JADE EMPEROR GOD PRAYERS 2018

Jade Emperor God's Birthday [天公誕] falls on the 9th day of the Chinese New Year.  Most Chinese Hokkiens of Taoism faith will offer prayers to the Jade Emperor [玉皇太帝] on the night of the 8th day [after 11 pm of Chinese New Year].  

During my younger days, my family will pray and make food offerings such as fruits, kuihs, cakes and various meats [like chicken, duck and piglets] to Jade Emperor.  Over the years, some of the items various but some basic ones remain a must.  

In the morning of this birthday, Chinese especially the Hokkiens of the Taoist faith set up an altar table with 3  layers one top [containing offertories of six vegetables [六齋], Mi Suah noodles, fruits [5 varieties], cakes, glutinous rice balls, vegetable bowls all decorated with red paper cuttings of auspicious designs] and two lower levels [containing the five sacrifices and wines] to honor the deities below the Jade Emperor.

The household then kneels three times and kowtow nine times to pay homage and wish him a long life.  My late grandma used to do this without fail and would be very happy if her children and grandchildren followed after her.  Thinking of it, it is rather fun.

My in-laws' family practices these rites quite similar to my parents but over time, the practices have changed and offerings are more simplified especially after my father in-law passed on.  

I will follow the basic offertories like six vegetables [六齋] such as dried mushrooms, black fungus [bok nee], sweet bean curd sticks, peanuts, glass noodles, dried lily buds and 5 kinds of fruits [oranges, apples, sugar cane, pamelo,pineapple etc].  Some must have kuihs like Angku Kuih, Mi Koo, Bee Koh, Huat Kuih, Thni Kuih etc are also included.  Usually, I would made some of these kuihs during the day itself. We have omitted the offertories like boiled chicken, duck and roasted pig but we still offered red [hard boiled] eggs as can be seen in the pictures.

Apart from the above, a must have item is the paper money which are folded into golden ingot type.

Part of the paper money are folded into triangles and stacked up alternately [see above picture] and each of these have to be opened up which looks like a pyramid shape before burning them.  These days, families seldom do that but I still prepared this days in advance before Jade Emperor's Birthday.

KEW ONG YEAH FESTIVAL-FLOAT PROCESSION 2017

Organising Committee Members

Again, once a year is time for vegetarian meals in conjunction with Nine Emperor Gods Festival, a Taoist celebration of the Gods birthday. 

In my home vicinity there is a makeshift temple set up to celebrate the festival in a rather grand scale with numerous temporary vegetarian food stalls along both sides of the road leading to the temple.

The area is full of activities throughout the nine days starting from 20 October 2017. Many can get to enjoy vegetarian food not necessarily for religious reasons.  Anyway, my family members have been observing vegetarian meals during the duration of the festival for almost 4 generations.  The main reason is because my family members are involved with the yearly send-off of the Nine Emperor God’s ‘Boat’ to the sea on the 9^th day night from our clan jetty [Ong Jetty, Penang].   Those involved have to be on vegetarian diet as a respect.

The Wooden Boat For Send-Off

If you like to try vegetarian food, do check it out HERE.  These are the numerous vegetarian dishes which I have prepared over the years.

Anyway, we always enjoy vegetarian meals during this time with very good appetite no matter how simple the dishes are.  The food tastes so tempting and satisfying, especially the curries and stir fry dishes with a combination of ingredients and simple seasonings.
This year, there was a special float procession organised by the temple today [2nd day of the ninth lunar calender]. There were numerous floats, deities in trance, lion dance, fireworks etc.  It is a lively event tonight with many spectators lining the road.

 

There will be another procession in conjunction with the celebration on the 9th day night where the boat will be sent off to sea after the procession

Apart from the above, Teochew puppet show performances are available on the last 3 days of the festival during daytime and night time.