Wen ChangIn Malaysia, the students are now busy in preparation for the public examinations which will be starting at around the end of September, beginning with the UPSR for the year six pupils in primary school and ending with the SPM and STPM for the Form 5 and Upper Six students in November. Besides making sure that their children do the necessary studying in school and at home and sending them for tuition, the parents who are of the Taoist faith would often go to temples and pray to Wen Chang. Who is Wen Chang? Why pray to him?
For starters Wen Chang or Wen Ch'ang is the Taoist God of Wisdom, Literature, Books and Writing. He started out as a mortal by the name of Zhang Ya Zi, a Zhou Dynasty sage who could predict the future and perform great transformations. With his superior knowledge of The Way (TAO), he was elevated to Heaven and now sits enthroned in the Big Dipper (Plough).
He is also a God of Education and Learning, helping students and blessing schools. It's easy to get on his good side: all you need to do is love books. His attendants K'UEI-HSING and ZHU-YI stand beside him in the Heavenly hot seat. One is deaf and the other is mute.
In the picture above of Wen Chang he is surrounded by a demon-like character wielding a pen named K'uei Hsing and a man known as Zhu Yi "Red Coat." K'uei Hsing is the conferer of degrees and diplomas, hence scholars prayed to him for success in the Imperial Exams. Red Coat or the God of Good luck was regarded as the deity responsible for finding jobs for scholars. He was regarded particularly as the protector of those who were not very good students. In one story, an examiner, disgusted by a weak essay, was ready to fail the candidate when a strange man in red appeared from nowhere. Silently the man in red nodded to the examiner to signal that he should pass the candidate. Completely taken aback by the celestial visitor, the examiner passed the candidate!
When do we pray to Wen Chang? The answer is anytime. However the Chinese would usually pray to this wisdom God on the eve of Chinese New Year. They believe that by praying to Him during this time would lead to their children being blessed with stronger willpower and diligence to study thus leading to academic excellence.
During Chinese New Year eve, the parents would prepare to welcome Wen Chang in the morning or a minute before midnight. They need to get ready raw spring onions with roots, cloves of garlic with roots, celery with roots, dried yellow beans, an exercise book, a pen and a Wen Chang offering set (which can be bought from the Chinese Prayer Paraphernalia shops). Once the items are obtained, one needs to first bunch the spring onions, leeks and celery together and tie them with a red string. The vegetables are then placed on the altar together with the other prayer items. Then light the prayer candles and joss-sticks and offer them to Wen Chang. After that burn the Wen Chang offering set to complete the ritual. This ritual can be done on other days besides the eve of the New Year. But do look for an auspicious date first by referring to the T'ung Shu or Chinese Almanac.
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2 comments:
Hey..i am little skeptic whether u are still taking care of ur blogger.Its good initiative from ur part.i like praying gods of wisdom and i even like collecting the pictures
Hi,
Believe me, I am taking good care of my Blogger account. Thanks for the comment.
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