Ending of 7th Month Celebration 2009 (己丑年七月普度圓滿日)

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18 Sep 2009 (Friday), 30th Day of Lunar 7 Month, is considered as the Last Day of the 7th Month Celebration and in Folks Culture, this is the Day where the Spirits that being release-out to the Mortal Realm to go back reporting to the Nether World.

In Singapore now, it is also a Day to cease Religions-conflict & Dis-tolerance.

This Year, while I was being invited to visit a few Sintuas & 7th Month Celebrations, I got quite a number of "Sorrows" from the Committee & Members, "Sorrows" such as People calling the Town Council complaining on the Burning of Papers, Sound Pollution caused by the Entertainment Performances (such as Operas, Getai & Auction-shouting) and last, the Rituals conducted by the Priests or other Religious Masters.

To me, I can said that this is quite common cos to some of the other People in the Community, they still cant accept what our Chinese Culture is and also, Bonding among different Religions & Races still not yet meet up with the necessary Understanding & Tolerance.

Recently Years, our Local Government has been doing strong promotion on Religious Harmony & Understanding, including this Year's National Day Rally, our PM Lee had been encouraging our Nation to be more Tolerance on the different Culture of our Local different Races, but again, this type of Understanding & Tolerance only applied to a Small Group of People in our Country and to the Large Number of our Local People, they are still Lack of Education on the Accepting of other Races' Culture & Belief.

And so, while I got their "Sorrows", I can only encouraged them by, being more Open-minded & Acceptive. As Taoists, we shall start the Ball-rolling, we shall be more Acceptive such as when the other Races or Religions needed our Assistances, we try to be the 1st to reach out our Helping Hands and also, participate in any other Religions' Ceremonies or Rituals.

As Taoists, we shall not complaint or look down on other People's Faith or Belief. We accept them by accepting with Respect and do not need to promote them un-necessarily. This is a very Important Point that ALL Taoists must take note.

After knowing of the "Sorrows" that our Local Taoists & Chinese are facing, I was being direct to another Serious Issue on the Naming of the 7th Month Celebration.

Till today, alot of Folks Groups still used the Term Hungry Ghost Festival for the 7th Month Celebration, which I can said that, this is a very Serious Mistake made since after Tang Dynasty (唐朝).

In Taoism, we do not have the Term Hungry Ghost Festival, cos in Taoism, we do not have such Practise as Salvaging the Narrow-neck & Bloated-stomach Spirits. This Term Hungry Ghost comes from Non-Taoist Religion and of cos, this is their Mistake of Introducing such a Wrong Idea of Hungry Ghost, but we must accept that, this is being annouced to the World due to their Compassionate for the Hungry Ghosts.

In Taoism, 7th Month Celebration is a Period where we Taoists & Chinese show our Gratitude to the Ancestors & also the Pass-on Credit Holders, such as Pioneers of the Country or Warriors who fight for us during Wars. This type of Gratitude Returning actually started since Zhou Dynasty (周朝), which is few thousand years ago from now. And in Taoism, we shall address this Period as Xiao Si Jie (孝思節) or Xiao Qin Jie (孝親節).

Recently, the most ridiculous thing I encountered was, I over heard a group of Followers from a Non-Taoist Religion telling the other members that, actually Hungry Ghost's Theory started from Taoism, in there Religion, there isnt any Hungry Ghosts, they just follow the Teaching of the One who got Enlighted after Openingf up his Wisdom on the Live & Death Issues.

Immediately after hearing what they said, I was a bit Upset on, why nowadays, this Religion keep wanting to Degrade Taoism? Arent they being taught to Put-down ALL un-necessary Thoughts & Desire? With such Un-realistic Comments, wont they add on their Verbal Debts? I think our Religious Society shall really put in more Effort in Educating their Followers, if not, I'm sure sooner or later, another Religious War will be encountered.

Ok, back to the Topic of the Last Day of the 7th Month Celebration.

On this Day, actually for the Taoists or Chinese, we need not need to prepare much Offerings, cos we are ALL sure that these Good Brothers & Sisters have already had their FULL Meal since the Day when they were being released out.

For those who are doing the Honouring, just prepared some simple Kuehs or Cookies Stuffs & Paper Offerings for the Wanderings will do.

After Sunset, just Offered the Offerings to the Wanderings and once the Offerings are being made, this will Round-up the whole Month's Celebration.

I'm sure to some of those who are Timid or being affected by the Un-realistic Myths, after 18 Sep, this will considered as a form of Relief for them.

In here, I got some advises to ALL:

1) Wanderings do not only appeared in 7th Month Period, but almost everyday & everywhere

2) Do not get afraid of them, cos they are just like us Mortals, they just need assistance from us in-order for them to leave this Realm Peacefully & Faster

3) Do no have the intention that such Wanderings will harm you, cos they wont even want to bother Mortals when Mortals didnt take Initiation of harming them. In this Mortal Realm, the most scary being is Mortal and not the Other Beings

4) For sure, Wanderings wont come near to you un-necessary unless you delibrately Open-up yourself for them

Last of ALL, wishes everyone a Good Month ahead.