Offering the First Set of Incenses to the Deities (新年獻頭香)

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At the End of an Old Lunar Year and at the Beginning of a New Lunar Year, Taoists and Chinese will tend to rush (with Push & Pull) to Temples or any Religious Venues to offer their First Set of Incenses to the Deities, in Chinese known as Tou Xiang (頭香).

But do you all know that, since the First Temple that allows Taoists and Chinese to offer the First Set of Incenses, the Temple has being showing the wrong practice to the Public and also not performing it correctly.

In Taoism & Chinese Customs, the Offering of the First Set of Incenses to the Heaven & Deities must be done in a Calm, Peaceful & Happier method, but now, in the Folks Market, you will see Fighting, Bidding, Bribing & Snatching to get hold of the Only & First chance to place the Incenses into the Urn, which is not Correct & Upright.

And I can strongly & frankly to tell you all that, People who offer the First Set of Incenses in this method wont be Blessed or Look-after by the Heaven or Deities, vice-versa, the Luck & Fortune will be affected immediately after the 15th Day of Lunar 1 Month.

So what is the Meaning of Offering the First Set of Incenses?

Actually, the Offering of the First Set of Incenses means that, in anytime of the Lunar New Year Period, oneself Offered the very First Set of Incenses to the Heaven & Deities and not, snatching to be the First Person to grab the Choice of putting in the Incenses into the Urn of any Temples.

To be honest, the Best Place to offer the First Set of Incenses to the Heaven & Deities is at Home. For those who does not have an Altar, then just visit any nearby Temples to offer your First Set of Incenses, not necessary to be accurately at 0000 Hour (子時), any day or any time in the Lunar New Year Period is considered Fine & Okay.

And remember, to do it Correctly & Uprightly.

So how to do it Correctly & Uprightly?

Here is the Taoist Official Practice:

1) Oneself or the Family Members must Clean-up and also make sure that the Home is Clean (visiting Temples, no choice but to accept)
2) Get the Long Incenses of about or more than 48cm (to request to Longevity & Prosperity)
3) Light the Incenses with your Left Hand and fan-off the Flame with Right Hand (do not blow off the Flame with your mouth, this is a form of Dis-respect)
4) Sincerely Stand In-front of the Altar or any Spot that you can see the Sky (not necessary to squeeze with people inside the Temple)
5) Make 3 Sincere Bows
6) Recite the Offering Incense Mantra (祝香神咒):

道由心學。心假香傳。
Dao You Xin Xue. Xin Jia Xiang Chuan

香熱玉爐。心存帝前。
Xiang Re Yu Lu. Xin Cun Di Qian

真靈下盼。仙旆臨軒。
Zhen Ling Xia Pan. Xian Pei Lin Xuan

今民關告。經達九天。(for Priests, we will recite 今臣關告 Jin Chen Guan Gao)
Jin Min Guan Gao. Jin Da Jiu Tian

7) Make 3 Bows again
8) Report who you are, what is the Event Today and where you stay
9) Request the necessary Requests
10) After requests being made, make 3 Bows
11) Offer the Incenses into the Urn and walk off.

In total, you will need to make 9 Bows, this is the Ultimate Chinese Customs of giving the Highest Respect, without these 9 Bows and Recitation of the Zhu Xiang Zhou, most of the Request wont be answered.

So, this Year, try to be perform the Offering of First Set of Incenses in the Official Way. Dont be part of the Ignorant Folks and end-up fighting & quarreling with the others on the First Day of Lunar New Year.

All the Best.