In the Chinese-speaking world, the Lunar New Year is considered a
time of transition, one of fresh starts and new beginnings. This is the
best time to ask the powers that be — the gods — for blessings and
fortune. Many rise bright and early on Chinese New Year's Day to go to a
temple, where they burn incense sticks, light a Bright Fortune Lamp
(光明灯), and ask the gods for good fortune to arrive and any black clouds
in their lives to be dispersed. If you're in Taipei over the festive
period, why not do as the locals do and head to temple as well, where
tourists are common and most welcome. It's certainly a wonderful
opportunity to gaze directly into the religious life of the local people
and observe all the small ways they go about praying for blessings
during the New Year.
The custom at many temples is to open their doors anywhere from
11 pm on New Year's Eve to 1 am New Year's Day (most either exactly at
11, or at midnight), following an ancient tradition when daily time was
counted in two-hour periods. Crowds rush in, individuals racing to be
the first to stick their incense sticks in the ash-filled censer, for it
is traditionally believed that being the first ensures good luck in the
year to come. Many temples in fact do not close their doors on New
Year's Eve, keeping their doors open into New Year's Day to accommodate
all who want to come and pray for the first time in the New Year as
early as possible.
There is a specific sequence that must be followed when praying,
which is often posted at temple entrances, with the ritual, the names of
gods and the order in which they are to be approached explained. The
usual way to start is facing the outermost hall, praying to the Heavenly
Lord (天公). Next turn around and face the temple's main god seated in
the main hall, pray to that god, then move about praying to the other
gods. Proceed from left to right, front to back, and from the ground
level upwards.
Before praying, it is best to clean your hands. Then, with
respectful attitude, lift up the incense sticks with your hands
together, or raise your hands with palms together and fingers pointed
upward, and begin your prayer. The practice of ceremonially burning
spirit money is no longer followed at most temples in eco-friendly
Taipei, and for the same reason temples will now light and place a
single incense stick in a censer for worshippers, and allow no more.
Voluntary donations can be given to the temple, literally called“adding
incense and oil money”(添香油钱). Those wishing to further demonstrate their
devotion can present fresh flowers, fruit, cakes or crackers, placing
them on the tribute table. These are taken home after prayer (when
their“essence”has been absorbed by the deity) to share with the family.
When praying, inform the deity of your full name, date of birth,
and address, and formally ask that your request be heard. An alternative
form of prayer involves presenting your request by throwing divining
blocks (掷 杯) or drawing divining lots. Divining blocks are made of wood
or sometimes plastic, they are shaped like a crescent moon, one side
flat, the other convex. Inform the god of your full name, the year,
month, and date of your birth, your address, and your request, then cast
the twin blocks to the floor. If the blocks fall with one flat, one
convex, the god has agreed with your request, for you have the“sacred
combination”(圣杯). Two flat sides up are called“laughing blocks”(笑杯),
meaning the god has not yet decided or your request is unclear; you must
clarify your request and ask again. With two convex sides you have yin
or“yin (dark) blocks”and the answer is negative (yin as in yin/yang).
Before drawing divination lots, must first cast the divination blocks,
once again first stating your name and request. If you get the sacred
combination, you can then draw a bamboo lot with a number on it from a
container. Next throw the blocks again to see if this is the correct
lot. If you get the sacred combination again, go to the chest of drawers
containing divination poems, take one matching the number on your
bamboo lot from the drawer, and give the poem to the counter staff for
interpretation.
Now that you have the basics of the worship and prayer process,
you're ready to head out along with local folk on their New Year rounds,
visiting temples and beseeching blessings from on high. And what do
most locals pray for? The four classic themes are peace and health,
wealth, attainment in studies and career, and a happy marriage.