《辛丑牛年。道教臘八聖節》

 

《辛丑牛年。道教臘八聖節》

 

三元五臘廿四節，

祈安赦罪。

 

歲終年始十二月，

朝敬謝恩。

 

【臘八】，始於【商周】，後興於【漢】，而【唐宋】更是到達了「多元化」的時期。

 

【商周】之「一元復始」在【陽月】，因此有【陰退陽長】故而有【陽月】的稱號。

 

再而【前秦】以【葭月】為「一年之始」，因此【葭月】裡又有祭祀【歲神】之活動。

 

到了【前漢】，【臘月】被定為「一春之元」，因此【臘月初一】為「謝天恩」之朝，而【臘月初八】是為「藏八穀。吃八穀」之日，也就是後來的【臘八粥】的「最原形」。

 

在【道教文化】中，此日被定為【侯臘】或【侯王臘】也就因為【藏八穀。吃八穀】有相等的關係，以「冬藏之珍」，上敬天地，下祀祖先，以求來年「衣豐食足」。

 

如今因多數人已不在注重【臘】，因此多數文化已被淡忘或者失傳了。

 

過了【臘八】便是【年】，在此祝福大家：

 

人逢臘節得興旺。

運於三元添福氣。

 

La Ba Festival of Xin Chou Cow Year

 

With a blink on the eyes, its again the End of the Lunar Year and its again the La Ba Festival.

 

For Xin Chou Cow Year, La Ba Festival falls on 10 Jan 2022, a Monday.

 

In Taoism, the earliest record of the Celebration of La Ba Festival was as early as in Zhou Dynasty.

 

And in Taoist Myth Records, it was believed to be the Anniversary of the Day when Nv Wa created the Grains for the Living Beings – the 8th Day after World was created.

 

To understand more on La Ba Festival (農曆臘月習俗之臘八節簡介), feel free to visit the following link for more information:

 

http://javewutaoismplace.blogspot.sg/2007/12/la-yue-customs-lunar-12-month-customs_2965.html

 

& Info on La Ba Garlic (臘八蒜簡介):

 

http://javewutaoismplace.blogspot.sg/2013/01/introduction-on-consuming-of-la-ba.html

 

& the Offering of Red Dates Huat Kueh (臘八紅棗發糕簡介):

 

http://javewutaoismplace.blogspot.sg/2013/01/red-dates-huat-kueh-for-lunar-12-month.html