Taoist Religion Service
Updated:2007-12-27
In the halls or temples of Taoism, people will often see the Taoists singing the ancient songs and dancing in colorful costume with the mandala and some kinds of religion service wares in hand, which is the Taoist service rite, Taoist Rite, or Attending the religion service according to the letter of rules.
"Fast " refers to that the attendants should have a bath and change clothes, not eat meat or drink wine, not sleep with one's spouse before the rite in order to show one's piousness. Taoism absorbed this for the purpose of clearing the mind by eating vegetables and cleaning the body by having a bath. Doing good things to get rid of the evil thought, conforming to god to keep healthy and then cultivating are the three stages of fasting. Taoism has paid more attention to fasting and set a series of rules to direct fasting process.
Jiao was sacrifice, an old rite. Taoism has absorbed and developed this meaning of sacrifice, by which to communicate with gods. Jiao also has many rules in the process and rite. Jiao has many other names, people pray for what, there will be some relative kind Jiao. For example, a Jiao to pray for rain. At first, the rules of fasting were different from that of Jiao, but after several dynasties' combination, fasting and Jiao combined into one — Taoist rites.
Fasting and Jiao rules refer to the rules and regulations that Taoist religion service should observe. The following are some services that the Taoists often attend:
"Fast " refers to that the attendants should have a bath and change clothes, not eat meat or drink wine, not sleep with one's spouse before the rite in order to show one's piousness. Taoism absorbed this for the purpose of clearing the mind by eating vegetables and cleaning the body by having a bath. Doing good things to get rid of the evil thought, conforming to god to keep healthy and then cultivating are the three stages of fasting. Taoism has paid more attention to fasting and set a series of rules to direct fasting process.
Jiao was sacrifice, an old rite. Taoism has absorbed and developed this meaning of sacrifice, by which to communicate with gods. Jiao also has many rules in the process and rite. Jiao has many other names, people pray for what, there will be some relative kind Jiao. For example, a Jiao to pray for rain. At first, the rules of fasting were different from that of Jiao, but after several dynasties' combination, fasting and Jiao combined into one — Taoist rites.
Fasting and Jiao rules refer to the rules and regulations that Taoist religion service should observe. The following are some services that the Taoists often attend:
I: Morning and Evening Lessons with the Wood Block, is a must for the Taoists living in the temple, whose purpose is to exercise body and cultivate mind, to pray for good fortune, to stabilize one's mind to be a Taoist, to release souls from purgatory and to demonstrate the management of the temples.
II, Welcoming ceremony for the founder is to celebrate Zhenwu's ascension to Heaven, to demonstrate his great power, to the effect of protecting scriptures, Taoism, temples and halls, so as to keep the Taoist temples and halls quiet forever.
III, Fete for the wondering ghosts is a rite done in the evening lesson to sacrifice the wondering ghosts and release souls from purgatory for them.
IV, Birthday ceremony is the rite to celebrate the birthday of the founder of Taoism, Zhang-Sanfeng.
V, Celebration ceremony is also the rite to celebrate the birthday of the founder of Taoism, Zhang-Sanfeng, which is done by day.
VI, Meeting the emperor rite is used in the morning and the midnight point, on 25th of the twelfth month of the lunar calendar, to meet the Jade Emperor of Heaven, by which to invoke the emperor to descend to the mortal world and bring good fortune for humans and keep them healthy and longevous.
VII, Big-turning rite is to demonstrate the power of Taoism, to get rid of all evils and release all creatures in the world, which is at the end of service.
VIII, Sending letter (melted letter, or burnt application) rite, is a very important rite in the fasting and Jiao, widely used in all kinds of big service, by which, Taoists send their application letters to Jade Emperor to invite all gods descend to the mandala and bring fortune and preserve humans' life and release souls for the dead.
IX, Water-and-fire tempering rite is a common rite to release souls for the dead.
X, Lamp rite is also a commonly used rite done in the evening after the sun has set, with lamp as the religion service ware, by which to light the world and perish the darkness.
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