Weiya
The most common time for Weiya sacrifices is to start worshiping at 4 or 5 pm on the 16th day of the twelfth lunar month. On this day, we must worship the Lord of the Earth and the Lord of the Foundation. .
Tu Tu Gong - the offering table is customarily placed in front of Tu Tu Gong's shrine. The offerings can be prepared with sacrifices (three animals) and four fruits. In addition, the offerings for the festival are also "spring rolls" as for Tou Ya. That is, Runbian - (wrap bean sprouts, carrots, shredded bamboo shoots, dried tofu, shredded pork, coriander in Runbian skin, and then wrap them in peanut powder, etc. to make a delicious spring roll).
The foundation master-the offering table must be set up at the door or back door to worship inside the house, and a five-flavor bowl should be prepared for the offerings.
New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve is the last day of the lunar calendar every year. Because there are many places to worship gods, ancestors, etc. on that day, it takes a long time to prepare to say goodbye, so the worship time is often It started in the morning.
Jade Emperor God - the altar table is divided into top table and bottom table (or front table and back table), which are placed under the public furnace of the Three Realms or in the atrium facing the sky, using Dingji gold, Taiji gold, and Tianjin basins Gold, high coins, firecrackers, etc. are prepared on the table with plain six-vegetarian or twelve-course vegetable bowls, three bundles of noodles, fruits (especially New Year mandarin oranges, some of which are arranged in mandarin towers), rice cakes, rice cakes, and sweets. And all the sacrifices, fruits, rice cakes, sweets, etc. on the next table
The gods-the offering table in front of the gods' hall uses longevity gold, mowing gold, land public gold, and offerings to worship the Jade Emperor. Turn around and worship, and then put the rice cakes on the table. On the table are a pair of "spring flowers", which means more than one year, good luck and wealth, and three bunches of noodles, which mean longevity
Ancestors - placed on the offering table in front of the ancestor's tablet, using longevity gold, cut gold, and silver paper. The previous offerings can be used, but the sacrifice must be cut open in advance, and a few more dishes and bowls must be cooked for worship
Bedmother - Set up on the bed or set up a small offering table at the head of the bed. Use bedmother's clothes and cut gold, and the offerings can be spring rice and sesame oil chicken wine
Foundation master - Set up the offering table at the door or back door When worshiping inside the house, use gold or silver paper and prepare five-flavor bowls and rice cakes as offerings.
Hao Xiongdi - The altar table is set up at the door to worship outside. Sutra clothes, silver paper, five-flavor bowls and rice cakes can be used.
Kaizheng (the first day of the Lunar New Year)
The time of Kaizheng varies according to the celestial stems and earthly branches each year. It is approximately in the early morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year, usually after the New Year's Eve vigil. Waiting for the midnight hour to arrive and worshiping the gods before going to bed; the time to worship ancestors is around noon on the first day of the lunar month.
The altar table for gods can be set up in front of the Hall of Gods (Gongma Hall). The Eight Immortals table is specially surrounded by a table skirt embroidered with auspicious patterns. Red or Eight Immortals colors will be hung at the door, and lights will be lit in the hall. , candles are also lit on the god's table. Flowers and festival offerings can be offered, such as citrus towers (citrus stacked into a tower shape), rice cakes (sweet cakes - meaning rising year after year), radish cakes, taro cakes, fat cakes (meaning to make a fortune), rice cakes, etc. During the New Year dinner, "spring flowers" are placed on the rice dumplings and rice dumplings, which add to the auspicious meaning of prosperity and prosperity in the New Year. In front of the incense burner, there are three bunches of noodle thread tied with red paper, and three cups of tea, as well as sweet tea (such as red date tea), sweet ingredients (such as sweet peanut kernels, red dates, winter melon candy, peanut candy and other candy offerings). In addition, some believers will offer a complete set of three animals (pork, chicken, fish), etc. to worship; some families will also offer rice cakes and twelve bowls of vegetables (such as peanuts, snow peas, dried beans, bean buns, perennial vegetables, Spinach...etc.) come to worship and offer longevity gold, mowing gold and firecrackers. After worshiping and burning gold, set off firecrackers, and then sprinkle tea wine on the paper ashes.
Ancestors - The table decoration should be the same as that of the gods. Seven cups of wine, seven bowls and seven pairs of chopsticks must be prepared, plus offerings to worship the gods. The male offerings can be worshiped repeatedly, but they must be cut open. In addition to vegetable bowls (vegetables), some vegetables use spinach and garlic with roots and tails. Spinach means "flying" in southern Fujian, which means flying to the sky and becoming prosperous, while garlic with beards takes its shape. , which means that descendants can have "white hair on their heads and white beards", which means "longevity". Then offer longevity gold, cutting gold, silver paper, etc. Since it is during the Chinese New Year, it is best to prepare more gold and silver paper than on normal worship days.
The fourth day of the first lunar month
The fourth day of the first lunar month is the day to receive the gods. As the saying goes, "it is early to send off the gods and it is late to receive the gods." Therefore, the time to receive the gods usually starts around noon. There is an offering table in front of the Hall of Gods. The offerings are mainly animal gifts (three animals: pork, chicken, fish), four fruits (such as citrus, apple, cantaloupe, grape, etc.), wine, vegetable bowls, and sweets (such as peanut kernels, red dates, winter melon candy, peanut candy, etc.) . The purpose of preparing armored horses is to reward the divine soldiers and generals who are responsible for welcoming and protecting the gods when they return to the human world. Therefore, armored horses are usually printed with patterns such as armor, bows and knives, or horses and grooms.
Opening (the fifth day of the lunar month) is taken from Chinese festivals and poetry
Between the fifth and twentieth day of the first month of the lunar calendar, businesses can choose an auspicious day for opening to welcome the God of Wealth and worship the God of Wealth. The time is in the morning. Most businesses have a statue of the God of Wealth, so the place of worship is first placed on the altar table in front of the altar. If it is a small, high-ceiling shrine, an additional altar table can be placed under the altar. In addition, a large offering table is set up near the entrance of a store or factory to welcome the God of Wealth. Offer abundant sacrifices (pork, chicken, fish) and fruits. The main items are longevity gold, mowing gold and firecrackers. When the worship is completed, firecrackers are set off to drive away evil spirits and celebrate the opening.
The ninth day of the lunar month (worshiping Tiangong)
Generally, the worship time can be started at midnight (11 to 1 o'clock) on this day, and will last until before 7 o'clock in the morning of the next day. That's fine, but according to popular legend, because the god of God is very noble, it is said that the earlier you worship God, the more sincere it will be. Some believers in areas where the belief in God is popular will be cautious about worshiping God at home in the middle of the night, and then go to nearby places. Offering incense to Tiangong Temple.
Worships can be divided into two categories:
First, if there is a Tiangong furnace in the main hall of the home, the offering table can be placed under the Tiangong furnace facing the outside of the door to express respectful greetings to the sky. God is coming.
Second, if there is no Tiangong stove at home, the god table can be placed at the front door or in the atrium facing the sky.
The offering table is special. It requires a top table and a lower table (or front and rear tables). Generally, a long bench or a low stool is used to raise the Eight Immortals table. Four stacks of longevity gold (gold paper heads) are placed at the foot of the Eight Immortals table. Facing the door, just like the direction when people worship gods), this is the top table, and an offering table is placed below and in front, which is the bottom table. Tie a table surround with auspicious patterns in front of the top table, and tie sugar canes with green heads and tails on both sides of the top table. The green heads and tails of the two sugar canes are then tied together with red threads. High coins (also known as long coins) can be hung at both ends. money) hanging on both sides, and prepare three or five celestial pedestals (lamp holders) representing the God of Heaven to be placed in the middle of the top table. An incense burner is placed in the center, and candlesticks are prepared on both sides of the burner.
Offerings
The top table is dedicated to the most noble God, and mainly consists of pure vegetarian food. You have to prepare a pair of flowers, light a pair of candles, place three teacups in front of the incense burner, pour some tea, put a plain offering on the table, and a plate with three bunches of noodle thread tied with red paper (it can also be ironed Divide the cooked ingredients into three bowls, and place a piece of brown sugar on each bowl), five fruits (such as citrus, apple, cantaloupe, sugar cane, banana and other fruits), six fruits (such as golden needles, fungus, mushrooms, winter noodles, potatoes) , red dates, which means that the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth are all present). In addition to the six fasts, dry ingredients such as cabbage sum, peas, mung beans, bean rounds, gluten, and sesame seeds are added to form twelve bowls and twenty-four bowls. Or thirty-six bowls of vegetable dishes, as well as sugar towers, sugar cups, etc.
The lower table is dedicated to the subordinate gods of God, so it mainly consists of five animals and other non-vegetarian food. The offerings include five animals (such as whole chickens, whole ducks, whole fish, whole pigs, and whole sheep). Fish eggs, pork or pork belly, and boiled pigs can also be used; in addition, there are red turtle cakes, sweets (such as rice Dates, sweet cakes), etc.
The gold paper dedicated to Tiangong is mainly Tiangong gold, which also includes Dingji gold, Taiji gold, Tianjin, pot gold, Gaoqian (long money), etc. Among them, the high coins can be torn into long strips and hung on the sugar cane next to the top table, or hung on the whole sheep or whole pig sacrifice, as a tribute with a decorative effect.
Lantern Festival (15th)
Every year on the 15th day of the first lunar month, which is the Lantern Festival, people will worship the Emperor Tianguan from midnight on that day, and worship gods, ancestors, and foundation owners during the day. Believers will especially worship the bed mother.