[WHO? Juin Wen aka. Vabien]
[BIRTHDATE: 11 July]
[CHARACTER: Crazy, Emo, Weird, Kind, Fun Loving, Wacky, etc.]
[FAVOURITES: Eating & Drinking, Cooking, Chatting, Chilling Out with Cliques, Movies and Drama Serials, Reading, Music, Learn New Stuffs, Trying Out Adventurous and Exciting Stuffs...]
[CONTACT: style_987@hotmail.com]
In the evening,went to grandma's house to eat dinner and later was the prayer session for the hungry spirits...I always find it very amusing sitting in the hall as there would always be many different conservations happening at the same time!and you can eavesdrop on them...and for your information I don't like doing it but happens to overheard...haha...ok moving on,as a kid there were these egg cakes which I looked forward to eat after the 7th month prayer but as years passed the food has reduced I know it is troublesome and grandma is getting old,so I don't blame her at all...then after that headed home...my family did our little prayer at the open space near my block to the spirits...then went back home...I guess that about to wrap up my day...slept at 2 plus...I guess what I woke up at 2 plus coming to three this afternoon...which I was damn surprised it's been a while since I slept for 12 hours and more...I guess that shows how sleep-deprived I am...haha...then woke up and watched "Wei Xiao Pasta" on youtube...haha...really nice...love Zhang Dong Liang man,his songs really sad and emo...haha...my favourite...haha...then after that watch some TV then ate dinner...after that about 8 saw "Hey Gorgeous!"...it was np,the people not so bad at least at represent np...haha...ok I guess thats about end my day...
I was thinking my blog a bit boring or for that matter very boring as it always about me...haha...so I decided to make my blog at little information site on chinese festivals...so as it is the 7th lunar month so I decide to start with the origin and traditions...
The Origin (Buddhist Version): Once upon a time, there was this filial son who was also a monk called Mu Lian. There was once he used his third eye to see how was his late-mother doing in the other world and saw her in hell fighting with other spirits over food. So he decided to "send" her a bowl of grains but who knew, as she scooped the grains with her hands to eat it turned in burning charcoals. When Mu Lian saw this situation we was overcome with saddens,as her son he could not bear to see his mother suffer like this and not do anything. The next day,he approach his teacher to seek a solution. So his teacher said to make offerings to the hungry and wandering spirits on the 1st and the 15th of the seventh lunar month.He did as told and when he used his third eye to look into hell again,he saw his mother eating comfortably.Thus,in order to not let their parents (dead or alive) suffer,the chinese would give offerings to the wandering and hungry spirits during the seventh month so that the spirits will not disturb them or their family.(of course there are many version to this story but this is mine...)
The Origin (Taoism Version): In the group of deities the taoists worshipped,there are 3 officials namely the heaven official,earth official and the water official are in charge of the earth realm affairs(if I am not wrong...haha...)...the earth official birthday falls on the 15th of the seventh lunar month...for some reason (which I am unsure) he propose an petition to the Jade Emperor to request that all spirits from hell to be released on the 7th month in the lunar calender...So the jade Emperor agree to his request,so every year on the 7th lunar month all spirits from hell would to release to the earth realm to have a holiday and enjoy food and money offerings given by the living... So at times in some prayer tents the three officials are being worshipped for their compassion...
Traditions: For the Buddhists,food,salvation prayers and joss sticks will be given to the spirits. While the taoists provide paper money,joss sticks,food and wine and prayers to appease the spirits. The prayers are to appease,pardon the sins of the spirits and pray for a better rebirth.
Not many people know that it is the Ksitigarbha Buddha who is the one who open the gates of hell on the 1st of the seventh lunar month and it is not necessary always at 12am the seventh month starts. I think he is my hero man,he has a motto that states that "If Hell is not empty,I will not attain Buddhahood"...meaning that if hell is not empty as it is a place for people who conduct misdeeds,he will not rise to heaven to attain buddhahood...as hell is the lowest in the ten dharma realms, the vow implies that he will be the last one to become Buddha amongst all. very 'wei da' right? This is the picture of him...
Source: http://web.singnet.com.sg/~alankhoo/Ksitigarbha.htm
Ok now let me introduce the types of offerings the taoists gives to the spirits...
First will be clothes. All the items in the picture represent clothes,shoes,necessities of life as learned in macro(or should I say death...haha...)and cloths that are used to make clothes with. Except the white stacks of paper in the middle are visa...spirits are are like the living they will like to travel to other places so they need visas like these to pass through 'customs'...and the bottom two types of joss papers have mantras and spells written on it as to calm the rage of the spirits coming to collect the items and stuffs...and to help them to atone for their sins?(I think,not sure for the rectangular piece) and the circular paper also representing rounding up the hatred, smoothing to the emotions of the souls...as the spirits release from hell are not going to be exactly nice,imagine being lock up for 11 months and being tortured for the misdeeds you have committed when you are alive,you are not exactly going to be happy...
Each piece of paper represent a piece of cloth as many spirits will be coming to collect the offerings so you will not know what sizes are they(XS,S,M,L,XL...)...so I guess it is better to give them the raw materials and let them bring it to the tailor's...remember,hell is just like earth but it is for the dead...my mother tells me only the Cantonese folds these type of paper...
(it comes in 6 different colours:pink,white,orange,purple,yellow and green...take your pick...)
Second,comes the currency and money used...the top row are gold and silver second would be...the second row are the famous 999.9 gold and silver bars and the long strip of white paper are small changes for the spirits...as not always they carry large amount of money...sometimes,they are thrown during funerals to call the spirits back or to come to enjoy the feast liad out...I feel like saying some econs her but forget liao after the exams...the last row are paper money...take a look on the number of zero on them...200 million and 100 billions(I better don't bother reading the zeros,it is impossible)???won't that cause inflation if everyone have so much money?as a result hurting consumers' spending...
More money,money,money...I guess it is a must to have the picture of the king of hades on every notes like our yusof isshark...haha...some notes are decorated with junks,deities,birds and children...on the other side will be the picture of the bank of hell...
You see I told you,those number of zeros will cause inflation...it looks really like our real money...as a child I was always amazed with these...it look so real...I remember Wendy once make a joke about these say that we could trick taxi drivers and not paying them and replacing them with these(as I am sure you heard about those stories that a lady will ask to be drive to a graveyard then later disappearing then when the taxi driver checked,the notes will be the hell bank notes)...haha...but miss tay (my sec 2 form teacher) said the spirit can disappear but we can't...haha...so in the end we will get caught...haha...(a close up)
Here's a box of coins and paper that are folded in the shape of gold and sliver ingots...All these clothes and money are burned in the end,as it is believe to be a transportation to the other world...I guess you can take it like FedEx...haha...but whether they get it or not,I guess we will never know...
And lastly,we have reach the food section...here are joss sticks which are a must in every prayer...and candles to lead the spirits to the feast and offerings prepare for them...and there are prayer cookies,tea leaves and a prosperity cake as it is believe that after praying the cake will bring wealth to the family...some people do offer rice,meat,fish,fruits and wine...what a spread right?haha...as I have a small family thus there is not much of a elaborate spread...some people place it at the door so the spirits do not come in the house and disturb the residents...some people refrain from eating the food as after the spirits have 'consumed' it,it is considered to have a lot of yin energy and may cause bad luck and misfortune...but some believe they will be bless by their ancestors or by the spirits...many have argued that the spirits do not really eat the food but by smelling it and as a result the food will lose its flavour...but it is not gonna be drastic...but nobody is 100% sure...
Ok I guess that about wraps up everything...hope now you know more about the chinese culture...feel free to ask me or feel free to correct me if I am wrong in any place...or comment on how I did...haha...if not just read it...haha...if I am not wrong it is the longest entry I've written since I started this blog till now...haha....gtg now...see ya...take care,everyone...bye... =)