Traditional live music on Chinese new year 2015

On Chinese new year 2015,Yuan Bao Temple  prepared the traditional band for 2 days to show during Chinese new year. 

Qing Shen Ritual

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

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.

Kai Guang Ritual in Yuan Bao Temple

The KiGuang Ritual is for summon the God's spirit from the named yellow board to the statue.

Special Sunday in Yuan Bao Temple

This was the best Sunday because it had special activities happened on Yuan Bao Temple. They were 2 activities at the same time. Moreover, both activities were free, so no wonder that why this day the temple was very lively.

The first one is medical diagnosis by China Medical University (CMU) and the second one is calligraphy on the red paper by masters.

 

The first activity is medical diagnosis for the people who would like to check up their health by volunteer doctor from Chinese medicine, China Medical University. There were many people join in this activity because Chinese medical is well-known in Taiwan. Some volunteers are trainee who going to be the doctor in the next 2-3 years. So, when the doctor explained about the problem that patients faced, the trainee studied at the same time, or we can call on the job training. I think that is mutual benefit for both trainees and people. I really like this activity. I also joined for checkup my health. Something surprised me is the doctor can directly diagnose the disease by touch patient’s wrist just around 5-8 minutes. When doctor touched, he or she has to concentrate on taking the patient’s pulse. I think the doctor have to practice for a long times. After checking up and diagnosing, everyone got some herbal powder medicines depending on their problems. The pharmacist prepared the medicine for a while by weighing the herbal followed by the doctor’s prescription. And then the people went to get the medicine and learn how to use it. 

 

Second activity is calligraphy in the red paper with the gold color for hang on Chinese New year. Masters wrote down on that paper that the sentence or words are followed the people wanted. Those are all the good meaning such as brings the good fortune, for health, happiness, and peacefulness etc. The master is really expert in this kind of thing. They made the font very beautiful and fast. When the people got the paper, they will hang it in their house because they believe that the word which the master wrote down will bring the good fortune to them in the next years.

Once,I thought that the tradition Chinese letter is very hard to study and it is useless. But now, I realize that the traditional Chinese font is very splendid and worth, so should to preserve for the next generations.   

Accounting to this temple has many good activities beside normally worship the god, Yuan Bao temple is as in the heart of local and broad people. That why this temples remain in many centuries and forever.

Fa Hui religious ceremony

Today is the last day of the “Fa Hui” religious ritual. “Fa Hui” is about thanking god for blessing them healthy and wealthy all the past year, while people go to donate some food for the deceased who don’t have relative by the priest do some action with his hand. After they are already done the ceremony, the priest will throw some coins and some foods such as desserts, fruit, and candy to the crowd who would like to keep it for good fortune and eat it.

In the ceremony they separate 2 parts to do different things. The first part is the stage inside the temple. They decorate the stage by textile, food, and many kinds of food. This stage is set for warship the 4 gods. The second part, they set up the tent opposite the temple. In the tent, they lay the many staffs such as dry food, incense, and triangle flag for respecting the deceased because they believed that when they do the ceremony, the deceased can get it.

Therefore, the temple is quite lively. There are plenty of people to worship the gods. Everyone must be prepared to make many kinds of food; most of all is vegetarian, use of the ritual at approximately morning until noon, in order to do good deeds in the afternoon.

It also is preparing vegetarian food given away to the people as well. There were also volunteers to do yesterday to serve dessert called “Tang Yuan” for people at the event. The special thing in this temple is Tang Yuan dessert is very well-known, because they are tasty and homemade.

My curiosity grew when I saw the face of the statue covered with a piece of red cloth before the ceremony started. According to the elderly, we only remove the cloth when the ceremony starts with glowing incense. Once the cloth is removed, the spirit of the statue which manages the ying’s world will possess that statue.

Tanguan dessert

"Tanguan" 

(Glutinous rice dumplings in sweet soup)

Now, I live in Yuan Bao temple with my friends from many countries like Malaysia ,Indonesia ,and Canada. Before,I had to prepare many things for this project. Moreover ,This is the first time that I went to other countries alone. So,I was so excited and a little bit nervous. And when I met other partners ,I didn't feel nervous anymore. I feel very happy and fun. I think we can be close friends quickly ,seeing that we have to do many things ,travelling ,and living together everyday.We are care each others. This chance is in my memory everlasting.    


Currently, the temple has a festival which called Fa Hui religious ceremony. And in here, many people come to the temple to participate this ceremony with the faith expression. Today is the 2^nd day of the festival. The festival is 3 days long, and the last day is usually the busiest day.

Today volunteers are preparing foods for the closing day. All foods at the ceremony are vegetarian. Moreover, they are preparing a dessert called “Tangyuan” (Glutinous rice dumplings in sweet soup) to serve tomorrow. It is a traditional Chinese sweet, they make 2 colors, white and pink.

“Tangyuan” is usually served at festivals or Chinese New Year, or anything that is celebrated. They are little glutinous rice balls, and served in syrup or broth. The little dumplings nestled together in the bowl represent togetherness!So,The next day,I will try Tangyuan. I think  it’s make me feel excited.