Qing Shen Ritual

The Qing Shen Ritual is for inviting the Gods' spirit back to their statues.

Chinese New Year

   Before Chinese New Year, I and my friend had a dinner with the owner of Yuan Bao Temple in restaurant because one day before Chinese New Year it's too hard to looking for restaurant. Many restaurant in Taiwan would be close because they have to celebrate with their family like having dinner together. On 19 February, it was a precious day for Taiwanese people because there's a Chinese New Year in Taiwan. So, everybody would come to the temple to celebrate this day and it would make crowded at Yuan Bao Temple but before people come to here I have to help temple's staff such as sweeping the floors, cleaning table and many more. In here, Yuan Bao Temple served like group musical special for Chinese New Year and free food for everbody who would come to here. Otherwise, I and other EP (exchange participant) sold our souvenir from our country to every prayer in here and then we had to say Gong Xi Fat Cai and happy New Year to them. They're purpose in here is like to thanks to the god for healthy and wealthy. And i asked to my friend about "do you celebrate new year eve too?" He said Chinese people just celebrated Chinese New Year not another new year. And it made me like I had to proud of my country's culture too.

    Chinese New Year is an important Chinese festival celebrated at the turn of the Chinese calendar. In China, it is also known as the Spring Festival, the literal translation of the modern Chinese name. Chinese New Year celebrations traditionally run from Chinese New Year's Eve, the last day of the last month of the Chinese calendar, to the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first month, making the festival the longest in the Chinese calendar. The first day of the New Year falls between January 21 and February 20.

    Chinese New Year is centuries old and gains significance because of several myths and traditions. Traditionally, the festival was a time to honour deities as well as ancestors. Chinese New Year is celebrated in countries and territories with significant Chinese populations, including Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mauritius, Philippines, and also in Chinatowns elsewhere. Chinese New Year is considered a major holiday for the Chinese and has had influence on the lunar New Year celebrations of its geographic neighbours.

Chinese New Year 2015

The Spring Festival has a history of more than 4,000 years. This Festival, widely known as Chinese New Year in the West, is the most important traditional festival, and most important celebration for families in Taiwan. It is an official public holiday, during which most Taiwanese have 6 days off work. 

This year, is the year of the “Goat”, begins on Thursday the 19^th of February, and end on the 5^th of March.Taiwanese will be off work from the 18th of February (New Year's Eve). All of the families gather together to have a special dinner. It is called reunion dinner. They believe it to be the most important meal of the year. Big families – families of several generations sit around round tables and enjoy the food and time together. Most families always cook the foods in their house, but some families go to have dinner in the restaurant. I also joined going to dinner with one family who is working in the Yuan Bao Temple. This family, they cooked the meal in their house. They prepared many special recipes such as Soy-Braised Pork Leg, Alaska Crab soup and Abalone shell, etc. I really enjoyed those foods. Moreover, one guy who is the member of that family made one kind of alcohol for everyone. The taste is spicy and bitter. This is the first time I tried that kind of taste. For me, it is very special. That day, I am very full and grateful.

0n 19^th February, it was very crowded in Yuan Bao Temple, because during the Chinese New Year people go to the temple. They believed that it is blessed, and will lead to a smooth coming year. Thus, this day the temple prepares special activities not only for praying to the gods for good fortune, and also other activities for people. The activities are such as giving the red envelopes, showing lion dance and traditional drumming, hanging lanterns, selling amulets, showing traditional live music, etc.

For the giving the red envelopes activity, one high positioned person in the Temple came to give them to the people in the morning. People went to the temple and lined up very early. Moreover in the evening, The Mayor of Taichung state came to Yuan Bao Temple to give red envelopes also. Many people lined up to get the red envelopes and took a picture with him. People are really delighted to see him.

For hanging lanterns, the temple had many colorful lanterns hung around. That temple is different from others accounting for the lanterns are not only the normal red lanterns, and also have the colorful lanterns they got from a student painting competition.  And my lantern that I painted when I just reached here few days was hung in the same place with the champion.

For showing traditional live music,the temple prepared the traditional band for 2 days to show in the temple. Although all of musician is elder ,they really good at playing.They used Taiwanese folk musical instruments such as Fiddle, Fulte,Chinese Cymbaloc.They dressed up the red Chinese style shirt. The music that they shown is about celebrating.This activity added color to the temple very much.

Introduction of The Yuan Bao Temple Gods (Part III)

The Three Great Emperor ( 三官大帝 Sanguan Dadi )

The Three Great Emperor-Officials ( 三官大帝 Sanguan Dadi ) are the Heavenly Official ( 天官 Tianguan ), the Earthly Official ( 地官 Diguan ) and the Water Official ( 水官 Shuiguan ). considered as a representative of God the Almighty in the world. (三官大帝 Sanguan Dadi ) appeared in the shape as the Emperor of Three Worlds: The Sky, Earth & Water.

Shennong

Shennong is the patron deity especially of agriculture, farmers, rice traders, and practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Shennong, also known as the Emperor of the Five Grains (Wǔgǔxiāndì), was a legendary ruler of China and cultural hero. Shennong is considered to have been one of the Three Sovereigns (also known as "Three Emperors") who lived some 5,000 years ago. Shennong has been thought to have taught the ancient Chinese not only their practices of agriculture, but also the use of herbal drugs. Shennong is among the group of variously named heroic persons and deities who have been traditionally given credit for various inventions.

Xuan Tian Shang Di 玄天上帝

Xuan Tian Shang Di 玄天上帝/Xuan Wu (god) has sovereignty over the Northern Heaven, thus became the highest leader amongst Gods in that region. His image is often portrait stepping on a tortoise and a snake. Xuan Wu is an official God in the Northern region, and symbolizes as snake and tortoise. He is revered as a powerful god, able to control the elements (worshipped by those wishing to avoid fires), and capable of great magic. He is particularly revered by martial artists.