What is 筊-throwing?
筊-throwing (jiǎo) is a divination ritual that is widely spread in Chinese society.
"筊" is also called "cup" (shell), so "throwing 筊" in Hokkien is also called "postscript cup". According to traditional customs, the content of the ceremony is to throw two half-moon shaped cups about the size of a palm, with one side flat and one side convex with an arc, to detect the intentions of gods and ghosts.
The convex surface is "yin" and the flat surface is "yang". Throwing the harpoon is a tool for communication between humans and gods. People can learn the will of the gods by throwing the harpoon.
When throwing the 筊, first light candles and burn incense to worship the gods, and then explain the reason for throwing the 筊 to the gods. Pick up the 筊 Sutra, put your hands together and worship, then circle the incense in the incense burner, and then go to the gods. Throwing it on the ground is equivalent to a 筊. After clasping your hands to thank the gods, you can pick up the 筊 from the ground and throw it on the ground again. Three "holy 筊" must be connected in order to be considered a promise from the gods. The historical origin of sending off the king in Zhongzhai Village, Xiamen City
can be traced back to the early Ming Dynasty.
Xiamen's "Send the King off" is larger in three places: Lucuo Village, Tong'anxi Ke Town, Zhongshan Village, Haicang, and Zhongzhai Village, Huli. This custom is usually held once every 3 to 4 years, and is held on a certain day in a fixed lunar month by throwing a harpoon.
Sending the king's boat is a gift to the prince who is "hunting on behalf of the sky". There is no conclusive conclusion about the legend about the prince. The earliest one can be traced back to the early Ming Dynasty and the latest one can be traced back to the Yongzheng period of the Qing Dynasty.
The gift was given to the 148th prince in 2004. According to calculations of every four years, it has a history of more than 500 years. This prince does not represent the "God of Plague", but travels around on behalf of the emperor, rewarding good and punishing evil, and bless the country with good weather and peace of the people.
It is usually held once every three to four years. The ceremony of delivering the king's ship is held on a certain day in a fixed lunar month by throwing a harpoon, and a king's ship is made, either made of fir or paper. , invite the prince to the royal ship, load firewood, rice, oil, salt and various daily necessities and other physical objects, and burn them on the seaside. "Send the King's Boat", also known as "Burn the King's Boat", is a traditional Han folk custom that has existed in coastal fishing ports and fishing villages. By offering sacrifices to the sea god and mourning the heroes who died at sea, they pray for peace and prosperity on the sea and good fishing.
The custom of "sending a boat to the king" among fishermen in Xiamen Port also incorporates the belief of the prince (Zheng Chenggong). It is said that this custom originated in Taiwan. In order to commemorate Zheng Chenggong's great achievements in the early Qing Dynasty, fishermen worshiped the prince as the god who patrolled the sky on behalf of the hunter, and built a "king ship" to send it into the sea. Although they did not explain it clearly, they understood it implicitly.
This Han folk custom was discontinued during the "Cultural Revolution". In 1995, at the initiative of residents of Xiamen who went to Taiwan, the triennial event was resumed, and the scale became grander and more lively every time. The Origin of Throwing Throwing Thousand Throwing Thousand Throwing Thousand Throwing Thousand Throwing Thousand Throwing Thousand Throwing Throwing Thousand Throwing Throwing Throwing Throwing Throwing Throwing Throwing Throwing Throwing Throwing Throwing Throwing Throwing Throwing Throwing Throwing Throwing Throwing Throwing Throwing Throwing Thousand Throwing Throwing Thousand Throwing Throwing Throwing Throwing Throwing Throwing Throwing Throwing Thickness into a divination ritual is a Taoist ritual that is widely spread in Chinese society.
"筊" is also called "cup", so "throwing 筊" in Hokkien is also called "Bi Cup". According to traditional customs, the content of the ceremony is to throw two half-moon shaped cups about the size of a palm, with one side flat and one side convex with an arc, to detect the intentions of gods and ghosts.
The convex surface is "yin" and the flat surface is "yang". The following is the description of the positive and negative combinations: One flat and one convex: Calling it the "Holy Grail" (or "Holy Wild Rice") means that the gods agree, or things will go smoothly.
However, if you are very cautious when praying, you may need to count the Holy Grail three times in a row. Two planes: It is called "Laughing Cup" (or "Laughing Rice Cup"), which means that the gods have not yet decided whether to agree or not, and the situation is unclear. You can re-throw it to the gods for instructions, or make your prayers clear again.
Two convex surfaces: It is called the "Yin Cup" (or "Angry Rice Cup"), which means that the gods do not agree with it and things will not go smoothly. You can throw it again and ask for instructions. In folk belief, there are several customary rituals for throwing wild rice plants as follows: Throwing wild rice plants is usually limited to three times.
Before throwing wild rice, you need to explain your name, birthday, address and request for instructions in front of the gods. Before throwing the water bamboo shoots, you should hold a pair of water rice cups with both hands. After worshiping in front of the gods, you can let go and let the water rice cups fall. The Origin of "Taiwan's Dajia Mazu Tour"
Dajia Mazu goes to Chaotian Temple in Beigang every year to offer incense. According to the legend of the elders, it has a history of more than a hundred years. It is the largest and largest incense offering activity at Mazu temples in the province. A unique religious activity that has caused a sensation in Taiwan. This pilgrimage to Beigang has been held for more than a hundred years. However, in the 77th year of the Republic of China, the Zhenlan Palace decided to change its old name to "Pilgrimage to Our Lady of Heaven in Dajia Zhenlan Palace Beigang". "The Divine Mother of Heaven at Zhenlan Palace in Dajia makes a pilgrimage around the territory to offer incense", which caused a dispute between the two temples as to whether Mazu from Zhenlan Palace was a spirit of Mazu from Chaotian Palace. At the same time, Fengtian Palace in Xingang actively invited Mazu from Dajia to visit Xingang to offer incense. As a result, the trip to Hong Kong in Beigang was canceled that year and was changed to Xingang Fengtian Temple to go around the border to Hong Kong.
With a fragrant flag in each hand, I pay homage and pray to the Holy Mother in heaven to protect my family and my family, and everything goes well. The time for offering incense is decided on the evening of the Lantern Festival. At the same time, we accept the registration of "grabbing incense" and the service staff of each group.
Leaving the city: On the day of the incense offering (usually in early March), Dajia is crowded with people who send the "Mother of Heaven" to the lake to follow the incense.
Route: From Dajia through Qingshui, Shalu, Longjing, Dadu, Changhua, Huatan, Yuanlin, Yongcheng, Tianwei, Xizhou, Xiluo, Wucuo, Erlun, Tukuu and other townships. After the liberation, the massacre was resumed. Today, it is still the largest, most numerous and most extensive trekking group in the province. From the activities, we can see more and more how effective and popular the "Dajia Heavenly Virgin" is.
In the third month of the lunar calendar every year, there is the biggest festival in the Dajia area, which is the seven-night and eight-day incense-burning event. The incense-burning group travels more than 200 kilometers back and forth. Due to their devout respect, they can complete the feat as scheduled every year. The Dajia Mazu incense-burning group is the largest and most famous in the province.
Dajia Mazu went to Beigang to offer incense. Legend has it that it has a history of a hundred years. In the year of Wuchen (the seventy-seventh year of the Republic of China), Zhenlan Palace canceled the trip to Beigang during the seven-night and eight-day itinerary and went to Xingang Fengtian instead. The palace offers incense.
Dajia Mazu’s southward pilgrimage starts at midnight. A large number of believers will rush into Zhenlan Palace in advance, hold incense flags, kneel down, make wishes, and perform divination. In the afternoon of the same day, they will start to perform purification rituals. During the shrine prayer ceremony, the chanting group will chant sutras and pray for a safe and smooth process of offering incense. Then Chairman Yan Qingbiao will bring the main and deputy furnace mothers, Meizhou Mazu and flags and other related items into the shrine, and then the incense offering will be carried out. The activity is ready. The Taipei Dajia Mazu Association arrived in Dajia in great numbers, and the horsemen rushed to guide them into the Zhenlan Palace. Immediately afterwards, Erxiang, Shenxiang and other groups performed along the way, attracting many people to watch.
At midnight, after the three "horse cannons" placed in front of the temple were lit, the large sedan chair team slowly advanced to the temple under the heavy protection of vigilantes and other personnel. Everywhere, devout believers took the initiative to kneel down and worship. Along the way, the sound of firecrackers was deafening. The believers' mood was HIGH to the highest point. More than 100,000 believers gathered behind Mazu's palanquin to send Mazu out of the city. Firecrackers and fireworks turned the big armor into a The city that never sleeps.
After a journey of more than 200 kilometers, the last day of Mazu’s return journey was the last activity of the pilgrims***. The pilgrims entered the urban area of ??Dajia and met in various streets** * On that day, the townspeople will also prepare a feast to entertain relatives and friends. Department stores from the north and south will also gather to set up stalls on Jiang Highway and Shuntian Road in front of the temple. Therefore, the day when Mazu returns home is the busiest day in Dajia Town. .
Dajia Mazu goes around the territory to offer incense. The main rituals include the eight major ceremonies, including the prayer ceremony, getting on the sedan chair, getting off the carriage, standing on the carriage, praying for blessings, celebrating birthdays, returning home and sitting down. In addition to their religious significance, these rituals , but also has the effect of comforting people and strengthening faith. The prayer ceremony is held the day before departure. It mainly reports matters related to the incense offering to Mazu and prays for the smoothness of the incense offering and the safety of pilgrims. After the sedan chair cleansing ceremony, the three Mazu statues, the principal, deputy Lu Ma, and Meizhou Ma, are welcomed into the sedan and seated in the sedan chair, which is the ceremony for getting into the sedan chair. Dajia Mazu's departure time is around midnight. When the departure time arrives, three "horse cannons" are fired, and the procession sets off for Xingang. After three days and four nights, the incense procession arrived at Fengtian Temple in Xingang. After welcoming Mazu and taking her seat in the temple, a ceremony was held. The main purpose was to thank Mazu for her blessing and making the incense process a safe and smooth process. The blessing ceremony is to pray to Mazu to eliminate disasters for believers, grant blessings and prolong life. On the fourth day of the incense-burning activity, believers devoutly hold a birthday celebration ceremony for Mazu, which is the climax of the incense-burning activity. They "throw a chopstick" to Mazu to decide the return time. The return-driving ceremony is held at midnight that day, and pilgrims follow Mazu back to Dajia. . On the eighth day, the incense-promoting procession returned to Dajia. After detouring around the city, they returned to Zhenlan Palace surrounded by believers. Immediately, an enthronement ceremony was held to thank Mazu for blessing and the incense-promoting event was successfully completed. The annual Dajia-Mazu detour to offer incense Officially concluded.
During Dajia Mazu’s incense pilgrimage, believers along the way are obliged to provide meals and set up incense tables to welcome her. There are also many customs spread among the people to pray for peace and increase luck, such as snatching the sedan chair to retain Mazu, and You can pray for safety at the foot of the sedan chair, ask for tea from Mazu to cure illnesses, bring red silk thread to Bao Ma Zai for marriage, exchange pacifiers with the third prince to pray for good feeding, touch the Wenchang pen of the warrior team for luck in exams, etc., from these phenomena we can It was found that any object related to Mazu's incense will be endowed with "sacredness". What these behaviors actually reflect is the inner anxiety and helplessness of the people. After all, the depressed soul needs a channel to vent, but they choose to worship Mazu. Talk instead of calling a lifeline or a psychiatrist. Every year wherever the Mazu pilgrimage passes, believers can often be seen kneeling to greet Mazu. They break down and cry when the shrine appears. No matter what the grievances are, they are relieved at this moment. How do believers pay homage to Mazu? Analysis by Feng Shui master Xu Shaofeng
Mazu’s name, Lin Mo, ascended to heaven when she was 28 years old. Because he saved countless people during his lifetime, people built temples to worship Lin Mo and pray for the safety of fishermen. According to legend, Lin Mo became an immortal queen and often rode on the clouds among the islands with her clairvoyance and ears for the wind. If a passing ship encounters danger, as long as she sincerely chants the sacred name of Mazu, Mazu will appear in response and save people in danger. Therefore, people call Mazu the protector of the sea. With the development of history, Taoism honors Mazu as the Concubine of Heaven, Queen of Heaven, Holy Mother of Heaven, etc. Mazu Temple has a huge influence at home and abroad, from Dandong in the northeast of the motherland to Tianjin, Shandong, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and other places. There are many temples and the incense is very popular. With international exchanges and cultural exchanges, Mazu belief has spread to all parts of the world, such as Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries.
The blessing of Mazu has made people's belief in Mazu deeply rooted. Worshiping Mazu has become a custom and tradition. So, how to worship and worship Mazu to achieve better results? Let’s listen to Feng Shui master Xu Shaofeng’s experience in this area. How to worship the Mazu statue:
1. To worship the Mazu statue, you should go to the Meizhou Ancestral Temple to consecrate the statue and hold a spirit separation ceremony. After choosing an auspicious day to throw wild rice and get the Holy Grail, you can take home the Mazu clone statue.
2. Choose a quiet place at home and place a shrine there after you get Mazu’s permission by throwing wild rice. A stack of gold paper is placed in the center of the shrine and the statue of the god is placed on the gold paper. The base of the statue is slightly lower than the incense burner.
3. Vase or lotus lanterns can be placed on both sides of the statue. It is better to place a round copper incense burner in front of Mazu, with two candlesticks and everlasting electronic red candles. Three plates of fruit are offered in front of the Blessed Mother.
4. After the appeal is completed, three cups of vegetables, five fruits, three animals and nine gifts are offered to the god table, and the incense ashes from the ancestral temple are added to the sandalwood burner filled with smoke. The three pillars of fragrance are first worshiped toward the sky, and then the three pillars of fragrance are inserted into the Mazu incense burner. Bring the whole family and kneel in front of the incense table, each holding incense. Recite the poem "I am grateful to the Holy Mother Mazu for her blessings all over the world and protecting the country and the people. I hereby enshrine the golden body in the house and pray...". When the incense is halfway done, throw in the wild rice and use the three holy cups to confirm that the Holy Mother's spirit has arrived. In addition, Feng Shui master Xu Shaofeng suggested that after inviting the Mazu statue to your home, you should put three pillars of fragrance in the morning and evening on weekdays. If possible, serve tea in front of Mazu's throne every morning. The 23rd of March every year is Mazu’s birthday, and believers who worship Mazu must worship on this day. Feng Shui master Xu Shaofeng proposed that worshiping Mazu should be particular. You can click on the suggestion to do it. Food: Five animals (roosters and capons for chickens), several kinds of fruits, six to twelve bowls of various vegetable bowls, noodles (put red paper), hair cakes, red turtle cakes, three bowls of red glutinous rice balls, three cups of tea , five glasses of wine.
Sacrifice: The sacrifice should choose an auspicious time of the day. After paying tribute, first light lamps (candles), offer tea, burn incense and pray. Three sticks of incense should be inserted into the cigarette, and three obeisances and nine knocks should be performed.
Toast: To toast the first wine, invite the gods to come, and throw a scorpion to ask if the gods have come. Make a second toast, tell the gods your wishes, and explain how to thank them. When one-third of the incense is burned, hold the gold paper in both hands to worship the gods, and then burn the four colors of gold in order (Dashou gold, longevity gold, cut gold, Fu gold, Jiama money). The third toast is made, and the scorpion is thrown to ask the gods if they have finished using it. If the offerings are removed after use, the wine will be sprinkled on the paper ashes. In addition, the ninth day of September is the day when Mazu ascends to heaven, so offerings should be mainly vegetarian and fruit-based. The history and culture of Miao territory
I wonder if I can help you with the complete map of Miao territory in the 25th year of Jiaqing in the Qing Dynasty (1820 AD), including the west of Yuanjiang River, the south of Youjiang River, the north of Chenjiang River, and Hunan The area east of the junction of Guizhou and Guizhou is designated as Miao territory, surrounded by water on three sides in the east, south and north, and shielded by high mountains in the west. The Dalal'er Mountain stretches across Hunan and Guizhou provinces, and a platform is formed in its hinterland due to geological faults. Terrain, dots of Miao villages are scattered on the platform, with Phoenix City among them.
The city is surrounded by Miao villages, and the bilateral relationship is quite tense. The atmosphere in this small town surrounded by enemies must be unbearable. It will never be as harmonious and leisurely as it is today. There are different opinions on the origin of the Miao ancestors.
"Warring States Policy·Wei Ce" says: "In the past, the three seedlings lived, with the waves of Pengli on the left, the water of Dongting on the right, Wenshan Mountain to the south, and Hengshan Mountain to the north." Since the Ming and Qing Dynasties, many people have referred to ancient times. The "Three Miao" are affiliated to the Miao people of later generations. Legend has it that they are the descendants of Chi You, a warrior who was powerful for a while and belong to the tribe known as the "Jiuli".
In the long-term battles with the tribes of Yan, Huang, Yao, Shun, and Yu, they were defeated many times. They were gradually forced to move south from their habitats in the lower reaches of the Yellow River and the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, and settled in the desolate mountains of the southwest one after another. Known as "Southern Barbarians", part of them living in Hunan, Hubei, Sichuan and Guizhou regions was called "Wuling Barbarians" or "Wuxi Barbarians" during the Han and Tang Dynasties. The epic "Xiuba Xiuma" circulated by the Miao people in western Hunan records the history of the continuous migration of the Miao ancestors.
When they settled in the "Zhanchu Zhanpu" (Jianghan, Huaihe River Basin of Chu State), "they multiplied like fish and shrimps, and harvests piled up like mountains; the number of people increased, and the team became stronger and stronger. "Life is getting better and better, tree houses are covered with tiles and bricks; women wear silver and gold, men wear silk and satin; cows and horses are all over the slopes and ridges, and pigs and sheep are in pens and pens." Later, they were destroyed by the evil spirits "Long Ga" and "Long Feng", and were forced to leave the fertile plains and move to "Gaorong Bacuo" (the edge of Wuling Mountain area). They rebuilt a new home in Luxidong. The men came again to build a family and build a business, and the women came again to accumulate flax and spin thread." "The grains were plentiful, and the livestock were prosperous; the smoke from the cooking pots circled the ninety-nine ridges, and the songs resounded throughout the sky." Unexpectedly, the evil spirits came after them, and "the disaster spread throughout the ninety-nine ridges." In the Nineteen Ridges, there is no way for people to live in this world.”
The resistance of the seven clans and seven families of the Miao people failed, and they had no choice but to be like "fish in the river swimming upstream", being driven from the big river to the small river, and from the small river to the small stream. Starting a business again and again brings about migration to poorer areas again and again.
Nowadays, it is difficult to imagine how the ancestors of the Miao people supported the old and the young, reluctantly saying goodbye to their former homes, and going step by step deep into the hinterland of western Hunan, where wild beasts roamed through the impermanent forest and the sun never reached the sky.
The Miao people love to sing folk songs, but even on some very happy occasions today, the Miao songs will still sound sad and sad. Those choked and intermittent tunes have no intention of entertaining others and themselves. On the contrary, Revealing traces of one step, one breath, five steps and one back, perhaps the environment in which these Miao songs were born was the difficult, dangerous and unpredictable journey of the Miao family ancestors.
By the end of the Ming Dynasty and the beginning of the Qing Dynasty, the population of the Han people in the Central Plains increased sharply. In order to solve the contradiction between population and land, they continued to invade and occupy the Miao territory. The Miao people had no retreat and no defense. As a result, the Han and Miao ethnic groups were fighting for survival. Space is always at war with each other. The Miao people were forced step by step into the alpine zone of the southwest mountainous area, and their living environment became even worse.
According to "A Study on the Customs of Miao Defense and Preparation": "The climate in Miao is different from that in the mainland at four seasons. There is often black mist, and it becomes a little brighter at Zhuowu.
When it is hazy, At that time, people and animals could not see each other, and it was difficult to move their toes. In spring and summer, it rained continuously for ten days and months, and it was difficult to walk in the mud.
The rain has just begun, and the steaming air invades the muscles and bones. . The spring is cave lava, which is extremely cold in nature. Drinking it will ruin your stomach. The water and soil are bad, and outsiders often live in it. How to arrange Feng Shui in your home can help your career. Feng Shui Master Xu Shaofeng
Overview: House. The sitting direction determines the ventilation and light of the house to a large extent. A good sitting direction can bring fresh air and bright light to the house, while a bad sitting direction will make the house air hazy and the interior dark. It can be seen that the sitting direction of the house plays a role in the Feng Shui environment. Feng Shui master Xu Shaofeng pointed out that there are five geographical elements in Feng Shui theory, namely "dragon, cave, sand, water and direction". "Xiang" is one of the five essentials. When doing Feng Shui, you should pay attention to the sitting direction. The sitting direction is the relationship between the dragon and the bright hall. Only with the sitting direction can the order be distinguished. The sitting direction of a house determines the ventilation and light of the house to a large extent. A good sitting direction can bring fresh air and bright light to the house, while a bad sitting direction will make the air in the house hazy. The interior is dark. It can be seen that the sitting direction of the house plays a role in the Feng Shui environment. Feng shui master Xu Shaofeng pointed out that bad feng shui of the house will affect the feng shui. As we all know, in Feng Shui, to find a Feng Shui treasure, you must first look for the dragon veins. After finding a lively and live dragon, find out where the knot is based on the direction of the dragon. The place where the acupuncture points are formed is the energy gathering point of the mountain range and the best place to stay for energy. Sand plays a decisive role in whether an environment has the effect of storing wind and gathering energy. The direction is the vertical direction of the house, and its function is to choose the best degree at this knot point that stores wind and gathers energy to better receive the vitality of the dragon vein. According to Feng Shui master Xu Shaofeng, choose the best place to sit in an environment where the living dragon has the best energy gathering point and is surrounded by sand. This will make the water and sand in the Mingtang interact with each other, creating an auspicious magnetic field. This magnetic field can act on people through Feng Shui practices, producing the effect of attracting good fortune and avoiding evil.
Where a house is erected and what it faces will have a direct or indirect impact on the physical and mental health and career development of the people who live there. If the door of a house faces a smoky garbage dump, the pests and odors bred by the garbage dump will rush straight into the house. Breathing unhealthy air and looking at dirty garbage will not only make people physically and mentally unhealthy, but also It will affect people's mental mood. If you go out early in the morning, you will be in a bad mood. What can you do well on this day? But if the residential door faces the beautiful environment. The fresh air, the gurgling water, the singing of birds and the fragrance of flowers. Even if you are upset, seeing such a beautiful scene will instantly make you feel good. There is a saying in the Burial Sutra: Burial is the only way to gain vitality. According to Feng Shui master Xu Shaofeng, standing in the right direction is the best way to turn anger into peace. The right direction is directly related to the Feng Shui environment. Below, Feng Shui master Xu Shaofeng summarizes some key points of orientation for your reference.
1. Yang orientation. In the thousands of years of residential construction in China, facing the sun has been one of the constant basis for residential construction. When designing a house, it should be oriented towards the open side. In addition, if it is in the middle of a street, the wider one or the one with more pedestrians will be the yang direction. If there is a sea or a river next to the building, the house should be oriented towards the water.
2. Use reality as your seat and emptiness as your direction. According to Feng Shui master Xu Shaofeng, the real one refers to the room, stove or sacred place, and the weak one refers to the balcony or living room. That is to say, the sitting direction of the house should be with the room, stove or god's seat as the seat, and the balcony and living room as the direction. In modern houses, the living room usually has a balcony, so as to bring in sunlight and fresh air and create a comfortable residential environment.
3. If it is a rural residence, it should be located near mountains and rivers, with the mountain as the seat and the water as the orientation. If one room is connected to another and there is a patio, the direction should be toward the patio. If there is no patio, then the direction of the majority of the residences should be toward the direction. If there is a pond next to the bright hall, this should be the direction. If the yard is in the front, the yard should be the direction. If the yard is in the back, the vegetable field should be the seat.
When moving, how to invite ancestors and gods
1. Choose a good and auspicious day
2. Invite the gods first, then the ancestors
3. Arrange the seats of the gods
4. Otherwise, the impact on family fortune will be great and cannot be ignored!
Thank you basket and black umbrella (used when greeting ancestors, not gods)
1. Say goodbye and inform the gods (ancestors) that they are moving and the address of the new home is xxxxx
2. Place the ancestral tablets in the thank you basket, and hold an umbrella when leaving your old home
3. The thank you basket and the incense sticks get on the bus at the same time, and when you get on the bus, get off the bus, and cross the bridge , you must tell your ancestors
※There is no need to tie the red cloth on the ancestor's tablet. It is only necessary to tie the red cloth when you buy a new ancestor's tablet and take it home
4. After arriving at the new home, start to sit down on the god table
5. Before the gods (ancestors) go to the god table, they must first go through the fire (put a gold bucket in the middle of the living room)
6. Gods Use longevity gold to cross the fire
7. Ancestors use pruning gold to cross the fire
8. After the seating is completed, throw a 筊 to ask the gods (ancestors) whether they have arrived at the new home
※If when you sit down, you throw a 筊 and there is no holy 筊, you need to consider whether there are other problems. If when you sit down, you throw a 筊 and there is a holy 筊, it does not necessarily mean that your family’s gods (ancestors) have come to the new home. It may be that the spirit from the outside comes to the gods (ancestors) of your home and gives you the sacred seal
※ Therefore, if ordinary people are not sure that the gods and ancestors who came to their new home are their own gods and ancestors, it is best to ask a professional Teacher, come and take a seat!
When you arrive at your new home, you must report it to the door god. Only ancestors and gods can enter.
Gods belong to the family god, and your ancestors are your family members. After entering your new home, you do not need to report it to the door god. of! How do villains avoid disasters?
The following information is quoted for your reference. This is a southern custom. I don’t know what the situation is like in your area.
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Beat villains
Open categories: Witchcraft
Contents
? Villains
? Time
? Place
? Ritual
Beating villains is a popular witchcraft ritual among the people in Hong Kong and Guangdong. It is hoped that this kind of witchcraft ritual can be used to expel and take revenge on the so-called "villains".
Villain
In concept, "villain" not only refers to a specific person, but can also be an unspecified person relative to a "noble person". The traditional Chinese cosmology is a dualistic cosmology, which has given rise to various folk witchcraft beliefs, such as "yang" and "yin"; "heaven" and "earth"; "good" and "evil". "; "Male" and "Female"...etc., the same goes for "little man" and "noble man".
Time
The time for beating villains varies in different temples. The most popular day is "Jingzhe", and other times are on the sixth, sixteenth, and twenty-sixth day of each month in the lunar calendar or according to the almanac. The "Exception Day" is recorded. According to folklore, "Jingzhe" is the day when all dormant things are awakened by spring thunder. Therefore, all kinds of slanderous creatures, including villains, white tiger stars, etc., also start to move. Therefore, it is necessary to beat villains at this time to prevent villains from harming them. The "Six" day and the "Chu" day are Yin numbers and Yin days in traditional Chinese cosmology, so they are also the day to eliminate villains on this day.
Location
Beating villains is usually done in dark places, such as under bridges. In Hong Kong, the Goose Neck Bridge between Causeway Bay and Wan Chai has become a popular place for beating up villains. Every time when the Waking of Insects occurs, many people go to the local Tu Tu Temple to engage in villain-killing activities. In the past, most of them were elderly people, but in recent years, young people have also participated.
Ritual
In terms of its purpose, the purpose of beating villains can be divided into negative witchcraft that prevents beforehand and positive witchcraft that targets specific people. The ritual is simulated witchcraft. Mixed with contact with witchcraft.
The client entrusts a specific god worshiper or Nangao to use paper cut into a human shape. On the paper, the specific person's information is written or no information is written according to the needs. Shoes or other objects are used to beat the paper to achieve the commission. The purpose of the person.
The entire villain-beating ceremony can be divided into eight parts:
Worshiping the gods: using simple incense candles to worship the gods of heaven and earth.
Report: Write the client’s name, birthday, etc. on the Baijie Talisman. If you want to hit a specific villain, write or place on the villain paper the name, birthday, photo, clothing and other things that can represent the identity of the specific villain.
Beating the villain: Using various symbols, such as the shoes of the client or the caster, religious symbolic weapons, or even incense sticks or cigarettes, to beat and hurt the villain. The paper figurines are divided into figurine paper, man paper, woman paper, five ghost paper, etc.
Sacrifice the white tiger: If you beat a villain on the Day of Waking of Insects, you must sacrifice the white tiger. The white tiger is represented by a yellow paper tiger. The body of the paper is painted with black markings and the corners of the paper are painted with a pair of fangs. Sacrifice usually involves using small pieces of raw pork dipped in pig blood and putting them into the mouth of a paper white tiger (feeding the paper tiger). When the tiger is full, it will no longer hurt people.
The worshipers will also smear the mouth of the paper tiger with fatty pork to fill the paper tiger's mouth with oil and water, so that it can no longer open its mouth to hurt others. In some places, after the white tiger is sacrificed, the paper white tiger is burned or its head is cut off with a copper sword.
To resolve: scatter all slanders, disasters, etc. with small objects such as sesame seeds and beans, or burn paper boats, Baijie talismans, etc. to eliminate disasters.
Prayer: Use the red noble paper to pray for the help of noble people.
Jinbao: Burn ingots, gold and silver paper, etc. as offerings to ghosts and gods.
Playing cups: "Throwing a scorpion", throwing two half-moon-shaped wooden blocks, with one side flat and the other curved outward. If the two flat pieces point upward, they are the Yang cup, and if they point downward, they are the Yin cup. The one at the bottom and the other at the top are the Holy Grail. The appearance of the Holy Grail signifies the completion of the ritual.
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Contributors (***1):
How did China's Lantern Festival originate
The origin and allusions of the Lantern Festival
The Lantern Festival originated in the Han Dynasty of China, and there are many traditional folk customs. Taiwanese proverbs and customs are also full of interest. It is said that the Lu family rebellion was put down on the 15th day of the first lunar month, so Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty designated this day as the Yuanxiao Festival. Later, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty further designated the Lantern Festival as the "Shangyuan Lantern Festival" , ordered the whole country to light up lanterns and celebrate the festival that day? To worship "Taiyi God", that is, the God who dominates the universe.
The Lantern Festival is also known as the "Shangyuan Festival". Folks believe that among the Taoist "Three Officials" (Three Realms), the "Shangyuan Nine Qi Blessed Tianguandongling Yuanyang Ziwei" ” birthday, it is the duty of Emperor Tianguan to bless you, and the auspicious saying “Tianguan bless you” comes from this.
There are many folk customs and proverbs related to the Lantern Festival, among which "stealing customs" is more special and interesting. It is said that unmarried men and women "steal onions to marry a good man, steal vegetables to marry a good woman" on Lantern Festival night "Sister-in-law, jumping on vegetable stocks to marry a good person, stealing an old man to get a good person". If a newlywed or married woman wants to have a boy, she can "steal a bamboo fence to get a boy" on Yuanxiao Night, or on the Lantern Festival Dang Yao went to the temple "Ling Dengjiao, Ruan Yao will be the father at the end of the year."
In addition, it is also customary to use "listening to incense" on the Lantern Festival night to predict good or bad luck. If you want to predict good or bad luck, you can first tell the gods what you want to divination in the gods' hall at home, and then use the scorpion to determine the direction of travel. , and listen carefully to the conversations of others while traveling, and after returning home, ask the gods for instructions to judge good or bad luck.
There is another Lantern Festival custom of "sacrifice to Dong Shi Niang", which is less well-known. It is said that Dong Shi during the Warring States Period was ugly, but he was good at female beauty. At the age of twenty, she On Yuanxiao Night of the year, she drowned while picking up embroidered shoes in the toilet. Later, Fu said that if a girl wants to learn the highly praised nvrou skills, she needs to prepare candies, sweet cakes and an embroidered shoe in the toilet on Yuanxiao Night. In front of "Sacrifice to Shi Niang".
Customs
The Lantern Festival is a traditional festival in China, so it is celebrated all over the country. The customs in most areas are similar, but each place still has its own characteristics.
Eating Yuanxiao
Eating Yuanxiao on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. "Yuanxiao" has been a food in our country for a long time. In the Song Dynasty, a novel food eaten during the Lantern Festival was popular among the people. This kind of food was first called "Fu Yuanzi" and later "Yuanxiao". Businessmen also euphemistically called it "Yuanbao". Yuanxiao, or "tangyuan", is stuffed with sugar, rose, sesame, bean paste, cinnamon, walnut kernels, nuts, jujube paste, etc., and is wrapped into a round shape with glutinous rice flour. It can be meat or vegetarian and has different flavors. It can be boiled in soup, fried or steamed, and has the meaning of happy reunion. Shaanxi glutinous rice balls are not wrapped, but are "rolled" in glutinous rice flour. They are either boiled or deep-fried and heated until they are round and round.
Guan Deng
During the Yongping period of Emperor Ming of the Han Dynasty (AD 58--75), because Emperor Ming promoted Buddhism, it happened that Cai Min returned from India to seek Buddhism and was called the Indian Mahatma. On the fifteenth day of every first lunar month in China, monks gather to pay homage to the Buddha's relics. It is an auspicious day to visit the Buddha. In order to promote Buddhism, Emperor Ming of the Han Dynasty ordered that on the fifteenth night of the first lunar month, lanterns should be lit in the palace and temples to show the Buddha. Since then, the custom of putting out lanterns during the Lantern Festival has spread to the people instead of being only held in the palace. That is to say, every fifteenth day of the first lunar month, both nobles and common people hang up lanterns, and the cities and villages are brightly lit all night long.
The custom of setting off lanterns during the Lantern Festival developed into an unprecedented lantern market in the Tang Dynasty. At that time, Chang'an, the capital city, was already the world's largest city with a population of one million, and its society was prosperous. Under the emperor's personal initiative, the Lantern Festival became more and more luxurious. After the mid-Tang Dynasty, it has developed into a national carnival. During the prosperous Kaiyuan period of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty (AD 685--762), the lantern market in Chang'an was very large, with 50,000 burning lanterns and various lanterns. The emperor ordered a huge lantern tower to be built, with 20 rooms in total and 150 feet high. The golden light is dazzling and extremely spectacular.
In the Song Dynasty, the Lantern Festival was superior to the Tang Dynasty in terms of scale and fantasy and exquisite lighting. Moreover, the activities were more folk-oriented and had stronger national characteristics. Later, the Lantern Festival Lantern Festival continued to develop, and the Lantern Festival became longer and longer. The Lantern Festival in the Tang Dynasty lasted "one day before and after the Yuan Dynasty". In the Song Dynasty, two days were added after the 16th day of the lunar month. In the Ming Dynasty, it was extended to ten days from the eighth to the eighteenth day of the lunar month.
In the Qing Dynasty, when the Manchu people took over the Central Plains, the palace no longer held lantern festivals, but the folk lantern festivals were still spectacular. The date was shortened to five days and continues to this day.
Lamps have the meaning of light and birth in Taiwanese folk. Lighting lanterns means illuminating the future. In Taiwanese, lanterns and ding are homophones for giving birth to boys. Therefore, in the past, women would deliberately walk under the lanterns during the Lantern Festival. , hoping to "walk under the lamp to give birth to a boy."