

• Great-grandparents (Tằng tổ) = Second Ancestors
• Great-great-grandparents (Cao tổ) = Third Ancestors
• Each preceding generation is numbered up to the Seventh Ancestor (Thất tổ).

Under this interpretation, parents are not considered ancestors but are rather seen as direct progenitors of the worshiper. Consequently, Nine Generations includes not only later generations but also parents and the worshiper themselves, forming a continuous nine-generation lineage connected to Seven Ancestors.

Interpretation 3: Four Generations Before, Four Generations After

Another explanation divides Nine Generations into four generations of ancestors before and four generations of descendants after, with the worshiper at the center.

The order is as follows:

• Four generations of ancestors:

  1. Cao tổ (great-great-grandparents)
  2. Tằng tổ (great-grandparents)
  3. Tổ (grandparents)
  4. Phụ mẫu (parents)

• The worshiper (current generation).

• Four generations of descendants:

  1. Tử (children)
  2. Tôn (grandchildren)
  3. Tằng tôn (great-grandchildren)
  4. Huyền tôn (great-great-grandchildren)

There are many ways to interpretate the generation

Interpretation 4: Seven Ancestors Includes Occupational Ancestors (Tổ Nghề, Tổ Nghiệp)

Some interpretations extend Seven Ancestors beyond familial ancestors to include founders of professional trades and crafts. In this belief, Vietnamese people honor not only their family lineage but also those who established and passed down trades through generations.

Tổ nghề (occupational ancestors) are respected as pioneers who provided knowledge, skills, and job opportunities for their descendants. Many artisans, businesspeople, and craftsmen uphold the tradition of worshiping their tổ nghề as a way of expressing gratitude.

Some common occupational ancestors worshiped in Vietnam include:

• The founder of the tailoring profession
• The founder of the carpentry trade
• The founder of the goldsmithing trade, etc.

Conclusion

Although there are various interpretations, they all share the same core purpose: honoring ancestors, connecting generations, and upholding the Vietnamese tradition of gratitude and remembrance. Worshiping Nine Generations, Seven Ancestors is not just a religious practice; it is a symbol of filial piety and family continuity in Vietnamese culture.

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