Introduction of the 3 Traditional Offerings for Salvation Ritual (傳統普度三色粿簡介)

 
In here, you will be able to see the 3 different types of Traditional Offerings aka Kuehs that being used in the Salvation Ritual for the Suffering Souls during Big Celebrations or Seventh Month Ceremonies.

These 3 types of Kuehs are commonly being seen in Singapore, but again, due to the changes in our Chinese Religions and the Misconceptions that being passed-down by some Folks, these 3 Kuehs are being eliminated from using in some of the Rituals, which seems to have disconnected the Traditional Culture that our Ancestors & Masters had imparted to us.

Again, in-order to keep the Culture going, here I will like to do a brief intro on the various Kuehs and their simple usage during a Salvation Ritual.

Mo He (摩喝), in Hokkien known as Mor Hay, a type of very Old Traditional Kueh that being used in Salvation Ritual. The outlook of this Kueh looks quite similar to Kueh Nen Khor (雞蛋糕), a type of Cake with raisins (葡萄干), in Singapore.

So when this type of Kueh originated (普度三色粿之由來)?

According to History, this Kueh was being founded in the Three Kingdom Period, while Premier Zhu Ge Kong Ming (諸葛孔明) fighting against Duke Cao Cao (曹操).

During one of the Battle between Cao Cao, a General was being sentenced to be beheaded, but due to the Credits & Merits that this General had accumulated, he should not be punished that severely and so, the other Generals approached Premier Zhu Ge Kong Ming for solutions.

Upon hearing the request, Kong Ming went straight to the Cooking Area in the Camp and ask the Chef to prepare Kilograms of Flour and Water, in the water, he mixed some coloring to make it look like the skin-color of a Human.

Once the Flour and Water were well-mixed, he started to pound and slam on the Dough to make it soft and tender. After a while, Kong Ming shaped the Dough into a Big Ball shape (about the size of a Human Head in Three Kingdom Era) and then asked the Chef to steam it.

Within Hour, the Steam-Dough was ready and after the Dough was being removed from the Pot, Kong Ming used some other ingredients to add onto the Steam-Dough to make it look like Eyes of Human, etc.

And last, Kong Ming splashed some Red-coloring Water onto the Steam-Dough and asked the other Generals to present this Steam-Dough to the Officer-in-Charge, claiming that this was the Head of the Beheaded General.

Just as the Steam-Dough was being presented to the Officer-in-Charge, the Officer-in-Charge regretted and thought that everything was too late. At this moment, Kong Ming came in and he explained the whole situation to the Officer. After knowing that, the Officer was relieved and from then, this Story was being spread around in the Camp and also, in the Society of the Commoners.

Due to the using of the different Colorings & ingredients in Kong Ming’s creation and so, today, you are able to see that the Raisins are widely being used – why? To represent the ingredient that being used to represent the Eyes and the Red-dot onto of the Kueh – to represent the Blood of the Head.

And so, during Salvation Rituals, this Mo He aka Mor Hay (摩喝由諸葛孔明所創作) is being used to represent Human or Male, once the Priest released or throw out this Mo He or Mor Hay, meaning that the Souls of Human or Male will be Salvaged.

Bi Tao aka Pi Toh (碧桃), a type of Traditional Kueh that being created after Mo He being imported into the Salvation Ritual.

In the Ancient Era, while Mo He was being used in the Ritual, Priests and Spiritual Masters founded out that, while the Salvation, mostly the Male Souls were being Salvaged whereas the Female Souls were not being taken good-care with.

And so, one day, while the people were preparing the Mo He Dough, a Lady suddenly being possessed by some Entities and started to do certain un-explainable actions.

Just at the moment where a Dough was being completed, the Lady started to open her mouth and say something:

Mo He Pei Bi Tao (摩喝配碧桃)
Nan Nv Sheng Tian Zao (男女昇天早)

Meaning that, Mo He must come along with Bi Tao and with these 2 Kuehs, the Souls of the Male & Female will be able to be Salvaged in short Period.

From then, Pi Tao is another Traditional Kueh that cannot be missed out during such Rituals.

If you will to take a closer look at the shape of a Bi Tao, actually it is showing you the significant-sign of a Female (the Legs and the Private-area) and take note that, this Bi Tao is different from the normal Peach-bun that we used for Deities Birthday or Big Celebration. The tips of the Pi Tao must not be pointing Upwards.

Hong Yuen aka Ang Ee (紅圓) or Ang Pao (紅包), a very common Traditional Kueh that being widely used in Chinese Customs, Rituals & Ceremonies.

According to Chinese Custom, this is a Kueh to represent Smooth, Round and Reunion (圓滿/順利/團圓).

During Rituals/Ceremonies, usually this Kueh will be used in the very ending part. This is to show the People & Beings that the Event here is considered End and the Whole Event is being carried out Smoothly & Fully. Hope that, the other Beings are happy and willingly to accept the different Offerings and of cos, to Bless the Beings.

And so, during the Salvation Ritual/Ceremony, these Ang Ee must come along with the other 2 Kuehs, in-order marked a Nicely Ending of Salvation.

Next time, while you are attending any such Salvation Ritual/Ceremony, take a closer look at the different Offerings, see whether you can find these 3 Kuehs, if not, you shall know that the People there are not following the Traditions.