End of Lunar New Year Celebration (慶完元宵平靜復)

In about an Hour's time, our Lunar New Year Celebration will be ending.

Few things to keep all remind:

1) Offerings that being placed on the Altar since Eve of Lunar New Year, must be retrieved down. Edible-stuffs - please do not throw off. Inedible-stuffs - please wrapped them up and dispose Uprightly & Correctly.

2) Clean the Altar when the Stuffs are being retrieved. Do Not keep the Altar Un-clean or Filled with Dust & Incense-ash.

3) Remember to change the Water of any Flower-vase, if not, TIGER-ARMIES will be there to STING on you & your Family.

4) Replace the Tea-offerings to just Pure Water, try to maintain the Offering of Pure Water to the Deities every day. This is a form of Respect & Sincerity.

5) Remember to dispose the Ashes in the Incense-paper-Burning-Can. Pour the Ashes into a Bag and then dispose into your Rubbish-chute, if not, bring down to the Burning-can under your Block to pour off the Ashes.

6) On the Morning of 16th Day or 17th Day, remember to use Yin-Yang Water (陰陽水) plus 3 colors Flowers (三色花 Red/Yellow/Green) or Promogrante Leaves (石榴葉) or Pomela Leaves (柚子葉) to wash your Corridor. This is to make sure that you do Cleansing for your Home after SO MANY visitings during the 15 Days.

7) After the Cleansing, please do prepare some Cooling Soup (dessert) for the Family, eg: Barley Water (億米水), Green-bean Soup (綠荳湯), Cheng Thng (清湯) or White Fungus Soup (白木耳湯). This is to balance the Heaty Element in the Physical Body that being accumulated for the past 15 Days.

8) Last, wear a set of New Clothing (can be the set that you worn during the 1st 3 Days) and Offered 3 Incenses to Heaven, Deities & Ancestors. Ask for their Blessings again for the New Lunar Year.

Last of All, ALL THE BEST TO ALL IN YEAR OF JI CHOU (己丑萬事大吉).

Chinese Newspaper Article on Offering of the First Incense (新聞文章之獻頭香)

Found this Chinese Newspaper Article on Offering of the First Incense to Deities on Lunar New Year. Very meaningful and Create Alerts to alot of Chinese & Ignorant-blind-followers.

If you are free, please do go thru it.

Cant see the Article? Please download it from the following link:

--->>>Tou Xiang Article<<<---

Manifestation Anniversary of Tian Guan Da Di (天官大帝千秋聖誕)

15th Day of Lunar 1 Month is considered as the Manifestation Anniversary (Annual Inspection Day) of Tian Guan Da Di aka Heavenly Emperor of Heavenly Realm.

For Taoists & Chinese, we will prepared a certain amount of Offerings (Food & Paper) to pay our respect to Tian Guan Da Di.

Different Dialect Clans will start the Honouring Ceremony on different Days, such as 14th Night or 15th Day Morning.

To find out more on the details on this Grand Official Day, please proceed to the following link:

Introduction on Lunar New Year 15th Day (正月初十五簡介):
http://javewu.multiply.com/reviews/item/135

Paying Respect to Yu Huang Da Tian Zun 2 (玉皇萬壽聖誕慶壽儀式)

Million Thanks to Bro Gilles for taking the Nice Pictures for Long Shan Men (龍山門) during the Paying of Respect to Yu Huang Da Tian Zun (玉皇大天尊) on the 8th Day Evening at Telok Blangah Tee Kong Temple (萬壽山天公廟).

In the Pictures, you all can see that the Disciples & Students were being call-upon to pay respect to Yu Huang Da Tian Zun together and some of them were being appointed to represent Long Shan Men to do recitation on the Bao Gao (寶誥) & Offering of Incenses to Yu Huang Da Tian Zun.

Last 4 Photos - The Dou Mu Yuan Jun (斗姆元君) & Nine Emperors (九皇星君) Altar. This is where the Spiritual Registration take Place for new Students of Long Shan Men.

Paying Respect to Yu Huang Da Tian Zun on the 9th Day (玉皇萬壽聖誕慶壽儀式)

This Year, Ji Chou Year (己丑年), as usual, Long Shan Men (龍山門) went to Telok Blangah Tee Kong Temple (萬壽山天公廟) to pay respect to the Yu Huang Da Tian Zun (玉皇大天尊), but this Year, it's much more Special, cos most of Long Shan Men's Disciples & Students were being call-upon to join in the Honouring. And this was why, on the 6th Day of Lunar 1 Month, I had to start to prepare 15 Official Sets of Offerings for this Great & Official Event.

On the 8th Day Evening, I arrived at the Temple at about 7.30Pm to do the settting up of Offerings. Before my arrival, my 7th Disciple had already "Chop" a Good Place, so upon the arrival, I could just arrange them out with "ease".

Around 8.00Pm, most of the Disciples, Students & my Family had arrived at the Temple and they were advised to pay respect to All the Deities first before the Honouring Ceremony started.

At around 9.30Pm, the First Round of Honouring Ceremony started by Paying Respect to San Qing Dao Zu (三清道祖), Heaven and then Yu Huang Da Tian Zun. After Reporting, Lunar New Year Greeting & making our Manifestation Anniversary Respect, All of us made our Offering of Incenses to Yu Huang Da Tian Zun. Upon completion of the First Round, we sat around to chit-chat and talk about topics on Taoism & Chinese Culture.

At about 10.15Pm, the Second Round of Honouring Ceremony started. This time round, the 7th Disciple was being asked to recite the Praise Mantra of Yu Huang Da Tian Zun (玉皇大天尊寶誥). After the recitation, I initiated the reporting & paying respect.

At about 10.45PM, the Final Round of Honouring Ceremony started. This time, the 11th Disciple was being asked to recite the Praise Mantra and then, with the Final Round of paying respect to Yu Huang Da Tian Zun, we gathered around to Offer the Paper-offerings.

10.55Pm, the Finale. Long Shan Men Disciples, Students & Family gathered around the Main Altar to make a Three Bows respect to Yu Huang Da Tian Zun and then, All Paper Offerings were being Sent-off at the Rear Area of the Temple.

Upon sending off the Offerings, we made a short rest in the Temple and then, most of the Students made their leave in-order to catch the last Bus.

At 0000 Hour, we left the Temple, in-order to proceed to the 7th Disciple's Home to pay respect to Yu Huang Da Tian Zun of Long Shan Men.

With a bit of delaying & travelling, finally reached the home at 1.15Am. Without further delaying, we started to the Honouring and the whole session took about 1.5 Hours to complete.

By the time I reached home, it was almost 4.00Am in the Morning. With a short rest, I woke up early in the Morning to pay respect to Yu Huang Da Tian Zun at Long Shan Men HQ. By then, the whole Honouring Ceremony considered Smoothly-Round-Off.

Summarizing:

This Year, indeed is a very special Year for Long Shan Men and most of the Disciples & Students, cos most of them are the first time joining in such Honouring Ceremony.

By seeing the Big Reunion of Long Shan Men & my Family, a very strong touchy emotion flooded me, a very nice & warm feeling.

In the temple, while seeing Taoist & Chinese Families, with 2,3 & 4 Generations, coming together to pay respect to Yu Huang Da Tian Zun, the Strong feeling of the present of Unity & Filial Piety for the Taoist & Chinese Community of Singapore appeared immediately in my mind, which is so Wonderful & Touching.

Hope that, in the next 20 Years, we can still see the Taoists & Chinese paying respect to Yu Huang Da Tian Zun with the present of most of the Family Members.

Shang Yuan Festival honouring Tian Guan Da Di (上元節祭祀天官大帝)

Start:	Feb 9, '09 09:00a
End:	Feb 9, '09 11:00a
Location:	Singapore, All over the World

15th Day of Lunar 1 Month aka Shang Yuan Festival, is also the Day for Taoists or Chinese to Pay Respect to Tian Guan Da Di aka Heavenly Lord of Heavenly Realm (天官大帝).

As usual, this Year, Long Shan Men will visit one of the Old Temples to pay respect to Tian Guan Da Di as in-order to request for the necessary Blessings for All people & Country-Peace.

It's Manifestation Anniversary of Yu Huang Da Tian Zun (又是玉皇大天尊萬壽聖誕)

Dear All,

After many days of Preparation, tonight, Taoists & Chinese will be making their Fullest & Sincere-est Respect to Yu Huang Da Tian Zun 玉皇大天尊 (hkk: Tee Kong 天公) in-order to get the necessary Blessings for the New Lunar Ji Chou Year (農曆己丑年).

For those who have yet to get the Offerings, do not worry, you still have another 5 Hours to do the preparation & shopping.

For those who wish to pay Respect to Yu Huang Da Tian Zun on the actual Day Morning, you are encouraged too.

In the following, are some write-ups on this Joyous Event, do go thru them if you have yet to see them:

Introduction on Lunar New Year 8th Day (正月初八簡介) - ref:archive2008:

http://javewu.multiply.com/reviews/item/127

Introduction on Lunar New Year 9th Day - Paying Respect to Tian Gong (正月初九拜天公簡介) - ref:archive2008:

http://javewu.multiply.com/reviews/item/128

History of Tian Gong Biscuits (天公餅之由來) - ref:archiveJan2009:

http://javewu.multiply.com/photos/album/438/438

Preparation for Yu Huang Da Tian Zun's Manifestation Anniversary (玉皇大天尊萬壽聖誕籌備工作) - ref:archiveJan2009:

http://javewu.multiply.com/photos/album/440/440

Preparation for Yu Huang Da Tian Zun's Manifestation Anniversary (玉皇大天尊萬壽聖誕籌備工作)

This Year, Ji Chou Year (己丑年), Long Shan Men (龍山門) will be conducting a Simple Honouring Ceremony for Jade Emperor of Heaven's Manifestation Anniversary (玉皇大天尊萬壽聖誕) at the 7th Disciple's home, located at Bedok North.

Due to on the 8th Night, Long Shan Men will be visiting a few Temples to pay respect to Jade Emperor of Heaven, so we had to set up the Altar and prepared the Offerings 1 Day earlier.

Thanks to the 2nd Disciple of Long Shan Men in assisting me & the 7th Disciple in setting-up the Honouring Altar.

Long Shan Men Guang Ze Zun Wang Statue (龍山門廣澤尊王神像金身)

Today, the 7th Day of Lunar 1 Month (農曆正月初七日), while I was in town with my students to do the ordering for the new statues and getting the Offerings for Jade Emperor of Heaven's Manifestation Anniversary, I saw this Wonderful Porcelain Statue dedicated to Guang Ze Zun Wang (廣澤尊王).

Immediately without hesitation, I bought it to add into Long Shan Men's Statue-collection.

According to the design & outlook, this Porcelain Statue of Guang Ze Zun Wang was made according to one of the Old Statue of Guang Ze Zun Wang China Nan An Feng Shan Temple (中國南安鳳山寺).

This can considered as the Best Present for Long Shan Men in the Beginning of Ji Chou Year (己丑年).

History of Tian Gong Biscuit (天公餅之由來)

Tian Gong Bing aka Tian Gong Biscuit (天公餅), a type of Typical Traditional Hokkien Offering Item for Honouring Jade Emperor of Heaven (玉皇大天尊) on the Manifestation Anniversary.

In Singapore, now we can only able to get the Officially-made Tian Gong Bing in 1 of the Traditional Biscuit Shops in China-Square Building. Due to this is a very Traditional and Old Practice, not much People really know of the procedure of making it and so, the Skill of making such Tian Gong Bing has actually being mis-imparted.

In other Countries such as China & Taiwan, you will tend to see a much more bigger size Tian Gong Bing, but in Singapore, due to Easy-to-Handle, we can only get smaller size Tian Gong Bing during the Lunar New Year Period.

So how to use it during the Honouring?

For Hokkien Customs, on the Leap-Month Year (閏月年), the Hokkien will Offered 13 pieces of Tian Gong Bing on the Manifestation Anniversary, in-order to get the Blessings for the next 13 Months, whereas for a Normal 12 Months Year. 12 pieces will be Offered.

After Offering, the Biscuits can be consumed by the whole Family, if not, the Biscuits can be placed on the Altar for a Year (strange is that, such Biscuits wont turned Bad for a very Long Period).

Okay, back to topic.

So how Tian Gong Bing come about?

According to Hokkien Ancient Records, there are a few versions of the come-about, in here, I will shared with All of you the 2 most Reasonable Myths of Tian Gong Bing.

First: Offering to Celestial Palace (香餅上敬玉皇尊)

On the 24th Day of Lunar 12 Month, after Kitchen Deity (司命灶君) returned back to Heaven to do his Annual Reporting, Jade Emperor of Heaven will tend to throw a Feast to reward the various Deities for the Completion of the Tasks of Looking after the Mortals & Beings in Mortal Realm for the past 12 Months.

During 1 of the Heavenly Feasts, Kitchen Deity took out some of his Offerings that he received from the Mortals and placed them on the Feast Table infront of Jade Emperor of Heaven, in-order to show Jade Emperor of Heaven of how Sincere & Faithful that the Mortals had for the Heavenly Deities.

After taking a look at the little Biscuits that the Mortals made, Jade Emperor of Heaven was quite impressed with the Detailed-patterns decorated on the Biscuits. Immediately, Jade Emperor of Heaven passed an Edict to Kitchen Deity to reward those who had Offered these Biscuits to Kitchen Deity and said, from then onwards, whoever is able to make such nicely-decorated Biscuits, the person and the whole family will be Blessed with Good Luck & Fortune.

Without hesitation, Kitchen Deity received the Edict and returned to Heaven on the Eve of Lunar New Year to Spread the Blessings to the Mortals.

One Year, in a Rural Village in Hokkien Province, on the 8th Night of Lunar 1 Month, a poor family was not able to offer any Offerings to Jade Emperor of Heaven and so, the wife at home was very sad and disappointed. By sitting infront of the Altar of Kitchen Deity in the Kitchen, the wife started to sob sadly and badly.

Upon hearing the sobbing, Kitchen Deity appeared infront of the wife to comfort her. The wife was shocked at first but after Kitchen Deity explained to her that who he was, the wife kneeled infront of Kitchen Deity to tell him about her situation.

After knowing the situation, Kitchen Deity recalled on the Offerings of the Nicely-made Biscuit and so immediately, Kitchen Deity asked the wife to prepare some left-over flour and peanut-dust (cos of too poor, only left with peanut dust and not Full peanut).

Soon the wife gathered all the necessary items and without further delay, Kitchen Deity assist the wife in making the Biscuits. Within moments, the Biscuits were being made. Due to the flour-made-&-bake-Biscuits were in white color, Kitchen Deity found out that, it was not very suitable for such an Joyous Occasion and so, Kitchen Deity took out his Cinnabar Recording Brush to do a Red-mark dotting on the Biscuits.

After the Biscuits got the Dotting from Kitchen Deity, the Biscuits turned to more tasty & nicer-fragrance-emitting Biscuits, which attracted the surrounding neighbours.

Upon knowing that people were rushing to the wife's Kitchen, Kitchen Deity made his leave and told the wife of remember to offer this to Jade Emperor of Heaven on the Manifestation Anniversary, once Jade Emperor of Heaven got the Biscuit Offerings, Jade Emperor of Heaven will Blessed the whole Family. After getting the message, the wife kowtowed to Kitchen Deity for his assistance and soon, the kitchen was flooded with people.

In-order not to reveal the identity of Kitchen Deity, the wife told the people that she dreamt of a Deity to advise her to offer this Biscuit Offering to Jade Emperor of Heaven to get Good Blessing. After getting such a piece of Good News, most of the People rushed back to their homes to prepare the Biscuits for the Manifestation Anniversary on the 9th Day of Lunar 1 Month.

From then, this Tradition was being pass-down till today.

Second: Gratitude to Jade Emperor of Heaven (護命答謝敬玉皇)

On the Day, after returning from the Sugar-cane Plantation, the Hokkiens started to prepare for the Thanksgiving Offering for Jade Emperor of Heaven for saving their lives.

Due to just returned from the disaster of almost got Barbarians' Slaugthering, the Hokkiens were too broke to get Luxury Offerings for the honouring of Jade Emperor of Heaven and so, among the Hokkiens, one of the Elders from the Village made a comment.

The Elder suggested of making Offerings from Flour & Sugar-cane (Sugar extracted from Sugar-cane). Immediately, Positive Agreement was heard and without further delay, the Hokkiens started to prepare the Flour-made Offerings.

Just at the moment of the starting of making Offering from the Flour Dough, someone made a comment of what items to make. Immediately, another commotion arise. After a short moment of discussion, the Hokkiens came to an agreement of making Flour-made-Biscuits with Sugar-peanut Fillings.

Soon, the preparation got into place and different Families made into various shapes & patterns Biscuits to differentiate the Biscuits came from different Families.

After completion, the Elder whom suggested the making of the Biscuits was being invited to the front Altar to offer the Biscuits to Jade Emperor of Heaven. Just before he offered the Biscuits, he saw that the Biscuits were too plain and so, the Elder look around and he saw some Red Prunes hanging on the Prune-trees. He walked towards the Trees and plucked a few of the Prunes. Upon getting the Prunes, he returned back to the Altar and squeezed the juice out from the Red Prunes and then, do a little dotting onto the Biscuits.

As he performed the dotting, he annouced to the Hokkiens that, by doing the Red Dotting, everyone in the Village (Province) will be Blessed with Red-hot Fortune & Luck.

After getting the annoucement, All the Hokkiens shouted with Joyous and kneeled onto the Ground to return their Gratitude to Jade Emperor of Heaven.

As a form of Highest Respect to Jade Emperor of Heaven, the Hokkiens addressed this type of Biscuits as Tian Gong Bing.

From then, it was being pass-down till now.

PS: Thanks to Juin Wen for providing us with the Pictures of Tian Gong Bing