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Mascot Vietnam is getting ready to start construction of 12.000 m2 production and warehouse facilities in Hai Duong province. But beware - nothing really starts until ancestors and related spirits have approved the ground breaking.
MAY THE SPIRITS
BE WITH US...
My present job is to manage the investment project of Mascot International in Hai Duong province, about 50 km North East of Ha Noi. We are currently preparing for the construction of a garment factory and warehouse facilities for the company.
Mascot International is one of Europe's biggest producers of high quality work wear, and the company has been cooperating with Vietnamese suppliers for several years.
Of course a project like this will never succeed, if we miss out on the right beginning. So we recently carried out the proper ceremonies to ensure the consent of the ancestors, who have used the land before us and other related spirits, who continue to be present in 'our land'.
'Our' 5 hectares of land have been a rice field for generations, and according to the local belief, all of the ancestors are somehow still present and able to make the construction very difficult, if we do not respect their wishes.
The ceremony was greatly appreciated by the workers and our contractors, who find it extremely dangerous to proceed with anything without the consent of the spirits.
Should you have a similar project to prepare, you are welcome to use below 'guidelines' for a proper ceremony.
 
A table is being prepared with food for the spirits, and joss sticks put in a circle around the ceremony area.
 
The managing director informs the spirits about his personal background, the objectives of the project, and asks for the assistance of the spirits in achieving succes and good health for himself and the staff. Subsequently the staff say their prayers one by one.
 
Burning paper money and spreading paper gold as a symbolic transfer of funds to ancestors.
 Finally we do the ground breaking: Two days later Engineers from Minh Duc company press the first of 900 concrete piles 27 meters into the ground. The ancestors take it nicely!
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