The Altar Plate

Ancestor worship has become a custom and an important part of the spiritual life of most Vietnamese people. It is a form of ritual and worship to show respect and gratitude to ancestors, grandparents, and parents who gave birth to their descendants who belong to the first generation of a lineage, and their family overall, including grandparents and parents who have passed away. On the ancestral altar, there are incense bowls, ancestors' pictures and especially the offerings from the descendants like plates containing fruits, cakes, tea and/or candies on important days such as memorial days, New Year’s Day, the first and middle days of each lunar month.

The plate placed on the altar has different sizes and colors, with or without a base, but usually has a solemn, elegant design impregnated with the long-standing culture of Vietnam. The plate has a lotus pattern on the inside, which shows solemnity and strength. From my perception, there is also a pattern that looks like an image of a temple repeated in a circular movement at the base of the plate.

I chose this plate because lotus is a symbol that is used by most Vietnamese and families who worship ancestors or Buddhist Gods. In addition, this is an object that I often see while helping my family clean the altar and worshiping ancestors. The plate has a pretty unique shape and dense patterns, so I saw many design elements and applied principles in it.