Moving-house taboos: the 7th lunar month, unlucky days and practicalities

Customs are part of traditional culture, and each region and family does things differently. This article describes common practice for your reference; it does not say what is right or wrong and is not meant to frighten anyone. Updated 24 October 2026.

When moving or buying a home, many families hear relatives mention things to avoid: the 7th lunar month, unlucky days, the owner's unlucky years. This article retells the beliefs you often meet so you understand the context, without asserting that they are right or wrong, and without meaning to make anyone anxious.

The 7th lunar month in folk belief

According to some sources, the full moon of the seventh month is the Vu Lan festival, tied to Buddhist filial piety, and also in folk belief the day of pardon for wandering souls. The idea of calling the 7th month the "month of wandering souls" is quite common; some voices, including Buddhist clergy, say the old Vietnamese mainly had a month of pardon for wandering souls and that people should turn toward good deeds and filial piety instead of fear. Both views exist; each family chooses its own.

Things often mentioned to avoid are opening a business, weddings, building a house, big purchases and going out at night; the degree of avoidance differs by region, and in some places there is almost none. Many families still move or buy homes as usual during this month.

Other taboos people often mention

• Unlucky days and hours: by the calculations of each calendar school, some days are regarded as unsuitable for moving. Results differ by method.
• The owner's age and unlucky years: some families avoid moving in the owner's zodiac year, Kim Lau or Hoang Oc; see ages for building a house.
• Moving at night: some households avoid moving things late, partly for the sake of daily life and neighbours.
• A home left empty too long: some say a home should not be left empty; in practice, an empty home also costs management fees and easily gets damp and mouldy.
• Bringing old or broken items into the new home: many families replace old items when moving to keep things tidy.

You do not need to follow all of them. What matters is that the family agrees, because if the older members are worried, finding common ground helps everyone feel at ease.

Practical corner: timing the move by contract

• Handover and payment deadlines: an apartment purchase contract usually states the handover milestone and payment instalments. Moving a milestone because of a taboo can cause late-payment interest or management fees once a handover notice has been issued. Read taking over the home and ask the developer.
• Rental contract: the date of taking over the rental and the end date of the old contract decide the moving time; moving late may mean paying rent on two homes.
• Price and policy: some people believe the 7th lunar month has fewer transactions and so is easier to negotiate, but this is not a sure rule; price depends on the market, the owner and the project. Do not buy just because you heard "prices drop this month".
• Moving companies: usually busy at weekends, month end and before Tet; book early. In an apartment building you need to book the freight lift and pay a moving deposit if the management requires it.
• Safety when moving: protect the floor and lift; do not leave items in corridors or escape routes.

If the family wants a gentle "remedy"

Many households choose something simple: clean the home thoroughly, light a stick of incense to tell the ancestors, notify the building management, and prepare a compact offering. See also housewarming rite and the altar in an apartment. These activities meet a psychological need and cost little.

Weighing a purchase in the 7th lunar month

If you are concerned, you can split the work: in the 7th lunar month, view homes, study the legal status and compare prices; pay the deposit and sign the contract the following month. If your family has no taboos, just follow the financial plan. Check the legal status and do not be pushed by "close fast before it's gone": see checking a project's legal status and buying a home with a past incident.

When family members disagree about dates

If grandparents or parents want to choose a date while you are bound by the contract, talk early: show the handover schedule and payment milestones, and propose holding a compact rite on the day the elders prefer even if you move things in on another day. This usually keeps the peace without missing the deadline.

Note

This article only describes folk beliefs for reference and does not assert superstition or certainty about luck and misfortune. The decision on timing should rest on the contract, finances and the family's agreement.

• Vietnamese Wikipedia — Lễ Vu Lan (seventh-month full moon, pardon for wandering souls, the belief in a "month of wandering souls" and the view that it is not a purely Vietnamese custom, commonly avoided things), accessed again 24 October 2026.
• VOV — Cẩn trọng khi thắp hương thờ cúng, đốt vàng mã trong Tết và lễ hội đầu năm 2023 (Hanoi City Police advice: keep flammable items away from flames, check the altar before sleeping, keep a portable fire extinguisher, call 114 in a fire), 23 December 2022; accessed again 24 October 2026.
• Saigon Giai Phong — Cảnh giác cháy nổ nơi thờ tự (do not burn votive paper carelessly, do not bring flammable fuel, check old electrical systems), 21 February 2019; accessed again 24 October 2026.