THE JADE EMPEROR
Human never cease to acknowledge the Divine. I spotted a few blogs with this topic. Be it Christianity, Buddhism, Islamic, Hinduism, etc etc
Yesterday, unable to sleep, I switched on the Discovery Channel to watch some documentary in hope to be lulled to sleep. It was Hour Asia. Those Mat Sallehs never failed to be amazed by the Asian culture and did a documentary on a Hokkien family in Singapore praying to the Jade Emperor (one of the most important deity among other deities to the Hokkiens. I don’t know how many deities are there really…shame on me being a Hokkien).
Jade Emperor or “Tee Gong” in Hokkien (pronounce with the nasal sound), “Tin Gong” in Cantonese is considered one of the most important deity among other deities to the Hokkiens (yes – I mentioned this before). His birthday is widely celebrated by the Hokkiens all over the world.
Once upon a time when the Japanese invaded the Fujian province in China, the Fujian people (Hokkiens) hid in the field of sugarcane which spared their life. After 8 days ordeal in the field, the Japanese were defeated and the survivors came out from their hidings. On the 9th day when the survivors felt relived after emerging from the sugarcane field, coincidently it was the birthday of the Jade Emperor. They believed that the Jade Emperor had spared their lives.. and therefore, during the 9th day of the Lunar Calendar, the Hokkiens would prepare offerings to the Jade Emperor for His blessings and at the side of the table where the offerings are placed, there will be two sugarcane sticks to remind them of His Mercy.
The offerings can be prepared in 3 or 5 “kinds” depending on what wish you want to derived out of it. Yes.. for the Chinese, we can bargain with the Gods. Haha.
3 “kinds” comprises 3 types of meat – chicken, duck and pork. If 5 “kinds”, means, 5 types of meat – crab, chicken, duck, pork and fish. So this Singaporean family, being the typical kiasus, prepared 5 types of offerings.
At midnight, the offerings will be served and joss papers will be burnt. (I thought open burning is prohibited?) Before that, the whole family will gather in front of the table and kneel down to offer joss sticks to the Jade Emperor to invite Him down for a scrumptious dinner.. or supper. (This took place in mid night). Then they will also use paper effigy (for each member of the family) to carry away their bad luck and to be burnt together with the joss papers.
Before they prepare the joss papers to be burnt, they have to ask Jade Emperor whether has He finished his meals, by using two small wood figurines, shaped like half moon. They called them “Puay”. If the “Puay” shows two flat side up (which looks like a smile), meaning.. the Deity is happy with them but hasn’t finish His meal. If the “Puay” shows two rounded side up, meaning.. the Deity has yet to finish His meal and asked them not to hurry Him. And if the “Puay” shows one flat side up and one rounded side up, meaning, the Jade Emperor is happy with the meal and the family can start cleaning up.
The more joss papers are burnt, the more prosperous the family will become. So while burning the joss papers and hoping that the flame will rise high to the sky.. (the higher the better), the family gather around the flame and screamed, “HUAT AH……….. Huat ah. HUAT Ah…” (meaning.. Prosperity! Prosperity! Prosperity! )
Then, everyone go home feeling blessed for the entire year.. and prepare for bigger and better flame next year.
Yesterday, unable to sleep, I switched on the Discovery Channel to watch some documentary in hope to be lulled to sleep. It was Hour Asia. Those Mat Sallehs never failed to be amazed by the Asian culture and did a documentary on a Hokkien family in Singapore praying to the Jade Emperor (one of the most important deity among other deities to the Hokkiens. I don’t know how many deities are there really…shame on me being a Hokkien).
Jade Emperor or “Tee Gong” in Hokkien (pronounce with the nasal sound), “Tin Gong” in Cantonese is considered one of the most important deity among other deities to the Hokkiens (yes – I mentioned this before). His birthday is widely celebrated by the Hokkiens all over the world.
Once upon a time when the Japanese invaded the Fujian province in China, the Fujian people (Hokkiens) hid in the field of sugarcane which spared their life. After 8 days ordeal in the field, the Japanese were defeated and the survivors came out from their hidings. On the 9th day when the survivors felt relived after emerging from the sugarcane field, coincidently it was the birthday of the Jade Emperor. They believed that the Jade Emperor had spared their lives.. and therefore, during the 9th day of the Lunar Calendar, the Hokkiens would prepare offerings to the Jade Emperor for His blessings and at the side of the table where the offerings are placed, there will be two sugarcane sticks to remind them of His Mercy.
The offerings can be prepared in 3 or 5 “kinds” depending on what wish you want to derived out of it. Yes.. for the Chinese, we can bargain with the Gods. Haha.
3 “kinds” comprises 3 types of meat – chicken, duck and pork. If 5 “kinds”, means, 5 types of meat – crab, chicken, duck, pork and fish. So this Singaporean family, being the typical kiasus, prepared 5 types of offerings.
At midnight, the offerings will be served and joss papers will be burnt. (I thought open burning is prohibited?) Before that, the whole family will gather in front of the table and kneel down to offer joss sticks to the Jade Emperor to invite Him down for a scrumptious dinner.. or supper. (This took place in mid night). Then they will also use paper effigy (for each member of the family) to carry away their bad luck and to be burnt together with the joss papers.
Before they prepare the joss papers to be burnt, they have to ask Jade Emperor whether has He finished his meals, by using two small wood figurines, shaped like half moon. They called them “Puay”. If the “Puay” shows two flat side up (which looks like a smile), meaning.. the Deity is happy with them but hasn’t finish His meal. If the “Puay” shows two rounded side up, meaning.. the Deity has yet to finish His meal and asked them not to hurry Him. And if the “Puay” shows one flat side up and one rounded side up, meaning, the Jade Emperor is happy with the meal and the family can start cleaning up.
The more joss papers are burnt, the more prosperous the family will become. So while burning the joss papers and hoping that the flame will rise high to the sky.. (the higher the better), the family gather around the flame and screamed, “HUAT AH……….. Huat ah. HUAT Ah…” (meaning.. Prosperity! Prosperity! Prosperity! )
Then, everyone go home feeling blessed for the entire year.. and prepare for bigger and better flame next year.
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