《壬寅虎年。天上聖母媽祖。華誕吉慶。2022》
天生好德佑萬民。
上化慈悲憐眾生。
聖恩覃蓋十方界。
母儀臨凡顯真身。
「公元2022年」，即「民國一一一年」，係為【媽祖婆】「降生人間」之「一〇六二年」之紀念日，而依【農曆虛歲】「為數」，則是【天妃元君】「嶽降紅世」之「一〇六三年次」。
Manifestation Anniversary of Heavenly Empress Ma Zu
2022
Ma Zu
aka The Immortal Maiden or Heavenly Empress of the Sea, in Taoism, we addressed
her as Tian Shang Sheng Mu Ma Zu (天上聖母媽祖).
According
to Taoist Scripture, the Only & Official Taoist Scripture dedicating to Ma
Zu, known as Tai Shang Lao Jun Shuo Tian Fei Jiu Ku Ling Yan Jing (太上老君說天妃救苦靈驗經), Ma Zu was actually the Manifestation of the
Energy from the Great North Dipper Star Group into a Lady Immortal (known as
Miao Xing Yu Nv 妙行玉女) which had overcome multiple
testing & obstacles before gaining her Immortal-hood.
After
which, Miao Xing Yu Nv was called upon by the Supreme Lord (道德天尊)
to the gathering for the appointment of the task to descend into the Mortal
Realm to perform the necessary Salvation for the Suffering Beings.
Upon
getting the appointment, Miao Xing Yu Nv made her Sincerest & Greatest Vow
of ceasing of ALL Sufferings before she returned back to the Celestial Realm
again and so, upon getting the Vow, Miao Xing Yu Nv was being sent off to get
her Re-incarnation aka Manifestated into Mortal at Song Dynasty Jia Shen Year
23rd Day of Lunar 3 Month (AD 960宋朝建隆元年农历三月廿三日辰時) in the Lin Family (降生莆田湄洲岛林家之中) – given Maiden Name as Lin Mo or Lin Mo Niang (林默/林默娘).
Since
young, Mo Niang had been going around to assist the Needy, regardless of
strangers or people she knew.
By the
age of 8, one day while Mo Niang was out in the Sea-side to waiting for her
father to return from the Sailing, a Elegant Lady approached her and passed her
a few Books on Unknown Writings & Diagrams. Upon getting hold of the Books,
Mo Niang was puzzled but after getting some advises from the Lady, Mo Niang
accepted and promised the Lady to study all the information in the Books and
understand the Diagrams.
By the
age of 16, Mo Niang was able to use the Skills that mentioned in the Unknown
Books to assist more Needy in her Hometown.
At the
age of 28, on the 8th Night of Lunar 9 Month, Mo Niang got a dream
from the Elegant Lady again, this time round Mo Niang finally knew who she was
– Zi Guang Fu Ren (紫光夫人). After getting the advises
from Zi Guang Fu Ren, Mo Niang decided to leave home on the 9th Day
of Lunar 9 Month to gain her Immortal-hood at the Highest Peak in her hometown.
On Song
Dynasty AD 987, 9th Day of Lunar 9 Month (宋雍熙四年九月初九日得道),
Mo Niang got her Immortal-hood and was summoned back to the Celestial Realm to
receive her Official Title before she was being sent back to the Mortal Realm
to assist the Needy again.
In
Southern Taoism Culture, Ma Zu was a highly respect Lady Immortal by the
Taoists & also Chinese. Every year, during her Manifestation Anniversary,
ALL Temples that dedicated to Ma Zu in Southern China will conduct Supreme
Rituals/Ceremonies to honour Ma Zu as a form of Gratitude for her hardship in
Salvaging the Sufferings & Blessings.
Till
today, in Hokkien Pu Tian Mei Zhou County (中國福建省莆田湄州),
on the 23rd Day of Lunar 3 Month, tons & tons of Devotees will
flocked to the Main Ancestral Temple of Ma Zu to pay their respect to her
in-order to request for Blessing through-out the Year.
In Year
2022, Ma Zu Anniversary falls on 23 April.
So what can Oneself do to honour Ma
Zu?
For
Taoists, we can just prepare the Taoist 5 Offerings/10 Offerings (道教五供/十供) to honour Ma Zu as these
Offerings can consider as the Highest Respect in Taoist Culture.
Besides
that, Oneself can add in some Traditional Cake/Cookies (傳統糕點)
stuffs such as Longevity Peach Buns (壽桃包), Longevity
Noodles (壽麵), Huat Kueh (發糕),
Ang Ku Kueh (紅龜粿) & Ang Ee (紅圓包).
As for
the Paper Offerings, actually for us Taoists, we can save up the Paper
Offerings, as long as Oneself is able to prepare 3 sticks of Good Long Incenses
and a pair of 24hours Red Candles for Ma Zu, Oneself and the whole Family will
be Blessed.
Due to
Ma Zu had made her Greatest Vow to Salvage the Mortals, the Honouring shall be
Simple and filled with Sincerity, rather than Grand but Commercializing.
And One
that WE ALL must remember to do while preparing any form of Offerings for Ma
Zu. Remember to prepare the following Label (print out on Pink or Red Paper)
and stick onto any form of Offerings that dedicated to Ma Zu. This is an Old
Traditional method of Honouring Ma Zu while Oneself is making certain Request
or Blessing. By doing so, Oneself’s Name & Address will be recorded by the
2 Generals of Ma Zu and whenever Oneself needed the assistance of them, just by
Calling Ma Zu’s Name of Title, she will be there to provide the assistance.
Ma Zu
Official Title Label (do remember to write your name & address at the blank
space at the bottom of the Label):
Please
proceed to this link for the Title Label:
As posted in the the album.
Last of
All, may Tian Shang Sheng Mu Ma Zu bestowed her Blessing to ALL and hope that
the World will have lesser Disaster in the next 1 year.
More
Links dedicating to Ma Zu 相關資訊:
Intro on
Black Face Ma Zu (黑面三媽簡介):
http://javewutaoismplace.blogspot.sg/2009/04/introduction-on-black-face-ma-zu_5927.html
