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In Taoism & other Chinese Religions, Paper Offering is one of the many types of Offerings that Chinese needed to prepare before honouring Deities & Ancestors.
Due to lack of Information and Passing-down on the Actual Usage & Knowledge on the various Paper Offerings, some of the Paper Offerings have been mis-used or being omitted by the Chinese as Time pass-by.
In here, I will like to do a brief intro on 1 type of Old and Rarely seen Paper Offering that Taoist or Chinese used while paying respect to Lord Bei Dou aka Bei Dou Xing Jun (北斗星君) - known as Qi Xing Zhi/Fu aka Seven Stars Paper (七星紙/符).
According to the Records on Paper Offerings, this Seven Stars Paper was being created in Late Ming Dynasty (明朝末年) or Early Qing Dynasty (清朝). This invention was to allow the Taoist or Chinese to honour the Lord Bei Dou and also, to get connected with the Lord Bei Dou in-order to get the Blessing on the Pro-longing of One's Age during this Physical Mortal Life.
Besides that, Taoist & Chinese also believed that, by Offering this Seven Stars Paper to Lord Bei Dou, Ones's Sins & Debts will be Eliminated or Cleared before & after Oneself Pass-on (death).
With the Blessing of the Lord Bei Dou, Oneself will be Blessed with Good Lucks and also, getting the Spiritual Assistances from the Deities of Prosperity & Fortune.
So how to Offer such Papers?
First, by just doing Burning on the 1st & 15th Day of the Lunar Month after honouring the Deities
Second, by doing Burning after Taoist Priests conducted the Honouring of Lord Bei Dou Ritual/Ceremony, in Chinese known as Li Dou (禮斗) or Bai Dou (拜斗)
Third, by doing Burning on every 7th Day of Lunar Month, cos in Taoism, Taoists believed that on every 7th Day of the Lunar Month, Lord Bei Dou will descend into this Mortal Realm to do Inspection on the Mortals on their Good & Bad doings.
So how many Pieces or Stacks to be Offered?
Usually One Piece to Seven Pieces will be used.
Any other Items needed to add to the Paper Offerings in-order to get the Best Effect?
Not necessary, but if Oneself is able to do Chanting on the Bei Dou Scripture (北斗真經) or Bei Dou Bao Gao (北斗寶誥) before the Burning-off of the Paper, that will be the Best.
So can we get such Papers in the Market now?
I can say its quite Impossible as not much People really know of how to use it nowadays.
Usually when People doing their honouring of Deities, they will just Offered the Normal Paper Offerings such as Shou Jin (壽金) or Gui Ren Paper (貴人紙), other than that, People will just regards them as Troublesome and Not-necessary.
What a waste that this is not often practiced.
ReplyDeleteReasons are:
ReplyDelete1) No one promote it
2) No one appreciate it
3) Someone mis-interpret it
Thanks for bring back the actual culture and really appreciate all your advises and HARD WORK. Keep up the good work and be bless with all the holiness in the Taoist believe.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your compliment. I will try my best to withold the Upright Culture as much as I can.
ReplyDeletesifu, where can get d paper now?
ReplyDeleteNot possible liao, unless I request the Masters to reprint them.
ReplyDeleteTo re-print is how much and d qty coz i want to practise d old way and it's such a waste to our culture to juz let it go.
ReplyDeleteHmmm, usually they will print in bulks or boxes, will let you know when the Masters are willingly to print :P
ReplyDeleteSure. Then maybe have to get in box lor but dunno take how long to fully utilise it
ReplyDeleteHahaha, for such Papers, you can distribute to those who in need, so probably it will use-up very fast.
ReplyDeleteGood idea.
ReplyDeleteHi, can i get the source "Records on Paper Offerings" from you?is it a book, websites or?thank you
ReplyDeleteThis is from a Book, I will try to import in the Books soon. Will keep you update.
ReplyDelete