Paper Offering Intro Series 5 - Jiang Bao Paper (祭祀紙禡簡介之江寶紙)

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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 any form of Honouring.

In here, I will like to share with ALL of you on a Type of Paper that have been used since the First Day Master Cai Lun (蔡倫) founded Incense-paper/Josspaper.

This Type of Paper is known as Jiang Bao Zhi (江寶紙) or Da Jiang Bao (大江寶) aka The Raw Gold, in some other Dialects, this Type of Paper is also being known as Da Guang Bao (大光寶) or Da Jin Bao (大金寶).

Due to misconception & misunderstanding, this Type of Paper is being Wrongly use in nowadays, Folks thought that by Burning this Type of Paper, after Reaching the Spiritual Realms, the Paper will be able to Transformed into any form of Objects that the Spiritual Beings want, which is NOT True.

So what is the Main Purpose of using this Type of Paper?

According to Records, this Type of Paper got a few Usages:

1) Represent the Raw Gold (代表金礦)

2) Represent Spiritual Money (代表金錢)

3) Act as the Wealth-gaining Bowl for placing the Gold that being offered to the Deities/Beings (化身\聚寶盆)

For this Type of Paper, usually is being Widely or Commonly used by the Teochew Clan (潮州籍貫), Cantonese Clan (廣州籍貫), Shanghai Clan (上海籍貫) & Hu-Bei/Nan Clan (湖北/南籍貫). This Type of Paper can considered as Wai Jiang Offering (外江紙供品), meaning Offerings that are not part of the Min Nan Offerings.

Today, this Type of Paper is still being used in Temples, Home or During Special Occasions. But due to Misconception & Cultural-Revolution, alot of Taoists or Chinese do not know of what are the Purposes of using it.

Now in the Market, Oneself is able to see more various Type of such Paper, the other Types are known as Er Jiang Bao (二江寶), San Jiang Bao (三江寶) & Xiao Jiang Bao (小江寶). The difference is only the Size which the main use of the Paper does not change.



Some People will claimed that the Smaller-size Jiang Bao Papers are used to Honour Ancestors whereas the Da Jiang Bao is being used to Honour High Position Deities, which this can also considered Correct.

So what is the Origin of this Paper?

According to Stories, Jiang Bao Paper was being invented by Cai Lun while he found out that the Business of his Paper-business dropped. So together with his Wife, Cai Lun spreaded the News of by Burning this Type of Paper, the Death would be able to Return back to Life and for those who used this Paper for Requesting of Blessings, they would be Blessed.

And so from then, this Type of Paper was being Believed to have "Spiritual Power" and so, slowly, Burning of Paper started to become a Common-way of making Offering to the Deities or Spiritual Beings.

Due to the Material-use to make the Paper was Ma aka Hemp (麻), and so, the Paper tend to look Raw & Rough. And so, after a certain Period, Taoists & Chinese believed that by Offering this Type of Paper to Deities or Spiritual Beings, it's just the same as Offering Raw Gold to them.

So how to use it during Honouring?

Usually for Cantonese, they will

1st spread the Da Jiang Bao at the Base, treat it like a Bowl and then,



2nd, Add in Ping An Jin (平安金).
3rd Add in the Gui Ren/Bai Jie Paper (貴人紙/百解)
4th Add in the Deities Paper Robes & Hats (紙神袍)
5th Add in the Da Gui Ren & Green Horse (大貴人紙/祿馬)
6th Add in the Spiritual Petition (come in different Colors' Envelopes 疏文)
7th, Add in the Colorful Printed Paper with Fu Lu Shou Pictures known as Yun Pen (運盆)
8th, Add in the Zhao Cai Paper aka Wealth Ushering Paper - Paper-cutting (招財金)
9th, Add in Dui Jin (對金) or Shou Jin (壽金)

Once its Completed, it will be Ready for Honouring.

Note: Remember Not to add in the Hell-note while Offering Deities.