Annual Inspection of Heavenly Lord Di Guan for Gui Si Snake Year 2013 (癸巳蛇年中元地官赦罪大帝考校天下)

上元佳節 – 上元慶華 (昇華祈福)
中元佳節 – 中元慶讚 (普讚幽冥)
下元佳節 – 下元慶安 (謝安保寧)

Its again the 15th Day of Lunar 7th Month (農曆七月十五日) – for Year 2013, it falls on 21 August (a Wednesday), which is also known as Zhong Yuan (中元).

In Taoism, this is also the Day for Heavenly Lord Di Guan (地官大帝) to conduct his Annual Inspection for the Mortals in the Mortal Realm (考校巡天下) and in some other Taoist contexts, also known as the Manifestation Anniversary of Heavenly Lord Di Guan (其他文獻也記載此日為地官大帝之千秋聖誕).

For those who are interested in finding out more, please do feel free to visit the following links:

Pictures of San Guan Da Di (三官大帝照片連接):

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/taoism_deity_singapore_2007/photos/album/1126555624/pic/list

Praising Incantation of San Guan Da Di (三官大帝寶誥):

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.408286525858080.92521.100000302071316&type=3

Info of Di Guan (地官大帝簡介):

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.

Intro on San Guan (三官大帝相關訊息):

http://javewutaoismplace.blogspot.sg/2010/02/heavenly-lord-tian-guan-inspection-day_8217.html

San Guan Da Di Comic (三元三官大帝漫畫輯):

http://javewutaoismplace.blogspot.sg/2012/11/comic-on-san-guan-da-di.html

Intro on the Spiritual Carriage of San Guan Da Di (三元三官大帝座下靈獸):

http://javewutaoismplace.blogspot.sg/2012/11/spiritual-carriage-of-lord-san-guan.html

Couplets dedicated to Lord San Guan (三官大帝相關通用對聯):

http://javewutaoismplace.blogspot.sg/2013/02/couplets-dedicated-to-lord-san-guan.html