Tuesday 17 November 2009

Offering of Winter Clothing for the Pass-on (送寒衣)


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On 1st Day of Lunar 10 Month, it is known as the Day for the Mortals to Offer Winter Clothing to the Ancestors aka Han Yi Jie (寒衣節), Pass-on Family Members & Wanderings.

This Tradition had been practised by the Taoists & Chinese since Qin Dynasty (秦朝).

In Taoism, this Day is considered as an Important Day for Taoists to show their Gratitude towards the Ancestors, Fore-fathers & Pass-on Family Members. Besides Qing Ming & Seventh Month, 1st Day of Lunar 10 Month, Taoists will prepared a great amount of Offerings and then performed Tomb-visiting.

Upon arriving at the Tomb/Grave, Taoists will start to clean the surrounding of the Tomb/Grave just like Tomb-sweeping Day, after then, a short reporting to the Earth Deity & City Deity will be made for the summoning of the Pass-on and last, making Offerings to the Pass-on with the burning of Winter Clothing.

These Winter Clothing are actually Paper-made Clothing which we can see nowadays in Joss-shops. But in the past, Taoists/Chinese will really used Thick/Wool Cloth to make into Clothing for the Offering, this is to show the Compassionate and Caring for the Pass-on, hoping that they wont be suffering in the Cold Winter Weather.

For Offering Winter Clothing to the Wanderings, usually the Taoists will go to Road-side, Mountainoues Areas or Ancestral Shrine to burn Five-colored Papers (五色紙) for them. Sch Five-colored Papers will be burnt off with an Enhanced Talisman (化衣符) issued by the Taoist Priests. By doing so, with the Energy of the Fire (火煉) & Chanting, the Talisman will transformed the Five-colored Paper into Clothing for the Wanderings. Once the Offering completed, the Taoists will leave the Place without turning back their head, this is to prevent seeing any un-necessary scene.

For those who are able to make such an Offering this Year, please do so, I'm sure Heaven & the Deities will be able to take note of your Compassionate and most probably, you and your Family will be blessed.

8 comments:

  1. Thank you, what if we cannot make it on the day , can it be on other day or even on the pass-on anniversary.

    Pls adv.
    Andy

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  2. sifu..if we cannot do at this first day of ten lunar month, can we do at anyday depends on our time???thanks

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  3. If no Offering was being done on 1st Day of Lunar 10 Month, 10th Day of Lunar 10 Month is another Day that we Chinese can show our Gratitude. After this Day, then no more, cos Winter has already arrived.

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  4. Jave I cannot find any winter clothes at the joss paper shop so what can I do?

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  5. In Spore, we can only buy the normal Paper Clothing and then with the Enhancement of the Talismans, it will transform the normal Clothing into Winter Clothing.

    Let me know in the future, so that I can prepare the necessary Talismans for you all.

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  6. sifu..
    i wana burn some normal paper clothing on this 10th day for the wandering souls, but i dont have any talisman, is it ok??

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  7. I dont think I have enough time to send you the talismans. you can burn it, shall be okay.

    ReplyDelete

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