Spring Cleaning before the New Lunar Year arrives (清囤淨神好過年)

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Sending Off of Kitchen Deity (送灶) and Ushering in of Jade Emperor of Heaven’s (玉皇出巡) Inspection of the Mortal Realm are completed, now it’s the time for us, the Taoists & Chinese to do necessary Cleaning up for the Home before a New Lunar Year arrives. In English term, this is known as Spring Cleaning, in Chinese & Dialect, we address this Event as Qing Tun (清囤) – you may wish to read more on Qing Tun at http://javewutaoismplace.blogspot.sg/2008/01/la-yue-customs-lunar-12-month-customs_8985.html

Cleansing using Herbs: http://javewutaoismplace.blogspot.sg/2008/07/cleansing-of-ones-home-with-chinese.html

In here, I will like to concentrate on the Cleaning of Home Altar & Statues (upon request by most of the Members here).

A lot of People had been asking Jave on how to do the Cleaning of Home Altar in-order not to Offend the Deities and usually my reply is that, Deities wont get Offended unless Oneself has done something really nasty to the Home Altar or Statues.

In here, I will share some simple Procedure on the Cleaning of Home Altars & Statues. Here it goes:

Step 1: Choose a Good Day & remember to do it before 11.00Am. For those who are working, then no choice, you have to do it before 9.00Pm.

Step 2: Prepare a Basin of Yin-Yang Water (50% Hot & 50% Cold Water 陰陽清淨水), add in 5-colored Flowers (exclude White 五色花) & some Pomelo (柚子葉) or Pomengranate Leaves (石榴葉). Remember to Prepare a New Cleaning Towel too, White & Black are Not Usable (these 2 are only mend for Cleaning the Body of Pass-ons).

Step 3: Once the Water is Ready, Light 3 Incenses, after then, report to the Home Deities on What is Today’s Date & What are you going to Do, once after Reporting, Place the Incenses into the Urn.

Step 4: For Layman Taoists/Chinese, Life One of the Pomelo Leave out from the Yin-Yang Water, Sprinkle on the Altar surrounding, after doing so, Use the Leave to slighting push the Statues side-way, do not use too much Strength, if not, you will damage the Statues by knocking onto somewhere.

This Pushing is a Symbolisation of Moving and Respectful request the Energies in the Statues to leave for a while, while the Cleaning is taking Place.

Step 5: Upon Reporting & Cleansing the surrounding, its time to Invite the Statues down onto a Clean Table (spread a piece of Red Cloth/Paper on the surface), allowing the Statues to temporary rest on the Table while Cleaning take process.

Step 6: Rinse the Towel with Yin-Yang Water, start cleaning the Statues from Head, then Ears, Body, Arms, Hands, Legs, Weapons and last, the Face. Do not scrub the face, just Gently use the Rinsed Towel to clean the surface, as long as the Face look Clean, the Cleaning can stop. Remember not to bring the whole Statues to rinse under Running Tap, this is one of the most Disrespectful action to take.

Step 7: Once all the Statues are Cleaned, then slowly retrieve the Urn down from the Altar to do polishing or cleaning. Remember, the Incenses in the Urn will still be Burning, do not Throw it away, just Respectfully retrieve it out and Place on a flat surface or some people will place the Incenses onto a Huat Kueh (發糕). During the whole Cleaning, the Incenses that use for Reporting must stay burning, so try to use Long Incenses.

Upon completing the Polishing & Cleaning of the Urn, place the Incenses back into the Urn.

Step 8: Using the remaining Yin-Yang Water, Clean the whole Altar and the Back-wall of the Altar. Make sure that ALL Spider-web & other Insects’ remaining are being Clear-off.

Step 9: Once ALL the Cleaning are Ready, Place the Urn back onto the Altar 1st, follow by Inviting the Lowest Ranking Deity onto the Altar, following by the Highest Ranking, etc.

Before allowing the Statues to sit on the Statue Seat, the Statues must go Across the Burning Incenses, this is a Symbolisation of Requesting the Deities to come back. Once all Statues are In-place, then place back ALL the cleaned Items onto the Altar to their respective position.

Step 10: Once everything is In-place, place 1 set of 5 Oranges (桔子五粒), 1 Huat Kueh (發糕一個), 1 Nian Gao (年糕一個) & 3 cups of Freshly brew Chinese Tea (清茶三杯) onto the Altar. Respectfully light 3 Incenses and report to the Deities that ALL cleaning have been done and request them to return back to their seats.

You can follow this Simple Phrase:

諸位神明在上。
Zhu Wei Shen Ming Zai Shang

現今清台淨神之事宜已經圓滿。
Xian Jin Qing Tai Jing Shen Zhi Shi Yi Yi Jing Yuan Man

敬請諸位神明回歸寶座。
Jing Qing Zhu Wei Shen Ming Hui Gui Bao Zuo

待受弟子供奉。
Dai Shou Di Zi Gong Yang

Then make 3 Bows and place the Incenses into the Urn. Once this is Done, everything is consider Successfully completed.