Lunar Year Customs – 15th Day of Lunar New Year (農曆正月習俗之初十五元宵上元節)

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Fifteenth Day of Lunar New Year, known as Yuan Xiao Jie (元宵節) or Shang Yuan Jie (上元節), a Day to mark the end of the Lunar New Year Celebration Period. Even though 15th Day is considered as the Last Day for the Celebration, but for some of the Chinese, they will celebrate till the 16th Day. Only after the 16th Day, then the Celebration is consider as Officially over.

So what are the practices on the 15th Day?

Here it goes:

On the 15th Day, the Chinese or Taoists will wake up early. After washing up, making one self fresh and clean, the Chinese or Taoists will start the Day by paying respect to Heaven, Home Deities and Ancestors.

For Taoists, paying of respect to Tian Guan Da Di (天官大帝) aka Lord Emperor of Heavenly Realm will be done after the paying respect to Heaven. In Taoist Culture, 15th Day of Lunar New Year is considered as a very important Day. For different Taoist Schools, this will also be the Day to do Spiritual Registration and/or Promotion Ceremony for Taoist Priests & Spiritual Masters.

Besides that, the Chinese will prepare Grand meal for the family to have another round of Reunion. For some Chinese, they will prepare even more dishes than on the Eve of Lunar New Year, cos they believed that at the Closing of the Celebration, more Luck will be blessed if one self or the family can have more good items to be consumed, etc.

After the Reunion meal, the Chinese will go out to have a stroll. This is not a normal strolling exercise, but, to observe on the Lanterns that the other Chinese prepared, hung, etc.

By looking at the Lanterns or buying a few Lanterns for the kids or the House, the Chinese will wish to be blessed by the Brightness, in-order to have Smoothness-in-whatever-oneself-does in the New Year.

Once the Lanterns are being brought home, the light in the Lanterns are not allowed to be blown off. Usually the light will be left till the morning or wait until it gone-off by it self.

So how to go about with the paying respect to Tian Guan Da Di?

Here are some of the recommended items to be prepared:

1 – Nian Gao (年糕)
2 – 1 set of 5 Oranges (五顆桔子)
3 – 1 set of 5 Apples (五顆蘋果)
4 – 1 set of 5 Chinese Pears (五顆香梨)
5 – 6 sets of Traditional Cookies (六甜)
6 – 6 sets of Vegetarain Items (六素)
7 – 3 cups of Wine (三杯米酒)
8 – 3 cups of Tea (三杯清茶)
9 – Some flowers (5 colours 五色花)
10 – Paper-offerings, a type of Paper-offerings that are dedicated to Tian Guan Da Di, can get in any Incense-shops (天官紙料)

Usually for normal homes, the statues of San Guan Da Di wont be invited or dedicated and so, a Temp Altar will needed to be set-up in an open space or, the offerings can be placed on the Main Altar in the house.

If one self finds that its not very convenient, then one self can actually visit Temples that dedicate Altars to San Guan Da Di to make the respect.

Once all the offerings are prepared and in place, light the Incenses and sincerely kneel down. Upon kneeling down, call upon the Official Title of Tian Guan Da Di (上元九氣賜福天官曜靈元陽大帝紫微帝君 Shang Yuan Jiu Qi Ci Fu Tian Guan Yao Ling Yuan Yang Da Di Zi Wei Di Jun), report who you are, what is the event and where you stay. After that, make your requests, remember not to be too greedy, request whatever is possible, best is to request for prolonging of life-span for Parent.

For those who know of how to do Recitation of the Bao Gao aka Praise Mantra (bao寶誥), please do so. For Tian Guan Bao Gao, you may proceed to this link: http://javewu.multiply.com/photos/album/144

Once its done, sincerely stand-up, place the Incenses into the Urn, make a simple bow and then leave the spot.

For those who are in a Temple, after 15 minutes, retrieved the paper-offerings and then burn-off, after that, bring back the offerings for the other family members. For those at home, the offerings can be left till the 16th Day, but the paper-offerings must be burn-off on the Day.

If one self knows how to do chanting on Taoist Scriptures, Bao Gao, etc, that will be best, cos on the 15th Day of Lunar New Year, this is a Good Day for doing chanting or reciting.

According to records, on this Day, a Chanting or Reciting made by one self will be multiplied with several folds, and so, remember to do a chanting for Parent, the parent will be blessed.

Last, all the best in the paying of respect to Tian Guan Da Di.