《道教新春文化。大年初八。順星日。眾星君下降日。2025》
開正初八，
眾星拱辰，
保命護身。
開子朝斗，
辰君降福，
消災解厄。
「大年初七日子時」，【北斗九皇星君】於年首第一囘「下降人間賜福消災」。
而在「大年初八日子時」，則是【中天斗府諸星君】第一囘下降人間，「紀承錄負」。
這天，也是一年之中，「朝禮」【九曜星君】或者【十一曜星君】，最爲重要的日子，於「大年初八日」朝禮【九曜星君】或者【十一曜星君】，勝比任何時候「朝禮」的還要有福氣，因此記得在這天參與【禮斗】或者【順星】。
8th Day of Lunar 1st Month – Descending of All Star Lords for Year 2025
According
to Taoist Contexts, 8th Day of Lunar 1st Month (農曆正月初八)
is the Day that All Star Lords aka Xing Jun (眾星君下降日)
descending down into the Mortal Realm to conduct Inspections and also,
Cleansing of the Surrounding.
These
Star Lords include Nan Bei Dou (南北斗星君), Dong Xi Zhong
Dou (東西中斗星君), San Tai Xing Jun (三台星君),
Lord Tai Sui (當年太歲星君), 28 Constellation (廿八星宿星君), The Four Spiritual Animals' Marshals (四方四靈四大天君), The Eleven Planets (十一曜星君)
& Recording Officers of the Dipper Departments (斗府紀錄功曹).
On this
Day, Taoists or Chinese will conduct a Simple but yet Official Ritual for the Ushering
in of the Star Lords and also, to perform the Requesting of Good Luck and
Health for Oneself or the Parent.
According
to the Records, on this Day, 2 Pictures or Scrolls must be prepared (準備以下星君畫像):
1)
Picture of All Star Lords, especially the 28 Constellation Star Lords (廿八星宿)
2)
Picture of Star Lord Bei Dou aka The Great Dipper Group (北斗七元君)
3)
Picture of Star Lord of the Eleven Planets (十一曜星君)
After
the Pictures or Scrolls are prepared, a Temporary Altar must be placed at an
Open Area facing the North or North-west (將供桌面北方或西北方).
Once the
Sun set, 49 or 108 Lamps (如可﹐點燃四十九盏或一百零八盏油燈) must be
Light-up (in the past, People used small saucers containing Oil to act as Lamp)
and 3 bowls of Sweet Dumplings (供上三碗湯圓) & 9 cups of
Chinese Tea (九杯清茶) must be offered to the Star Lords.
After
the Lamps are being light-up, 9 or 12 Incenses (點燃燈盏後﹐上敬九或十二支清香)
will be Lighted and Reports will be made facing North.
Once the
Incenses are offered, 15-30 minutes rest and then All the Lamps are to be
Put-off and the Pictures or Scrolls and Incenses must be Burnt-off (一刻鐘後便可化寶).
Upon
completion of the Burning, the Altar must be cleared off and the Sweet
Dumplings must be consumed.
The
whole of this Ritual is known as Shun Xing (順星) aka The
Aligning with the Celestial Stars or Honouring & Ushering in the Stars for
Bestowing of Luck & Health (祭星/接星).
As for
Shun Xing Ritual, which later in the Taoist History, it became a Major Ritual
for Taoist School, known as Shun Xing Li Dou Ke Yi (順星禮斗科儀),
meaning Aligning with the Celestial Stars and Honouring the Great Dipper for
Eliminating of Negative Issues and Gaining of Luck & Health Blessing.
In the
attachment is the 2 Combination Pictures of The Star Lords. For those who are
interested in conducting this Ritual, you may wish to download it and use it
during the Honouring.
Recommended
Taoist Scriptures to Chant (可誦念以下道教經文):
1 – Bei
Dou Scripture (北斗經)
2 – Nan
Dou Scripture (南斗經)
3 – San
Guan Scripture (三官經)
4 –
Eleven Planets Star Lord Scripture (十一大曜消災神咒經)
