Once a year my mum will go and consult an astrologer to see if there is anyone in the family who has any conflict with Tai Sui or The White Tiger Deity. If yes, then she'd go to the temple and offer prayers to Tai Sui or worship the White Tiger for us to prevent calamities and blood shed.
Some of you might be wondering what on earth is this woman rambling about, right? Well, let me explain.
In Mandarin, Jing Zhe or the Awakening of Insects is a day where it is believed that all the insects wake up from hibernation. And this day usually falls on either the 6th of 7th of March each year. The Chinese people believe this is the time the "White Tiger" will open its ferocious mouth to feast after a long hibernation during Winter.
On this day Taoists will gather at a temple and pray to the Tiger deity with a set of joss paper, incense, candles and food. Offerings which include pork, duck eggs, sesame seeds and green beans are also offered to get rid of vile persons gossips. They will place or rub a small piece of raw pork into the mouth of the Tiger deity as a symbolic ritual of appeasing the Tiger deity not to stir up any trouble which includes bloodshed caused by accidents, major surgery, and calamities. Spilling the green beans and sesame seeds on to the ground will help get rid of ones problems. At the same time it will keep vile characters at bay.
The Tiger deity is a very powerful deity and the Taoists believe that it can protect worshippers and also help them get rid of vile persons, which may be their friends, colleagues or even subordinates who may slander, backstab, and give one a hard time, especially those climbing the corporate ladder.
The Tiger deity is a very powerful deity and the Taoists believe that it can protect worshippers and also help them get rid of vile persons, which may be their friends, colleagues or even subordinates who may slander, backstab, and give one a hard time, especially those climbing the corporate ladder.
Usually a set of joss paper is prepared in advance for worshipping the Tiger deity.
It will usually include a paper effigy of a man representing a vile person which are supposed to be hit by a shoe in front of the Tiger deity.They will Chant this while hitting the paper effigy:
Hit your deadly head,
Hit you till your mouth is crooked,
Strike all your limbs till they hurt,
If from the East you come, to the West you run off,
Beat you till you run off without your shoes on.
(translated from Chinese)
After this ritual is complete the entire offering sets are burned and a small paper effigy of a Helpful Mentor or Noble Man, a paper horse and 2 palms or hands are then stuck on the wall in the temple, the higher the better. This signify that you will get help from Helpful Mentor or Noble Man which now elevate you to a higher position after getting rid of the Vile person.
References:
http://www.taoistsecret.com/
Zhao Cai Jing Bao 2004 by Master Chang Jue
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