Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Seventh Month
Being born Chinese, your life will be coloured with lots of festivals and out-of-this-world beliefs about birth, death and the supernatural. Among them is the beliefs and rituals pertaining the 'Chit Guek' , which in Hockien means The Seventh Month. To a Chinese, the Seventh Month has a lot to do with bestowing happiness upon the dead. The dead are categorized into two groups :
1. The 'Chor Sien' (divine ancestors) our departed relatives, which are looked upon as having the ability to give blessings and protection to the living generation.
2. the wandering spirits,which according to Chinese beliefs have fallen into this state because they have nobody to give offerings to them upon their death. They are the "Ho Hia Ti" , literally translated as the 'good brethrens'.
On the 1st, 15th and the last day of the seventh month, food, drinks and paper paraphernalia are offered to the ancestors as an act of filial piety. To the Chinese, these offering means a lot because it is the way they care for the welfare of their departed relatives. Caring for the members of the clan, be they dead or alive is to the Chinese filial piety.
The same offerings are also offered to the wandering spirits, but in a grander manner. Roadside altars (laden with food, drinks, paper paraphernalia, giant joss sticks and candles) and theaters are set up to entertain them. The Chinese give offerings to them because they sympathize with the wandering spirits' poor condition.
The wandering spirits are very unlike the ancestors, the latter being very well taken care of. The wandering spirits are emotional beings : they can be sad, angry or even jealous. Thus, the Chinese give those offerings to them to keep them happy. Taoist priests conduct prayers for the deliverence of these spirits. Deliverence, in the Taoist sense means facilitating these spirits to take rebirth.
However, in the Buddhist point of view helping the spirit to take a new rebirth is impossible since all beings are owners of their very own kamma. They can only be helped by imploring these wandering spirits to rejoice in the good kamma of the community. Rejoicing in others merits is a good kamma itself, thus this rejoicing will help them to gain better rebirth. With this aim in mind Mahayana Buddhists conduct the Ullambana offering to the Buddha and the Sangha, after which merits are dedicated to present parents, departed relatives and all beings.
1. The 'Chor Sien' (divine ancestors) our departed relatives, which are looked upon as having the ability to give blessings and protection to the living generation.
2. the wandering spirits,which according to Chinese beliefs have fallen into this state because they have nobody to give offerings to them upon their death. They are the "Ho Hia Ti" , literally translated as the 'good brethrens'.
On the 1st, 15th and the last day of the seventh month, food, drinks and paper paraphernalia are offered to the ancestors as an act of filial piety. To the Chinese, these offering means a lot because it is the way they care for the welfare of their departed relatives. Caring for the members of the clan, be they dead or alive is to the Chinese filial piety.
The same offerings are also offered to the wandering spirits, but in a grander manner. Roadside altars (laden with food, drinks, paper paraphernalia, giant joss sticks and candles) and theaters are set up to entertain them. The Chinese give offerings to them because they sympathize with the wandering spirits' poor condition.
The wandering spirits are very unlike the ancestors, the latter being very well taken care of. The wandering spirits are emotional beings : they can be sad, angry or even jealous. Thus, the Chinese give those offerings to them to keep them happy. Taoist priests conduct prayers for the deliverence of these spirits. Deliverence, in the Taoist sense means facilitating these spirits to take rebirth.
However, in the Buddhist point of view helping the spirit to take a new rebirth is impossible since all beings are owners of their very own kamma. They can only be helped by imploring these wandering spirits to rejoice in the good kamma of the community. Rejoicing in others merits is a good kamma itself, thus this rejoicing will help them to gain better rebirth. With this aim in mind Mahayana Buddhists conduct the Ullambana offering to the Buddha and the Sangha, after which merits are dedicated to present parents, departed relatives and all beings.
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
拜天公 Thanksgiving prayer
拜天公 : Pai Thee Kong (Thanks Giving, midnight, 8th day of Chinese New Year)
* The style this ceremony is conducted varies from place to place. The information below holds true to Hockiens of Penang state, Malaysia who offers the VEGETARIAN STYLE OFFERING. For the usual NON-VEGETARIAN STYLE OFFERING, just include a piece of barbequed pork (Siow Bak) or one whole barbequed pig (Siow Tu), sugar pagodas (Th’ng Tha’) and mini condiment altar (Bit Chiam).
Basic offerings :
1. 3 big joss sticks 2. 1 pair large red candles 3. 3 cups of tea
4. 2 sugarcane plants (Hockiens only)
6 bowls dry vegetarian food set :
1. tang hoon (mung bean vermicelli) 2. tau kee (bean curd stick)
3. oh bok nee (black fungus) 4. kim chiam (dried lily buds)
5.Chinese mushroom 6. dried seaweed
Auspicious foodstuff :
1. ang choh (red dates) (every year auspicious) 2. mee suah (long life)
3. geng geng (dried longan) 4. fatt choy (multiple good luck)
5. groundnuts (long life and good health) 6. leng chi (lotus seed) 7. peng theng (rock sugar)
Traditional cakes :
A : (6 or 12 units)
1. ‘ang koo’ 2. ‘ang ee’ 3. ‘ang than’ 4. ‘mi koo’ (long life) 5. ‘huat kueh’ (prosperity)
6. ‘tnee kueh’ (greater heights each year)
* items 4, 5 and 6 can also be offered as 1 unit, provided that it is large sized item.
B :
1. 1 plate ‘bee koh’ (sweet glutinous rice)
Auspicious fruits (green) :
1. 1 unit pineapple (good vibrations coming) 2. 1 bunch banana (continuous generation)
3. 1 unit watermelon (family togetherness) 4. 1 unit pomelo (good luck) 5.keat lah (blessings)
5 kinds of fruits, 6 units each (eg. apples, pears, tangerines)
Steps to conduct the Pai Thee Kong :
1. All offerings are pasted with red paper strips and cuttings horizontally as shown below.
*note : 1. for a bunch banana, each banana have to be painstakingly pasted with the strips of red paper
2. The sugarcane plants are pasted with red paper strips at the shoot, the middle and the root sections.
(picture 2)
2. Clean the designated area of worship and offering table with water. Set up the table in
such a way that the offering will stand at least at neck level. Most altars have tables set
up upon chairs to make it to the required height.
3. To further purify the worship area, lighted sandal wood powder placed in an urn can be
placed under the offering table. This step is optional. Offerings are arranged as shown
in figure 1.
4. Place joss stick urn and a pair of candle holders at the courtyard facing corner.
5. Family members must get ready before 12 midnight, having cleaned themselves by
bathing and putting on clean clothes.
6. By the stroke of 12 midnight, 3 cups of hot tea is served on the altar. A pair of red
candles is lighted first, followed by lighting the 3 big joss sticks by the head of the
house / organiser of the ceremony.
7. Family members and others join in after the head of the house / organiser have lighted
the joss stick.
All about Pai Thee Kong :
Pai Thee Kong is grandly done by the Hockien and Baba communities. The Hockiens conduct the prayer mainly as a thanksgiving for the preservation of their dialect group from ethnic cleansing generations ago. Besides, the Hockiens also seek blessings upon their family and business through this ceremony.
According to the oral history, the Hockiens angered one of the dialect groups in China and that group wanted to take revenge by killing all Hockiens in sight. The Hockiens ran into a sugarcane plantation to hide but the pursuers did not give up. They lit torches to burn the hiding Hockiens to death. Fearing for their life, the Hockiens seek the Jade Emperor’s mercy. Miraculously, the heavens poured heavy rain on earth ; causing the pursuers to leave. The Hockiens emerged unscathed on the midnight of the 8th day of the Chinese New Year, thus from then onwards that day was celebrated with prayers of thanksgiving. Sugarcane is tied on each side of their altar on this day in mark of gratitude to the plant for offering them protection during the ethnic cleansing of the Hockiens.
Generally, it is done to express gratitude for blessings received in the past year, praying for a good year ahead, seek blessings for parents, siblings, business/ education and carrier. Personal requests can also be expressed.
The burning of joss paper is optional. Jade Emperor is one of the 3 Pure Ones in the Taoist Pantheon, therefore paper as well as food offerings will be of no use to Him.
The food offerings are for Him to bless and shared among the congregation, family members and friends.
Tea is served as a customary protocol for paying respect to an honoured person.
When praying, clear you mind and think of the blessings received in the past year, then give sincere thanks. After that, pray for a good year ahead, seek blessings for parents, siblings, business/ education and carrier.
* The style this ceremony is conducted varies from place to place. The information below holds true to Hockiens of Penang state, Malaysia who offers the VEGETARIAN STYLE OFFERING. For the usual NON-VEGETARIAN STYLE OFFERING, just include a piece of barbequed pork (Siow Bak) or one whole barbequed pig (Siow Tu), sugar pagodas (Th’ng Tha’) and mini condiment altar (Bit Chiam).
Basic offerings :
1. 3 big joss sticks 2. 1 pair large red candles 3. 3 cups of tea
4. 2 sugarcane plants (Hockiens only)
6 bowls dry vegetarian food set :
1. tang hoon (mung bean vermicelli) 2. tau kee (bean curd stick)
3. oh bok nee (black fungus) 4. kim chiam (dried lily buds)
5.Chinese mushroom 6. dried seaweed
Auspicious foodstuff :
1. ang choh (red dates) (every year auspicious) 2. mee suah (long life)
3. geng geng (dried longan) 4. fatt choy (multiple good luck)
5. groundnuts (long life and good health) 6. leng chi (lotus seed) 7. peng theng (rock sugar)
Traditional cakes :
A : (6 or 12 units)
1. ‘ang koo’ 2. ‘ang ee’ 3. ‘ang than’ 4. ‘mi koo’ (long life) 5. ‘huat kueh’ (prosperity)
6. ‘tnee kueh’ (greater heights each year)
* items 4, 5 and 6 can also be offered as 1 unit, provided that it is large sized item.
B :
1. 1 plate ‘bee koh’ (sweet glutinous rice)
Auspicious fruits (green) :
1. 1 unit pineapple (good vibrations coming) 2. 1 bunch banana (continuous generation)
3. 1 unit watermelon (family togetherness) 4. 1 unit pomelo (good luck) 5.keat lah (blessings)
5 kinds of fruits, 6 units each (eg. apples, pears, tangerines)
Steps to conduct the Pai Thee Kong :
1. All offerings are pasted with red paper strips and cuttings horizontally as shown below.
*note : 1. for a bunch banana, each banana have to be painstakingly pasted with the strips of red paper
2. The sugarcane plants are pasted with red paper strips at the shoot, the middle and the root sections.
(picture 2)
2. Clean the designated area of worship and offering table with water. Set up the table in
such a way that the offering will stand at least at neck level. Most altars have tables set
up upon chairs to make it to the required height.
3. To further purify the worship area, lighted sandal wood powder placed in an urn can be
placed under the offering table. This step is optional. Offerings are arranged as shown
in figure 1.
4. Place joss stick urn and a pair of candle holders at the courtyard facing corner.
5. Family members must get ready before 12 midnight, having cleaned themselves by
bathing and putting on clean clothes.
6. By the stroke of 12 midnight, 3 cups of hot tea is served on the altar. A pair of red
candles is lighted first, followed by lighting the 3 big joss sticks by the head of the
house / organiser of the ceremony.
7. Family members and others join in after the head of the house / organiser have lighted
the joss stick.
All about Pai Thee Kong :
Pai Thee Kong is grandly done by the Hockien and Baba communities. The Hockiens conduct the prayer mainly as a thanksgiving for the preservation of their dialect group from ethnic cleansing generations ago. Besides, the Hockiens also seek blessings upon their family and business through this ceremony.
According to the oral history, the Hockiens angered one of the dialect groups in China and that group wanted to take revenge by killing all Hockiens in sight. The Hockiens ran into a sugarcane plantation to hide but the pursuers did not give up. They lit torches to burn the hiding Hockiens to death. Fearing for their life, the Hockiens seek the Jade Emperor’s mercy. Miraculously, the heavens poured heavy rain on earth ; causing the pursuers to leave. The Hockiens emerged unscathed on the midnight of the 8th day of the Chinese New Year, thus from then onwards that day was celebrated with prayers of thanksgiving. Sugarcane is tied on each side of their altar on this day in mark of gratitude to the plant for offering them protection during the ethnic cleansing of the Hockiens.
Generally, it is done to express gratitude for blessings received in the past year, praying for a good year ahead, seek blessings for parents, siblings, business/ education and carrier. Personal requests can also be expressed.
The burning of joss paper is optional. Jade Emperor is one of the 3 Pure Ones in the Taoist Pantheon, therefore paper as well as food offerings will be of no use to Him.
The food offerings are for Him to bless and shared among the congregation, family members and friends.
Tea is served as a customary protocol for paying respect to an honoured person.
When praying, clear you mind and think of the blessings received in the past year, then give sincere thanks. After that, pray for a good year ahead, seek blessings for parents, siblings, business/ education and carrier.
