15th Day of Lunar 7 Month aka Zhong Yuan Day (中元), in Taoism, this Day is known as the Merit Inspection (考校天下) of Heavenly Lord Di Guan aka Di Guan Da Di (地官大帝), the Heavenly Lord in-charging of the Eliminating of Sins & Debts for ALL Beings (赦罪萬靈).
For Year 2010, Zhong Yuan Day falls on 24 Aug, a Tuesday.
For Year 2011, Zhong Yuan Day falls on 14 Aug, a Sunday.
On this Day, Taoists will also conduct Official & Grand Rituals/Ceremonies dedicating to Heavenly Lord Di Guan for the requesting of Eliminatin g of Sins & Debts for Oneself, Ancestors, Pass-on Love Ones and also, ALL Beings. Besides that, Taoists will also performed a special Ceremony of Sending-off/Burying-into-the-Soil of a Spiritual Petition directing to Heavenly Lord Di Guan for the begging of Forgiveness of the Sins & Debts that Oneself or the People around oneself had done.
In the Rituals/Ceremonies, One of the most Important Honouring Respect that needed to be conducted will be the Chanting of Di Guan Bao Chan (地官寶懺) or full title known as Yuan Shi Tian Zun Shuo Zhong Yuan Er Pin Di Guan She Zui Bao Chan (元始天尊說中元二品地官赦罪寶懺), some context recorded as Ling Bao Tian Zun Shuo Zhong Yuan Er Pin Di Guan She Zui Bao Chan (靈寶天尊說中元二品地官赦罪寶懺).
This Spiritual Petition is known as San Guan Shou Shu (三官手書) or Di Guan Shou Shu (地官手書). In the modern Era now, this Spiritual Petition can considered as an Unknown to a lot of Taoists & Organisations.
Besides that Sending-off/Burying of the Spiritual Petition, the Taoists will also burn a type of Paper Offerings known as Di Guan Ku Qian (地官庫錢) or San Jie Ku Qian (三界庫錢) aka The Coffer Money of the Three Realms, for the repaying of the Sins & Debts that Oneself had make or committed (see Picture below).
On this Day, for Taoists who are showing the Compassionate & Care for the Other Beings in this Realm, they will also light 49 Lamps/Candles (七七之燈) for at least 3 Days to gain the Blessing from Lord Di Guan. Hoping by the emitting of the Light Energy and Fire Element, ALL Minor Sins & Debts of the other Beings can be Eliminated.
In Singapore, for those who are keen in Paying your Respect to Heavenly Lord Di Guan, you may proceed to the following few Temples:
1 – Havelock Yu Huang Temple (合樂路玉皇殿)
2 – Bukit Merah View Lei Yin Temple (紅山景雷音寺)
3 – Yishun He Bi Shan Temple (義順何碧山宮)
Shifu, can i know where can i purchase the attached Joss Paper (sanjiekuqian_01.JPG or sanjiekuqian_02.JPG)??
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ReplyDeleteSoo Brothers Company (See Hock Ann Co 徐福安公司) is located at 8 Senoko Crescent Singapore 758264. You may wish to call them to check on the Stock at 6753 5533.
Thank you Shifu. By the way, i would like to join the
ReplyDeleteJoin the?
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