Manifestation Anniversay aka Birthday of Heavenly Master Zhang Dao Ling (祖天師聖誕日)

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18 Day of Lunar 5 Month (農曆五月十八日), a day for All Zheng Yi Sect Taoist to celebrate the Manifestation Annivesary of Heavenly Master Zhang Dao Ling (祖天師張道陵).

In Taoism, this is an Important Day for the Taoists to pay their sincere & faithful respect to Heavenly Master Zhang Dao Ling & also to celebrate the Official Taoist Day – this is the Day to keep in memory of how Heavenly Master Zhang Dao Ling promoted Taoism and assist Dao De Tian Zun in upholding the Upright Reputation of Taoism.

Heavenly Master Zhang Dao Ling, born in Late Han Dynasty, after growing up, he started his Cultivation and at later part of his Mature-year, he got his Teaching from Dao De Tian Zun and from then, he started to perform more in-depth Spiritual Skills and also, to travel around to perform his Salvation for the Sufferings.

From then, Heavenly Master Zhang Dao Ling brought the Culture of Zheng Yi Sect around in China to impart to the Folks and interested Taoists.

So on this Day, what shall one self prepared?

For a Taoist, the things that needed to be prepared are very simple.

Just prepared the Taoist Five Offerings (道教五供) or the most, the Ten Offerings (道教十供), once ready, place them on the Altar that set-up facing the Heaven (with an Urn, 2 Candles and some simple paper-offerings).

After setting up, one self can start the honouring to Heavenly Master Zhang Dao Ling.

Sincerely make a short report Ling Bao Tian Zun who you are, what is the event today and after the report, make 3 times of kneeling down, each time of the kneeling down, make 3 kowtows (which make 9 kowtows after the whole honouring).

Once the kneeling & kowtow are done, stand-up and make a simple bow and then leave the spot.

Besides doing the honouring, this is a Day that the Taoists will do chanting & reciting or perform Taoist Rituals/Ceremonies. On this Day, all chanting & reciting of Scriptures & Mantras, the credits & merits will be enhanced & multiplied.

For normal Chinese who wished to pay respect to Heavenly Master Zhang Dao Ling, this will be encouraged. Just prepare the items that one self usually prepared for honouring the Home Deities. After preparation, place the items on the Main Altar or if one self wish to set up a Temp Altar facing the Heaven, this will be best.

Follow the procedure that being mentioned above.

If at home, one self is not able to do the honouring, can visit Temples that dedicate Altar to Heavenly Master Zhang Dao Ling.

So when can remove the Altar?

For those who wish to set-up the Altar till the next day, this is encouraged, if not, can remove the Altar on the very day, after the whole family pay respect to Heavenly Master Zhang Dao Ling.

After removing the Altar, do not discard the Five or Ten offerings, one self can transfer the offerings to the Main Altar to continue offered to the Main Deities.